Can someone tell me about the start system (placing runners by previous marathon times)for the London Marathon. I am a 63-year-old new (2 years) runner, hoping that in London I will improve on my 3:27 time in Chicago, but to do that I need to start with people running about the same time and avoid having to pass many slower runners. I am having a hard time finding this information from other web sites or from my marathon tour company.
I'm not sure, basically you have the elite athletes, then you have the AAA athletes who have run sub 2.45, and then I think you might have a btach of club athletes as they get guaranteed entries through their club. Other than that I'm not sure.
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I hope that I’m not stating the obvious here, but you start in “pens” based on whatever projected finishing time you put on your application form. In theory you should be with runners of a similar ability, but in practice far too many people are unrealistically optimistic about their finishing time, so you will be held up at some point. Expect people walking three abreast blocking your way towards the end or having to slow down to a jog when the crowds get too overwhelming!
It’s a great marathon in terms of atmosphere and crowd support etc., but unless you’re right up front with the elites, not the best for a PB – just too crowded.
Good luck though - and have fun.
If it's like last year: They have about three start locations, and they get merged by about 5k into the race. I don't know what the criteria were for start location, but I think most people (apart from elites and wheelies) were assigned randomly.
My start location was the gate at the top of Greenwich Park. There were pacing signs but the sections were not cordoned off. No crowding, no trouble whatsoever in getting to the front of the corral. In fact, I noticed that most people at this location wanted to huddle way back behind the 9- and 10-minute. (Maybe this was the slow-start location after all!)
Similarly there was almost no crowding or elbowing in those early miles.
Did you enter as 'good for your age' by having done a decent qualifying time (your time might do that - but is Chicago early enough to make the LM entry closing date? I don't know). If you did, you'll be at the green start which is small and you get a 'relatively' free run for the first mile until you join the blue start runners.
Otherwise when you collect your number there will be a small sticker on the number indicating the pen you should go to at the start, which I believe is sorted by the predicted time you put on your entry form, to enable the race to get under way in a relatively orderly manner with people of similar aims together.
What ever you do, if you don't get where you want to be by the time the gun goes off don't panic and try and work your way through the field too quickly. I tried that method a few years ago and used up far too much real and nervous energy in the first 3 miles.
Antonakis wrote:
This is the London Marathon dude.....you'll probably start inside the gates on Charlton Way along with the Big Bens and the 15 man birthday cakes......if you even THINK about promoting yourself up the ranks your feet won't touch the ground and you'll probably miss the start altogether....deal with it and don't trouble this board wiyh such lameass questions in future...
I think your attitute stinks he's asking a perfectly reasonable question.
If you starting in the green start which sounds like you could be as you have a great time for a 63 year old then you should be fine. If your starting from the blue or red stats then it will all depend on what pen you start in.
http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/entry_info/index.php?page=7Old and slow wrote:
Did you enter as 'good for your age' by having done a decent qualifying time (your time might do that - but is Chicago early enough to make the LM entry closing date? I don't know). If you did, you'll be at the green start which is small and you get a 'relatively' free run for the first mile until you join the blue start runners.
I understood that "good for age" only applied to UK residents. I inquired for 2008 and was told I had to go through a tour company even though I was 25 minutes under the cut-off, but above 2:45. If I were to enter, would my time help with where I would start?
JPGarland wrote:
Old and slow wrote:Did you enter as 'good for your age' by having done a decent qualifying time (your time might do that - but is Chicago early enough to make the LM entry closing date? I don't know). If you did, you'll be at the green start which is small and you get a 'relatively' free run for the first mile until you join the blue start runners.
I understood that "good for age" only applied to UK residents. I inquired for 2008 and was told I had to go through a tour company even though I was 25 minutes under the cut-off, but above 2:45. If I were to enter, would my time help with where I would start?
'Good for Age' applies to people applying from Britain, because the London Marathon people don't want to be flooded with five thousand first-time entrants from the North American outback...hence they shunt them off to Marathon Tours.
However, if you have business in London--or are there often--or think you might possibly want to be--then you should get an address and mobile phone number there. Which would enable you to apply for 'Good for Age' since they just want a local address, not your passport.
You would probably have a good green start, with that easy first mile or two.
Any update on this - i.e. what the pen situation is like for London marathon?
I'm trying to decide whether to enter the marathon this year with a Good
For Age entry (100% guaranteed) or a championship place (90% guaranteed).
Does anyone know what the start pens were like last year? I.e. is the championship pen a lot better than the good for age one? I don't want to spend the first 10km weaving through slower championship runners and would love a small queue loo before the start, but I'm not sure if the good for age