It's results week for all of those who applied for a place to run the London Marathon through the online Ballot. Oh, the emotions! I remember the huge sinking feeling of my first Ballot rejection back in 2002 and the repeated dejection of subsequent 'No' magazines arriving on our doormat. I feel the pain of all those people who have hung their hopes on running THE marathon, only to find it is not to be for at least another year.
I have watched my Facebook newsfeed fill with whoops of joy or cries of disappointment depending on the nature of the magazine (or email) that people have received. The online running forums to which I subscribe have talked of little else all week. That is understandable... it's a big thing for a lot of people. What I do not find so understandable though is the vitriol with which some folks have criticised the London organisation. Yes, I guess that it can just be sour grapes... and it can just feel plain unfair (stamps foot like a spoilt 3 year old). I have been there and felt that too. But I think that perhaps we have to just put a different perspective on things... London was once just a big city marathon with a small field. The field grew substantially over the years and so did the international attraction. Alongside Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York (and the IAAF World Championships and Olympic Games), it now forms one of the World Marathon Majors Series. It is a top international event, attracting the top international names in the sport of marathon running. It is akin to being on the PGA World Tour in Golf, or on the Formula One Racing Circuit, or any other world series... As an also-ran weekend cyclist, I would never anticipate getting a place on the Tour de France, yet a marathon runner (or even someone who has not run a step yet in their lives) can apply for a place (lets call in a 'wild card', as that is what it really is) to run in one of the world series events through a ballot. What an honour! Personally, I think that London deals with its kaleidoscope of roles very well. First and foremost, places go to those international stars out a the front of the field. Then places go the the 'Elites'. Most of these guys and gals are running spectacular times, sometimes only marginally behind the international stars, whilst still holding down day jobs and family commitments. They get to start with the Elite field, and rightly so. They have the potential to make a name for themselves and possibly get picked up for national or international competitions. These are serious runners! As are the next group of individuals to get a 'guaranteed' place at London - the Good For Age (GFA) places. The GFA criteria are lower than the Elite but those who attain them are still performing in the top percentages amongst marathon runners. The times set are similar to those required to get a Boston qualifying (BQ) time. For most runners, attaining a GFA time (or a BQ) takes commitment to the sport, and I think it is only right that such committed runners earn their places on the start line. How about other committed runners who perhaps can't quite make the GFA cut? Well, all recognised running clubs across the UK receive an allocation of places relative to their membership. Most hold their own ballot, open to their own members who were rejected in the main ballot thus allowing the committed club runner another option to get in. Everyone else basically needs to apply for a wild card (AKA entering the Ballot). Yes, it's a slim chance but even if you don't get in, you do have the chance to run for a charity if you really want that place. And yes, I agree, the charity fundraising targets are huge and onerous but that is purely a case of supply and demand. Should there be so many charity places at London? That is a difficult one, but London is a truly special event with its crazy mixed field and the charity runners play a huge part in that. It works... and it raises colossal amounts for charity each year so I think the balance is actually right. I got my first (and, to date, only) Ballot place in 2009. I was pregnant when the 'Yes' magazine dropped on my doormat. Talk about the law of Sod! Thankfully, London allow you to defer your place for a year so I first got the chance to run London in 2010. By then I had run 4 or 5 other marathons. I had got my time down to within 16 minutes of a GFA qualifier. I'd have probably got my GFA place within the next year or two. However, the thrill of finally running THAT marathon (together with months of hard training pushing my daughter in a buggy!) got me within a GFA qualifying time, thus securing my place to run again the next year. I was honoured to run that first year but felt that I had definitely earned my place in the following years. Nowadays, I haven't run fast for some years. My last sub-4 hour marathon was in 2013 and my current GFA target is 3:50. Simply put, I don't want to run London that desperately right now that I am willing to put myself through the rigorous training schedule required to get my times down to run a qualifying marathon. Did I apply in the Ballot? You bet! But I wasn't surprised, or even that disappointed when my 'No' email arrived yesterday. There are plenty of other runs out there that I want to tick off my bucket list. So come on people, get some perspective on this! It's not the only marathon out there. It's not even the only big city Spring marathon out there (Paris anyone?). Yes, it's worth doing... but it can be so much sweeter doing it when you have fought for it... served your time in endless applications year after year, put in the hard training to get a qualifying time, put in the effort to make the fundraising total etc. It's true that we don't always get what we wish for... but we can get what we work for. Go work for it! :-)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
All content of this site copyright of Luan Wall unless otherwise credited.
..........................................
Archives
November 2018
Categories |