How can I enter the London Marathon 2023?

London Marathon 2023 ballot: How to sign up for next year's race in the English capital

If you are inspired by today's London Marathon then you need to act quickly to get a place in next year's event as the ballot opened yesterday and 50,000 lucky runners will get a place

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The easiest way to get on the start line at the London Marathon is through the ballot system, which sees hundred of thousands of people apply every year for one of around 50,000 places.

Runners will have less time to wait for the annual event next year as it returns to its usual spring date of April 23. For the past three years the event has been held in October due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year 350,000 entered the ballot to enter today's London Marathon with only one in seven people lucky enough to run today. Next year's event is expected to be no different with demand outstripping available places in the ballot.

You can sign up for next year's event now on the TCS London Marathon website, the ballot will close on Friday (October 7) with those successful finding out at the end of October. Entrants are chosen completely at random and the cost of a place for those successful is £49.99.

Those that choose to donate their entry fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust get two chances in the ballot. If they are successful in the first ballot then their place is paid for. However, for those that donate their entry an extra 2,000 places are available in a second ballot.

Entry donators who are unsuccessful in both ballots will be given a winter running top worth £70 and a chance to win one of three pairs of entries to one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, including accommodation and flights.

There are around 50,000 ballot place available for next year's London Marathon (

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For those living abroad there is also an international ballot which also opened yesterday. Those successful have to pay an increased entry cost of £125, which includes £26 which will be invested in projects to balance CO2 emissions from participant travel.

Another entry method for next year's event is applying for a charity place with around 15,000 of these available. Charities pay for these guaranteed places and participants then fundraise for their chosen good cause in exchange for the London Marathon place.

There are also a small number of spots available for British Athletic club members. Elite runners don't have to enter the ballot but do have to obtain qualifying times for their places.

The London Marathon will be 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 2023 TCS London Marathon Ballot will open on Saturday, October 1, 2022. 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 £49.99, but ballot entrants don’t have to pay anything when they enter. However, if you would like to increase your chances of gaining a place, you could opt to donate your entry fee when you enter the UK ballot, as ballot applicants who do this are entered into a second draw for another chance to secure a place.

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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. You can now apply for a GFA place in the London Marathon on Sunday, April 23, 2023. The application process will close at 5pm on Friday, October 7, 2022 and proof of age and residency will be required.

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 2023 event, visit tcslondonmarathon.com.

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