Last year, April 29th, I stayed up late to put my name in the Ballot entry for the London Marathon. It would have been my first had I been lucky. However, because it wasn't when I asked, "What now?" A friend of mine, Darla, said, "Paris!!!"
Why am I telling you this? Because right now, April 28th 2013 @ 10:54 p.m. I'm sitting here once again waiting for the ballot entry to open so I can put my name in the hat just one more time. If I do not get selected this year; then I will not run London. However, if by chance I am lucky enough...I will run London as my way of saying farewell to England. I'll be moving back to America September 2014. The 6 years will be coming to an end and I'll be headed off on a new adventure. I would LOVE to run London and have that memory to take home with me.
So looking back here's how it all went down...
April 29th 2012:
"Like this post if you want to enter the 2013 Virgin London Marathon. Ballot opens on the 30th of April"
I shared that status and wrote: I want to do this next year!
Then out of curiosity in case I did not get selected I considered running for a charity. However, the amount of money that want you to raise is so high that I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to reach that goal. If I knew I could reach that goal, I'd run for a charity in a heartbeat!
My status read: Dear British Friends, If you were going to donate to a charity which one would you most likely donate to? I'm torn between two and would love your input. Thank you.
Next few statuses went like this:
- Staying up late and putting my name in for the 2013 London Marathon!
- 1 more hour...wish me luck! Course won't know if I get in till Oct...but still =)
- Thank God we've more than 1 computer...pretty sure mine just got itself a virus. Not good.
April 30th 2012 Status Update:
O.H. MY GOSH...I just registered for the LONDON marathon!!! Am I crazy?!!! Roll on October...find out if I got in or not. Prayers appreciated.
So...not feeling very well.
The running club I belong to also had a Facebook event page set up...just as they do this year.
Event: London Marathon 2013 Ballot Entry
April 30th 2012 - At a computer near you.
Interested in running the London Marathon 2013? Here is your chance to enter the ballot. Starting tonight at midnight, try to log on to the following link for your chance at making history.
Entry costs 32 pounds and doesn't get charged until you have been give a spot (around October). Chances are around 20-30% of getting a ballot place.
You can also donate your money to charity. If you don't get a ballot place then you get a complimentary fleece. Out of those that donate money, they hold a special entry drawing (bequest draw) where you may gain entry into the race. Last year 1000 additional people were given ballot places for the Marathon.
Opens at midnight and goes until filled. Last year it was the late morning when it filled up.
http://
Statuses/Comments I posted to the page:
- 12:09 a.m. - I do get up at 6 :)
- 12:38 a.m. - IT'S OPEN!
A million questions followed this post:
- Do you know if it's overseas or resident?
- As far as running club??? Should we put RAF running club?
- If you donate your fee do they take it from your account now or Oct?
12:59 a.m. - Okay. Done. Whew! That was crazy!
A great piece written by Cindy Neldner: My feelings on running a marathon is that just about anybody can be trained to do this distance. The training is the tough part that requires mental fortitude. Millions of people just like us complete marathons every year. It is a big deal and I am excited to see everyone face fears and go for it. I love the saying or thought that says if a goal doesn't make you sick to your stomach then it is not big enough. See yourself cross the finish line and let's do this!!
My response: Love that Cindy! And this must be big enough cause I sure enough felt sick to my stomach...but now the queasiness doesn't seem to want to leave haha. I hope it's okay to say this, but I really look forward to learning from you.
Date for the 33rd London Marathon will be April 21, 2013
Me: Oh my gosh! I just noticed this...the 33rd! I chose to do this cause I'll be 33 on April 23! I hope that's a good sign :) haha
September 27th 2012: Waiting on the mail...
- If I get in I don't know if I'll scream with excitement or puke! Me & 26.2??? INSANE! Feeling butterflies already and I don't even know.
- Several of my friends are getting their London Marathon packets letting them know if they got in yet or not...which means mine is out there somewhere!!! I don't know what I want it to say! :)
- No flipping out required. I got Elvis. So it's either do it for charity or try again next year...
- Paris marathon or not??? Umm...I don't know. I would be doing London if I'd gotten selected, so the stupid thought running through my brain is, "Why not?"
- Well..it looks like Paris marathon could become a HUGE birthday party! I know totally crazy, but sounding better and better all the time.
October 17 2012: I'm IN!!! Paris in April, here I come!!! So excited!!! Now, just waiting on 2 more of my friends to get in! YIKES!!! I cannot believe this - my first marathon!
What a crazy ride! I didn't get into London so I agreed to Paris & I completed Paris. Now, here I am a year later...
I'm not as nervous as I was last year. I know I can do 26.2 and I also know I'm capable of doing it better than I did in Paris. I've already signed up for my 2nd marathon which will be October 27th in Germany. If I get lucky enough to get into London the date is April 13th 2014. Meaning I will run 2 marathons before I turn 34...and here I was thinking 1 per year, spring training...fall marathon. I'm not fond of winter training, not even gonna lie to you about that.
The Facebook event page is not as talkative as it seemed last year. A lot of amazing people from our running club are leaving us this year...makes me happy & sad. I've been here so long I've seen people come and people go and still I am here. I'm not sure there will be anyone left to say goodbye to by the time I leave. I can't wait until it is my turn to go, but until then I shall stay busy. Know a good way to stay busy? Train for a marathon. =)
Here is a blog post from last year:
I am curious this year too about 1 thing. Will more people attempt to get into London or will less people try because of what happened in Boston? One 1 hand I see everyone trying to get in and run for Boston and on the other I see fear. Would be an interesting statistic to know I think. I keep seeing all these things on Facebook about Runners Unite - I love it.
I could let what happened in Boston scare me off, but if I let that happen I might as well stop driving, flying, or hell walking for that matter. This is a crazy world we live in! There is a lot of evil out there, but the God I serve says, "Do Not Fear". 365 times he tells us this...don't ya think he means it? It is really difficult to not fear things, especially with the news, tragic events, horror stories....fear is ever present in our lives. The thing is we cannot allow it to control our lives. A healthy fear is good...a controlling one not so much.
And now, I'm going to sign off and stalk the London Marathon page until the ballot opens for entry, cast my fear aside and write my name down one more time. Wish me luck...this is my last chance at it and I would love, love to remember London by participating in their marathon.
To all you runners out there trying for a spot...GOOD LUCK!
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