Anyone motivated by the extra 10 mins on the London Good For Age

Wondered if anyone who has tried to break the 3 hour mark in a marathon in order to get a GFA place in the London Marathon now feels that the extra 10 mins now makes it more achievable and has inspired them to train a bit harder in order to achieve this.

I had to pull out of this years London Marathon due to injury, deferred my place to next year and I'm back to full training again. With just under 11 months until next year’s race and a full summer of Half Marathons planned I am changing the way that I train to try to get under the 3.10 mark.

Would like to hear from anyone who has the same thoughts

Hi Mr. Boat

Bit of both really, I started this topic on the back of reading lots of runners comments regarding either missing out on a GFA time by a matter of seconds or minutes and frustrated runners who keep getting rejected from the ballot with other runners telling them to train harder to get in through GFA. Of course your right that the elusive 3 hour barrier is the holy grail of running, but it now gives the runners who are there or there about a better shot at a GFA or for runners who are running at the 3.15/3.20 mark a bit of motivation to get quicker and get under 3.10.

For myself I agree with your principal that training for a sub 3 will give you a good chance of getting a GFA, which is what I’ll be training for, but I know that it will be a lot of hard work to get to that level and even if it goes Pete Tong on the day hopefully I’ll get a pb anyway due to the training I’ve put in.

well i'm quite pleased about the extra 10 mins as i just did the edinburgh marathon last weekend in 3hrs and 15 seconds!!!

a bit frustrating to say the least - especially knowing that if it hadn't been so hot i probably would comfortably made the time as my training suggested i was good for about a 2:50 or so. (i say comfortably but that probably isn't the word i'm looking for considering for the last 30 mins of the race all i wanted was to lie down and die quickly!)

i'll take the automatic qualification and have now got 11 months to put the effort in for a hopefully cooler time of year and a better performance.

 anyone reckon they would have given me the entry for 15 seconds?????

Hey Otis

I did the Scottish Half Marathon on Sunday and afterwards me and my mate both commented on how hot it was going to be for the marathoners. Also spoke to a girl on Monday who ran the marathon and she said it was too hot. That was still a really great time you did it in though mate taking into consideration the heat. Don't think they would have given you a GFA if it had stayed a 3 though

thanks DW20,

 what was the half marathon course like? I might have a go at that next year after london, although it's a bit of an early start...

Otis, the Scottish half is quite flat with a couple of wee hills, think it is the first half of the full marathon course that we covered. The early start made it easier weather wise, hoping to do it again after London next year myself. Really good course.

Beware of the fish & 2old, I agree that the time should have went up for all age groups