2019 London Marathon ballot: how to enter

If you were hit with marathon fever watching this year’s Virgin London Marathon and dream of taking part next year, now is the time to act.

Most runners win their place by entering an annual public ballot, but many secure their place through particular charities. Some experienced runners qualify because of their speed.

Here’s how you can join in:

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How do I apply for the 2019 ballot?

The public ballot for the 2019 race has opened today but will only remain open for five days. It closes at 5pm on Friday 4 May.

To apply, visit the London Marathon website here.

Once you’ve applied, you’ll have to wait until October to find out whether you have secured a place.

What happens if I was unable to compete this year?

Anyone who was unable to take part in this year’s race because of illness or injury should be able to secure a place for 2019 without having to enter the ballot again, provided they filled out the correct withdrawal form. Runners who withdrew should receive an email link for a guaranteed place for the 2019 race on Monday 4 June, 2018.

Runners can only defer for one year. Anyone unfortunate enough to have had to withdraw in 2017 and 2018 will have to reapply from scratch for 2019.

How else can I get a place?

Charity places are often available to anyone unlucky in the ballot or anyone who has missed the deadline. You will have to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship (usually around £2,000) to take the charity up on the offer.

Organisers warn that there are usually more runners interested than there are charity places available, so the charities often select their runners based on their connection to the cause and how much money they are realistically able to raise.

However, there are hundreds of charities across a huge range of causes with spaces in the marathon. This year they included Amnesty International, the British Hen Welfare Trust and the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust.

What about experienced runners?

Runners aged between 18 and 40 with a marathon time of 3hrs for men or 3hrs 45mins for women can apply for a place outside the normal ballot process. Older age groups have different timings that allow them to apply. Running clubs will be able to help with information on this.

Athletics clubs associated with British Athletics are also able to apply for club entries to the race.

Championship entry is available for elite runners with marathon times below 2hrs 45mins for men and 3hrs 15mins for women.