London Marathon Ballot applicants - this way to share the anticipation of results day…

[AgnesTeaHouse]

….Generally only to be disappointed with the “not this time” email 😄. I’m on year 19 of applications…I’ve more London marathon loser running tops than I care to count and was particular miffed when in 2013 my husband put in a ballot entry and only bloody got it on his first go. Still…I am unreasonably excited every year with anticipation…maybe this year?? Maybe? Maybe?? Please! 😂
Anyone else want to join and we can commiserate or celebrate the special few on results day?

1,100,000 ballot applications this year!😯

Not me, but my running partner entered the ballot for next year and she's already been unsuccessful 11 times before, but got in with her GFA time from Manchester.

Have you done other marathons before? Perhaps yoi could try one elsewhere and see whether you get a fast enough time to enter via GFA. Or run for a charity.

Good luck OP. My daughter ran it for charity in 2021( the delayed 2020 one) then decided to go for the ballot last year and got in!! She hasn't entered for 2026 thank goodness.

Im going for GFA 🙏

Ah see I’d never get in for GFA…well not till I’m 95 😂. I’ve done New York, Berlin and Chicago marathons. Harboured a bit of a desire to do all the majors..but they keep adding to them! My best time was Berlin in 4:24 but that was 10 years ago…I’d be lucky to get anywhere near that now. But still…I loved the discipline and sense of achievement of the marathon and would love to do London as it is so iconic.

Apparently results are due out today! Good luck everyone!

Rejection for the 12th year (at least, I have lost count!) here - hope others have been more lucky!

I didn't get in 🙁

Still no email for me…I’ve been refreshing all morning. I don’t know why I am getting excited…I know what it will say…but still…love the possibility!

You could consider joining a UK athletics affiliated running club. Depending on how many members they have, they can apply for club places for London. Often a club will only have one or two places per year, but if you consider that not everyone wants one, some will have GFA places etc., the odds of getting it are much higher.

I'm on my 16th year I think, no email yet so I've got that temporary hope up 🤣

My running club get 1 place and there is generally about 5 people who apply for it. There’s a criteria you have to meet but it’s waaaaaay better odds than the ballot, GFA or a charity place. In fact there are plenty of club members who don’t apply for it ad the odds of getting it are higher than they want to risk as then they’d actually have to do it 😂😂

No email here yet. It was my first time entering the ballot. If I get a place I won’t know what to do with myself!

It’s not all that tbh - very crowded and noisy! I’d enter another one like Edinburgh or Paris if you like the big city feel without so much hassle to get in (though I think Paris might be ballot nowadays)

I didn't even realise today was the day! I've not heard anything yet either. It's my first time trying.

19 rejections in a row :( email came while I was eating my lunch. I knew it would be a no but I will still keep trying 😂

Ah @AgnesTeaHouse gutted for you! Expecting my rejection any minute now!

Thanks @User415373 will keep my fingers crossed for everyone still waiting! I entered the 10 extra chances link in the rejection email so still a miniscule chance…I’ve not given up get! 😂

Good luck everyone still waiting!

I got my rejection earlier. I wasn’t expecting to get in and it’s the first time I’ve actually been able to run well enough to even consider it but I’d started to imagine I got in so was slightly disappointed. I’m over it now though.

waiting on the London landmarks half ballot result too. I know some people who did it this year and said it was amazing.

I'm on 17 rejections today. I would echo joining a running club to get a place. I finally ran it this year after years of rejections by getting a running club place (been trying to get a place since 2016 this way).

Be aware that most clubs have rules around places - you normally have to be a member for at least a year (my club is 2) and have no other way of running London (such as GFA). My club says you can't have ran London in any capacity (such as charity, ballot or GFA) in the last 5 years.

It’s not all that tbh - very crowded and noisy!

Agree with this. I thought London would be this extra-special experience but honestly, it's no more "magic" than Manchester. Aside from maybe the last bit when you run down the Mall.

Aside from that it's just one massive logistical headache. Getting to the start is a faff; getting away afterwards is a faff; and the cost of hotels etc make it an incredibly expensive weekend.

I could run London every year with GFA times but instead I do other big city races that are genuinely more fun.

If you haven't got in, don't be despondent... run Manchester or Brighton instead.

I paid upfront and got in through the second ballot. Paris (two weeks earlier) is a great alternative (or warm up) - no ballot, less street furniture, better logistics (it's a loop), amazing buffet feed stations, just try to avoid the last wave.