The London Marathon is being held today and is set to be the largest in the world, with 50,000 people putting on their running shoes to take part in the race.
The most common way to enter the London Marathon is by public ballot, and the 2024 TCS London Marathon Ballot will open on Sunday, April 22, 2023. Next year’s London Marathon is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 21.
It is a random ballot with a random draw - like the National Lottery - so it is down to the luck of the draw if you get selected. More than 350,000 entered the ballot for the 2022 race.
The cost of a place in the TCS London Marathon for successful UK participants is £69.99, but ballot entrants don’t have to pay anything when they enter. However, if you chose to donate to the London Marathon Foundation when you enter the ballot, you will also be entered into a second ballot, doubling your chances, and the entry fee is then also reduced from £69.99 to £49.99. If you are unsuccessful in both ballots, you still receive a winter training top.
READ MORE: How to watch the London Marathon this weekend
If you don't get a place through the ballot, then you may be able to secure a charity entry place. This would involve a registration fee of around £50-£100 and some charities would ask you to raise around £2,000. But there are usually more people interested in running for a charity than there are charity places available, so often charities will select participants based on their connection with the cause and how much money they are realistically able to raise.
You can search for a charity on the London Marathon website and then contact your chosen cause directly to see if they have any places.
The other option is a Good For Age Entry. This means that if you have already run a full marathon in a particularly fast time, you might qualify for an automatic entry. Further information on applying for a GFA place in the 2024 TCS London Marathon will be available on the website by the end of June 2023.
Runners can also complete the marathon virtually and earn the same finisher’s medal and souvenir T-shirt as participants in the mass event in London. The virtual London Marathon allows you to take on 26.2 miles anywhere and on a route of your choice. Participants can complete the race any time from 00:00 to 23:59:59 BST on the same day as the mass event in London.
For more information on how to enter the London Marathon 2024 event, visit tcslondonmarathon.com.
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