Place in the big half marathon?

[Platypusdiver]

I have entered into a few ”big” half marathons. The very popular type where you have enter a lottery. Every time I never get a place (unless I do the charity sponsorship, which I’m not interested in).

Cardiff, Copenhagen and some London one (big sights or similar). I am beginning to think that there an algorithm that means not every entry is equal. Or is it the case that most places go to the and charities? Leaving a relatively small places to a huge number of potential entrants?

Has anyone managed to get a place in either a superhalf or a London half?

I got one for London Landmarks, but got rejected for Royal Parks. I don’t know how many places are available for these half marathons via ballot, but I know that the odds are ridiculously tiny for London (full) marathon, it’s probably not quite as bad for the HMs but there’ll definitely be many more interested runners than places available.

Running is super fashionable at the moment which means getting in is harder

In terms of big events where you can just enter

Manchester Half
Swansea
Bath
Belfast
Oxford

If you want to go abroad,
Gothenburg
Rome
Cologne
Hamburg
Pisa

The only lotteries I’ve entered are London and Lakeland 50. Never got a place for London but got into Lakeland 50 this year, though I think there a lot more chance with that one than there are for most.

I’ve entered Cardiff half ballot this year so we shall see what happens with that.

I got rejected by London Landmarks, but I've got a place at the Royal Parks two years in a row. I also got Copenhagen but I turned it down due to travel.