The London Marathon: How To Enter

We know of 5 ways to enter the London Marathon:

through the Online Ballot via the Virgin London Marathon website
running for a charity
as a championship runner (defined on the Virgin London Marathon website)
a "good for your age" place (defined on the Virgin London Marathon website)
getting a club place through your running club (download a Striders club place application form)

The Online Ballot

The Virgin London Marathon 2010 online entry ballot system has closed and those runners that entered via the ballot were told at the beginning of October that they either have a place or have been rejected by receipt of the "Accepted" or "Rejected" magazine.

Since this is a ballot entry system, entry into the ballot does not guarantee entry into the marathon as there are always more applicants than entries available. You will be advised if you have been successful in securing an entry in the Flora London Marathon 2009 in early October, when you will either receive one of two magazines 'Accepted' or 'Rejected', or you log back in to this website.

A charity

Should you be unsuccessful in the ballot, or would like to raise money for you favourite cause then consider running for a charity.

Each Charity has to pay approximately £250 for each place, so charity places are not handed out for free. You will be expected to raise a large sum of money, between £1,000 and £1,500, for your London Marathon place.

Championship Runner

The qualifying standards for a marathon are sub 2:45 for men or sub 3:15 for women. If you are a member of a UKA club and have a qualifying performance in the last two years you can apply for automatic entry to the London Marathon.

Good for age

There is also a sliding scale for those who are 'Good for your Age'. Again, apply to London Marathon for a guaranteed place. The scale is as follows:

Men
Age	Time
18 - 40	2:45 to 3:10
41 - 59	sub 3:15
60 - 64	sub 3:30
65 - 69	sub 4:00
70+	sub 5:00

Women
Age	Time
18 - 49	3:15 to 3:50
50 - 54	sub 4:00
55 - 59	sub 4:15
60 - 64	sub 4:30
65 - 69	sub 5:30
70+	sub 6:30

Club Places

Each UK Athletics-affiliated club is guaranteed a number of places dependant upon the number of club members amongst other criteria. The Stowmarket Striders usually have 3 or 4 guaranteed places to the London Marathon. To apply for a club place, the committee has agreed on the following criteria.

The applicant must have been a fully paid up club member for one year, before the date of the London Marathon in question.
The applicant must have run a minimum of 5 established races for the club in the year prior to the London Marathon.
The applicant must have applied for and been refused entry to the London Marathon, as per the ballot above. Please keep your rejection advice from the London Marathon to back up your claim.
Any member who has secured a club place in the previous 5 years shall not be eligible to reapply.
Applications that satisfy all criteria will be randomly drawn, to the number of club places available, to decide the members who shall be awarded the club places.

Fit the criteria? Print out & fill in the Club Application form.