It was a couple of (female) friends that said that 
Fwiw I don’t think the men’s times are that good either! And I include myself in that. Berlin is a lot lower.
I’d possibly say 80% age grade but that would make it harder for them to process 
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London allocates 3000 places each to Men and women.
The standards are adjusted separately depending on how many applicants achieved the standard to cap numbers at 3000 each gender so men were -5 mins, ladies -2 mins.
So I guess standards will be self regulating over time (suspect men will be adjusted down with that c5 min cut off)
Boston, IIRC, calibrates the entire field on overall entries so both genders get the same cut off below standard.
Overall it favours older athletes slightly as the 5 mins is a smaller % of the M60 standard than the M18-39 etc.
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They’re super soft targets. Some of the half decent female club runners I know could chat their way around a flat marathon in those times.
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Not sure it’s equivalent to compare pure numbers of people achieving each target. They set them there to try get equal representation, which is fine but they’re not the same level of performance.
I agree that a male sub 3 is harder than a female sub 3.45 purely based on the elites where the difference in the male/female WR isn’t that big a percentage.
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I reckon with a dedicated season I could nudge 3.30, but 3.15 would be stratospheric for me.
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yes there’s defo a disparity in the NYC GFA, half marathon targets are much easier. It was the same 15 odd yrs ago when my pie eating pal Bertie Bimble just qualified for it, via HM route
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I got a ballot place in this years Marathon, and have now started to think about things like booking hotels. Does anyone have any suggestions/experience of best areas to stay in for making logisitcs easy? I’ll be travelling by train from Wales, so arriving into Paddington if that makes a difference.
I won’t be looking to do much better than just enjoy the experience after years of trying for a place, but also don’t want to be walking hundreds of miles the day before and will be with my girlfriend who hasn’t really been to London before so will undoubtedly want to see some sights too.
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Logistics are a peace of cake. If you can get to London Bridge Station that takes you straight to Greenwich which most of the tubes will take you to!
Pick an area yod like to stay and whats the most reasonably priced (which is nowhere. Everywhere is a rip off in London!
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Charing Cross is probably a better station for getting on to the trains to Greenwich and Blackheath because that’s where most of the trains start.
The trains tend to be packed by the time they get to London Bridge.
If you’re staying somewhere that’s handy for a Charing Cross you won’t be too far from the finish when you’re done either
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As you’re only booking now, you will be constrained by what’s available in your price bracket. People book either when they defer their place from the year before or as soon as their place is confirmed so by now you’re at the back of the queue. As the others have said - charing cross or london bridge are your easiest places to be near. With the wave starts now, the transport is just a constant stream of people heading to the start. The athlete’s info magazine is quite prescriptive about what trains you should take for your start times.
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I forgot about the wave start - it was a proper bun fight to get to the start when it was a mass start
I found it easier staying East, so you are coming into the train stations from the quieter side.
I stayed at the Travelodge near City Airport, then DLR to Woolwich, and train a couple of stops. Dead easy.
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Are there any ways to track people without using the App?
Not mad keen on TCS reading all of phone history, really🙄
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OK, so I got in on the ballot (my GFA qualifying time was about 1 minute 30 off of the actual time they ended up accepting) but a couple of weeks ago I withdraw from the 2024 race. My knee (buggered as a result of London 2023) isn’t any better so I’m going to defer my ballot place to 2025. My aim/hope is to build up running (from one parkrun a week) to a bit more by April next year. Currently no thoughts of being able to run fast, I just want to get round next year without walking.
But enough about me. Who else do we have… from scrolling up I see the following names…
If you’re not injured then I hope the training has gone well and you’re ready for Sunday. I’m going up with MrsF to watch/shout at people somewhere around 15.5 miles.
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TC is probably cycling down the A1 as we speak
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bin there, dun that :
down, dun the marafun, cycled back! 
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Have a great brunch, anyone who is in London this weekend.
The finish infrastructure was pretty much built when I cycled past last night.
It looks like it’s going to be a cool and breezy day for it
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Unfortunately I’m out. After finally getting a ballot place life has conspired against me to make it unworkable this time around. Fingers crossed for next years ballot!
Good luck to al those doing it .
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Sorry that life has got in the way. Can you not defer to next year? I had a (normal) ballot place for 2024 and filled in a form on the website to defer my entry. I then got an email that said the following:
Hi David, we’ve received your request to defer your entry.
We’ll be in touch again by 28 June by email with further information on securing your deferred entry. If you have not received an email from us by the end of June, please contact London Marathon Events
I guess at the end of June I’ll be asked to pay £70 or whatever to get my spot for 2025. No need to enter the ballot for next years race.
You cannot defer a charity/championship/GFA place but ballot places you should be able to. I think.
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Yeah I deferred my ballot place from 2022 to 2023. Unless maybe you can’t do it this close to the day, which would be a real shame.
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