These people shouldn’t be allowed to enter the London Marathon

[Notbeinggoadybut]

Like most runners I put my name into the ballot every year, and have never been picked not bitter at all.

The footage of the “last finishers” sets my teeth off a bit. I think if you can’t finish the marathon in say, 6.5-7 hours, you shouldn’t be taking a ballot place that could be allocated to someone who actually wants to RUN the marathon. There are plenty of walking marathons for people who prefer to walk, don’t be selfish and take a slight after place for a RUNNING race. I mean the key is even in the slogan, “We run together”.

AIBU?

And the women’s GFA isn’t outlandishly difficult… you can’t be that fantastic…

Totally agree, the London Marathon has raised over £1.2 billion for charity over the last 50 years, it's the biggest fundraiser in the world! Go and run somewhere else out of the literally thousands of fast marathons if you don't like people going slower, what a miserable fecker you sound. Some of the stories are so inspiring some heartbreaking, who are you to decide who can and cant run,??

You're coming across as bitter and blinkered. You want to enter as a serious runner, but would expect to run a pretty meh sort of time for that, whilst not raising any money for charity or with a personal story for your challenge. Why do you think you deserve a place more than these people, given that this marathon isn't only a serious running race? Why not target the ones that are only for serious runners?

That was to the OP obvs!

I’d rather donate my money to an unfit Middle Aged person struggling & maybe embarrassed but doing it anyway in memory/support of a charity that meant something to them/impacted their life. Rather than an elite runner who was going to piss it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

You need to up your game OP. You are not running fast enough.

I find your attitude regarding the London Marathon quite unusual for a runner tbh, Pretty much every dedicated runner I know - my dad ran several marathons in the past, my brother has done iron man type events, my sister has regularly run road races and club running was a big part of my life growing up as a result so have met quite a few over the years - are much more inclusive regarding events like the London Marathon. I don’t know any who have such disregard and poor attitude towards the charity runners and those doing their best to achieve and complete even when it doesn’t come easy to them.

Took 16 days, raised 86 grand. YABU

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2012/may/08/paralysed-claire-lomas-london-marathon

So what happens if they don't raise the projected funds?
The person I know who did no training also did no fundraising and has promised £2000 to the chosen charity according to the official fundraiser page - obviously, they are far, far short of this goal. Do they have to make up the funds out of their own pocket?

Its always been really inclusive I thought that was the purpose of it

Havent there been people who have taken about a week to complete it in the past?

i certainly couldnt walk it at all, let alone in 8 hours, I can only manage 2 miles an hour at top speed.

Yes plenty are.
The London Marathon being one such event. Has been inclusive in this way for decades. Why should it change now just because you don’t like it?

It’s normally expected that you make up the difference. Yes

As a rule of thumb, when people say something then add 'but', it totally negates the first part of the sentence.

"I'm not being rude, but...", "I'm not racist, but..."

"I'm not being goady, BUT..."

Soz OP I think you’ve totally missed the point of the london marathon. It’s meant to challenge, inspire, and make running more accessible. Your point of view of literally the opposite of what the event is meant to be!

What an achievement 😲🎉 that's incredible.

Havent there been people who have taken about a week to complete it in the past?

There has always been an estimated finish time requirement.
if you don’t finish within a certain amount of time, and they do have leeway with this, then you don’t official finish.
Though there have always been the odd special charity type runner take part over the years outside of those times - such as the one who ran in an old diving suit for example. They take place under different rules iirr, rather than sort of the official race.

I think you are being very unreasonable while yes I agree you can walk it with a decent fast pace in 8 hours it’s still an achievement.
i think it’s great that all different people with all different abilities get to have the opportunity.
im a runner but no more than 10k runs , I’ve not got the guts the time nor the motivation to train for a marathon so I’m very inspired by those that did the marathon yesterday even more so the ones that took 8 hours. I think you are very bitter op !!

I am happy for the slower runners and walkers to do it, I think it’s inspires others to take up exercise and see it as something achievable. What annoys me is people that get in on the ballot several times, I know someone that’s been lucky and got a spot for the last 3. I also know myself and 10+ others that have never had the opportunity, I think if you get in on a ballot spot you shouldn’t be able to put in again for 2 years to give others the chance.

It really doesn't matter. They took part, they had a place and completed it. If you want to run a marathon, enter another one. The London Marathon is inclusive. With your attitude, I'm glad you haven't got a place so far.

Whereas you seem just lovely.

YABU - because the slow people were on charity raising places, not ballots.

Many of the charities know full well that they get more money in if they give their places to people who aren’t already marathon runners who run marathons for their hobby, but get people who care about raising funds for the charity and this is a massive achievement to try this. I’d always sponsor more to someone who would struggle to do whatever they were asking for money for, than I would someone who was doing it for fun and the charity was secondary.

I’ve seen the footage of the man who finished last - he looked broken, but was finishing for the charity he was running for - bone cancer research trust. His just giving page is around £7k, target was £2.5k. He should be bloody proud of what he achieved yesterday.

My DP ran yesterday via a ballot place

He ran 2 years ago for the first time and took 7 1/2 hours. He's a big rugby lad and he swims miles and miles a week. Running was a challenge for him. He trained, his Achilles went and he ran/walked it strapped up and in pain. And we were all v proud of his determination.

He ran again yesterday, taking an hour off his time. He's trained in sun, rain, snow. He's still a big rugby lad and he still had to run/walk part.

Your attitude is the opposite to everyone else o have encountered. We knew 4 people running yesterday - one proper runner, one recovering from cancer, one charity place and DP. Everyone of them had such support all along the route with times from 4hours - 7hours 10.

Ive been toying with the idea of running for 4 years. You've just encouraged me to enter the ballot to prove people like you wrong.

This. They should reduce the cut off time.

who are you to judge how much effort someone has put in?

There are people coming in around the 7 hour mark who have put in more effort than some of those who come in at 3.

You might not have noticed the 69 year old with the blond wig, massive abdominal scars from recent cancer surgery, and carrying the three extra stone due to massive doses of steroids that go with chemo - that was a friend of mine - and she crossed the line with a new acquaintance of hers she met on the course, who had her foot amputated three years ago

Thankfully, they were supported all the way around, by marshals, and spectators, and didn't come across any nasty judgy people.

and they both raised many thousands of pounds for charity

Yes, London being one of them. This is how the organisers want it, it ls why they get such a lot of TV coverage, why SM is full of stories about it that other marathons don't get(how many of them are about 4 hour marathoners? ) .

If they want it to be an event for your real runners they could soon achieve that with a cut-off time, but they don't.

Every real runner I know is gutted when they get another rejection but then supports those who want it with their training and turns out to cheer all runners and/or volunteer on the course on the day.