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London Marathon 2020

1 lurker | 60 watchers
Aug 2020
12:29pm, 18 Aug 2020
11,725 posts
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larkim
I couldn't GFA outside of a race, I'm fairly certain. I know some who have PBd in virtual marathons recently, but they are the exceptions and typically had "easy" marathon PBs to beat when compared to their other times achieved in races etc.
Aug 2020
12:32pm, 18 Aug 2020
17,266 posts
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Bazoaxe
I couldnt PB on my own. I have some aspirations that maybe I could GFA, but that might be foolish rather than achievable.
Aug 2020
2:18pm, 18 Aug 2020
1,708 posts
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Brunski
Thought I had longer than I did to enter the virtual marathon. Not overly bothered, might try on 26th depending on if I can get a few more long runs in.

Might be for the best but was enjoying training for it.
jda
Aug 2020
3:13pm, 18 Aug 2020
8,138 posts
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jda
Who is having their places cancelled? I thought they were just requiring that people who were previously GFA, were still GFA with an up to date performance. Is that not the case?
Aug 2020
3:20pm, 18 Aug 2020
11,729 posts
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larkim
It depends on your perspective. If you were a GFA entrant into 2020 based on a pre Jan 2019 GFA time, and you view your place in 2020 as being yours to be used in the 2021 race, then it appears you are having your 2021 place "cancelled" unless you run a GFA during the virtual. If you choose not to run the virtual then you will be deferred to 2023. That's not strictly cancelling it, as you get the place in 2023, but it does mean you're in a different boat to those with GFAs based on times run post 1st Jan 2019 (effectively up to early August 2019).
Aug 2020
3:23pm, 18 Aug 2020
3,153 posts
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Little Miss Happy
And the 2023 place will not be from the GFA start.

That's a shame Brunski.
Aug 2020
3:24pm, 18 Aug 2020
439 posts
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Spideog
Anyone with a pre 1/1/2019 time used for applying for GFA will have to run a qualifying time in the virtual event as a solo time trial. There will be very limited number of people capable of doing that kind of run.

If they don't make that time then they lose their place in 2021 and unless they run another race somewhere in spring 2021 up to whenever the deadline for new GFA races will be (possibly October 5th 2021 but you'd hope they at least keep the period until after other autumn marathons have happened) then they will also not be able to get 2022 GFA and so will get a place in the middle of the field for 2023.

If they do run a time in another event in 2021 and 2022 then they can get a GFA place, but if they have run the GFA time then they would be getting a GFA place anyway, so nothing has really been gained by doing so. They just lose their 2021 place.
Aug 2020
3:27pm, 18 Aug 2020
11,730 posts
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larkim
How much more beneficial is GFA start (not fGFA, just plain old GFA)? Is it really that much better than ballot start in terms of congestion etc? I know when I was targetting GFA it wasn't because I felt I could use it to get a good experience at VLM, it was just so I could guarantee running it, but I'd never really thought to wonder whether the running experience would be better / easier on GFA.
Aug 2020
3:30pm, 18 Aug 2020
497 posts
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rosa
I thought the issue was also that if someone entered with a 2018 time they weren't being allowed to show they also have a 2019 time to keep their place, and instead had to run the time in the virtual race to keep it?
Aug 2020
3:31pm, 18 Aug 2020
3,155 posts
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Little Miss Happy
I've run from the Green start with a GFA and from the fGFA and the latter is definitely better larkim.

Spideog - I'm probably not local or fast enough but I'd happily pace someone attempting to retain their GFA place in the virtual race. There's nothing to be said that a running club/friends can't be recruited for pacing purposes and I don't think that would be cheating in any way, more a slightly closer replication of a race. Even someone on a bike carrying the water and potentially providing pacing/some shelter etc.

About This Thread

Maintained by larkim
Endless discussion about will it happen, won't it happen for VMLM 2020
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