Through England Athletics, the club receives a number (depending on how many full members we have registered) of free places for the London Marathon which takes place in April. This is usually 3. In order to allocate the places within the club we hold a ballot.

The criteria for applying for a club ballot place is as follows:

  • Applicants must have applied for an actual VLM ballot entry through the normal channels and a rejection letter must be passed to the Club Secretary, Joanne Weir (as soon as possible prior to the club draw). The club draw takes place on the illumination run and eat on 26th October. This must be the original copy handed to her in person in an envelope with your name on ( deadline date to be set)
  • No rejection letter – your name will not be entered into the draw
  • Applicants must be fully paid up members with a membership of at least 12 months with the club at the date of The London Marathon
  • You need to have completed at least 3 Championship races in the current year (January to September). The races must be registered on the championship database by the end of September.
  • Applicants applying for a club place will become last in the queue if they were awarded a club place in the previous year

If you are lucky enough to be drawn out in the ballot, it is expected that you will be committed to training for the marathon distance. It is not in the interest or spirit of the club to let a member enter the marathon draw without having shown reasonable support or participated in any club activities to the satisfaction of the committee e.g. demonstrated a commitment to adhere to a training regime to attain a minimum level of fitness for the event.

There are a number of other Spring Marathons you can train for which coincide with a London plan.

  • 2nd April 2017 – Manchester
  • 9th April 2017 – Brighton (Ballot Style Entry)
  • 16th April 2017 – Paris
  • 24rd April 2017 – London and Blackpool
  • 28th May 2017 – Liverpool and Edinburgh

Good luck everybody !