Every year in April, a handful of KUHAC athletes join the masses in Greenwich Park and line up at the start of the greatest marathon in the world – The London Marathon.

Some of them run to raise valuable funds at the request of a charity. Others have been fortunate enough to win a place through the marathon organiser’s own ballot.

A few qualify as Good for Age runners. But at least one KUHAC runner is there simply because they are a member of our club.

Through KUHAC’s association with England Athletics, the club is currently granted one entry into the London Marathon each year. The lucky person is selected at random through our own ballot and, if you’re an England Athletics affiliated runner as well as a KUHAC club member, that person could be you!

Here’s a quick guide on how it all works.

Am I eligible to enter the club ballot?

The club ballot for a place in the 2020 London Marathon is open to all KUHAC members (road runners and track and field) on the following terms: You must:-

• have entered the main 2020 London Marathon ballot and received a rejection letter or rejection email.
• have been a paid up KUHAC member when the main ballot for the 2020 London Marathon opened for entries on 28th April 2019.
• have KUHAC as your first-claim athletics / running club.
• be at least 18 years old on 26th April 2020 (the date of the 2020 London Marathon).
• hold a current England Athletics registration number.
• not have been awarded a KUHAC ballot place for the London Marathon in any previous year.

If you fulfil the above criteria, your entry into the club ballot for a place in the 2020 London Marathon will be valid even if you have previously run the London Marathon.

How do I enter the KUHAC ballot?

To enter the KUHAC ballot, you must first have entered the main organiser’s ballot for the 2020 London Marathon – and been rejected. The ballot was open between 28th April and 3rd May 2019. By now you’ll have received a letter or email notifying you that your ballot entry was unsuccessful.

You may submit a single entry to the club ballot in your own name only. To enter the KUHAC ballot, simply send an email to kuhacroadrunners@gmail.com containing the following:-

• Your name
• Your phone number
• Your England Athletics registration number
• The date you paid your KUHAC membership subscription for 2019 and the payment method used
• A copy of your rejection letter for the 2020 London Marathon. This can be either the rejection email you received or a scan/photograph of your rejection letter if received in paper copy.
  

Entries must be sent to the above email address by 11:59pm on Friday 22nd November 2019. Entries will not receive an automatic acknowledgement of receipt, so please ask within your email to be sent a confirmation of receipt if you require one.

Ballot entries should be submitted by club members who intend to rejoin the club in 2020, without exception, and who intend to run the London Marathon in 2020. It is not acceptable to enter the ballot with the immediate intention of deferring to the following year. Running the London Marathon using the club place is an honour and a privilege and entrants are expected to treat it as such by undertaking the necessary training in order to be able to run in 2020.

When and where will the KUHAC club ballot take place?

After the entry deadline has passed, all entrants will have their eligibility validated in line with the above rules. The names of all valid entrants will be placed into a final ballot which will be drawn during the KUHAC awards night at Hull Ionians on Saturday 30th November 2019. In addition to the winning ballot(s), a reserve name will be drawn should the winner(s) subsequently decline their entry.

Can I enter the club ballot even if I have run the London Marathon before?

Yes. Our rules do not preclude people who have previously run the London Marathon from entering the club ballot (the only exception being those people who have been awarded a KUHAC club place in a previous year). This is because someone’s prior participation in the London Marathon is separate from and unrelated to their KUHAC club membership. Previously, they have either been successful in the marathon organiser’s ballot, have run for a charity or have qualified on Good for Age terms; none of which removes an important right of club membership enjoyed by all, i.e. the right to enter the club ballot.

Why must I be registered with England Athletics to enter the club ballot?

The club’s place allocation in the London Marathon is based on the total number of KUHAC members who are affiliated to England Athletics. Club members who are not affiliated to England Athletics do not therefore contribute towards our marathon place allocation and so may not enter the ballot.

Why must I have entered the main London Marathon ballot before I can enter the club ballot?

All London Marathon places are highly sought after and we want to be sure that our club place is awarded to someone intent on taking part. Such determination and purpose is shown by those who have already tried to enter the marathon through the organiser’s ballot held in April. So, if you were unsuccessful in the main ballot, don’t lose heart. You have another chance to run by entering the KUHAC club ballot.

If you’d like to enter the club ballot for a place in the 2021 marathon, make sure you enter the main London Marathon ballot which will open on the London Marathon website after the race in April 2020. If you’re lucky, you may even secure a place in the 2021 marathon through the main ballot itself!

I’ve won the club ballot! What happens next?

If you win the club ballot, you’ll be contacted by a member of the road runners’ sub-committee and asked if you accept the KUHAC entry. If you do accept, you’ll be provided with an online link in January 2020 giving you access to the London Marathon portal and enabling you to submit and pay for your formal entry to the marathon. The cost of entry is £35 which you pay directly to the organiser as part of the entry process. It will be your responsibility to submit your entry and make the payment within the set time frame. Please note the winner of the KUHAC club ballot will be required to pay their 2020 KUHAC club membership fees before being provided with the link to online registration.

What happens if I win the club ballot but am unable to run?

If you are unable to run after you have submitted your formal entry to the marathon organiser (through injury, for example), you will have the opportunity to defer your place. It will be your responsibility to complete the deferment process – there is no KUHAC involvement. As a ballot winner who has accepted a KUHAC entry, you will be ineligible to enter future KUHAC London Marathon ballots.

What happens if I win the ballot and immediately change my mind about entering the marathon?

Under these circumstances, your place will be offered to the first reserve ballot winner. You will be permitted to enter the club ballot in future years assuming you are eligible in all other respects.

If I win the club ballot, can I transfer my place to another club member or friend?

No. We want to ensure fairness and impartiality throughout the ballot process and guarantee all entrants an equal chance of success. We can only do this by not permitting transfers. Were transfers allowed, then someone with no interest in running could enter the ballot insincerely “on-behalf-of” a friend, albeit in their own name in the first instance. This would give some members a greater chance of success than others. If you have no interest in running the London Marathon yourself, please do not enter the club ballot.

Why must I pay my club membership for 2020 before I can register?

The London Marathon will be held on 26th April 2020 during the 2020 KUHAC membership season. To register for the club place and represent KUHAC in London on the day, you must be a current club member. Payment of your membership fee before registration will provide the club with assurance about your intention to stay with KUHAC and represent the club on the big day itself.

Do I have any obligations to the club on marathon day?

Yes. As you’ll be running on behalf of our club, you must run the marathon wearing a KUHAC running vest or running t-shirt.

Any further questions?

If you have any queries, please email kuhacroadrunners@gmail.com

Good luck in the ballot!