You’re In Magazine VLM 2019
What most people won’t know, is that it was my second attempt at getting into the London Marathon Ballot, my second try and first win. What people also won’t know is that I am very glad my first entry was rejected. I could have been Marathon ready but I’m glad I didn’t have the pressure to train so early on into my running life, having that rejection gave me time to build a better foundation for my running mechanics and build up experience and miles in a slower, safer way. I am just as thankful for that sorry magazine as I was for my second magazine.
Following my second entry to the ballot and being the incessant Running Geek that I am and eager to run one of the World Major Marathons, and dare I say the most sought after Marathon [Boston is a different playing field, as most of us runners would agree]: I swatted over the Marathon’s statistics and specifically the ballot statistics for months before the results were out. I knew the general odds of getting in via the Ballot were not in my favour. The odds worked out as this: Around 414,100 odd entered the ballot for 2019’s race and only 17,500 would be given a Ballot entry. The remaining places would be offered to Charities, Good For Age, Championship, Elites and then Competitions. My odds were about 4%. Despite this, I knew that I would be running the London Marathon 2019, in some way or another. I had never been so certain of any other dream or goal in my life before. I was so certain that I booked the Annual Leave from work during May 2018, I saved the Note: “London Marathon [followed with some excitable emojis]”. I knew I was going, and I put it out to the universe, and thanked my lucky stars, and continued to visualise.
Despite this I was still anxious, eagerly, frantically awaiting my ballot result in October; because life has taught me not to count chickens before their hatched! This is a slightly contradictory rule to live by when you also try to believe and be positive, and use the law of attraction when you can.
It was our first day on holiday. I sent my mother a text message in the morning asking her to check my post for me and explained why. She told me: “Yes I did see a London Magazine but I’ve not opened the package, I’ve left it there for you”. My excitement ran through my whole body, like adrenaline pulses your body before a tough workout. I needed to know what the magazine said – but of course, mum was out having her nails done and then meeting a friend for lunch, so I’d have to be a little more patient. Of course my stepdad was out for a few hours too arrrrgh!! I had to play along with the waiting game, and tried to remain calm. Someone on Instagram shared that you could access your Buzz account and your ballot result would be online, I tried but failed to login. Once I accessed my account I could not see anywhere how you could find that information, I swear it must have been a joke so I knew patience it had to be. During that morning I downloaded the following book to my Kindle: “ Run Smart” by John Brewer. I started the book, and was fascinated, reading page after page. Gripped!
Sat on a sunbed on a beach in Gran Canaria, I reached for my phone and took it off Plane Mode – I didn’t care about using additional data, I’d waited long enough now. I checked my phone through the glaring sun to see mum had messaged… there was an image, Eeeek! The moment of truth. My hands were shaking as I tried to unlock my phone, using my other hand to aid me from the sun. There it was: “You’re in!” I was in, I was going to run a Marathon. THE LONDON MARATHON. I had won the lottery. The lottery that is the London Marathon Ballot. I was a lucky 4% holder of an entry to one of the greatest races ever. I cried with absolute joy, I was so happy.
It did not seem coincidental to me that I’d downloaded the John Brewer Book that morning, I was running a Marathon – the ultimate Marathon and I would train sensibly, and “Run Smart” acquiring all knowledge possible to ensure the BEST lead up to my first ever Marathon, to ensure when I toed the line in April 2019 I was ready and certain of my fate, as certain as I was that I was to run this race.
Yes the odds may not be in everyone’s favour – but you just never know! If you have entered the Ballot for 2020 and wish to run the race, have faith and believe. If you get in that’s great! If you don’t get in well maybe the Universe may have other plans for you, or maybe it’s just not the right timing – YET! Que Será, será – what will be will be.
Check the link for Anthony Hatswell’s write up on the VLM Ballot odds:
Not Another Runner's Blog 