How to enter the ballot for the London Marathon 2022

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Inspired by the weekend? Here's how to enter next year's race

London Marathon 2022 ballot
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

On Sunday, October 3, the London Marathon returned to the streets of the capital and 35,300 runners crossed the finish line on The Mall. If you were inspired by the events, here’s everything you need to know about entering the ballot for next year’s London Marathon event, which takes place on Sunday, October 2, 2022. 

How to enter the London Marathon 2022 ballot from the UK 

To enter the London Marathon ballot as a UK citizen, you need to follow this link from the London Marathon website. You have two different choices - to pay your £49 entry fee now and donate it to The London Marathon Charitable Trust if you don’t get in, as ballot applicants who do this are entered into a second draw to secure a place. You can also opt to only pay your £49 fee if you are successful in the ballot. 

The ballot closes at 21:00 BST on Friday, October 8 and results will be announced in February 2022. 

What about Good for Age entries? 

If you’re a resident in the UK and you’re a faster runner, you might be eligible for a Good for Age entry. The qualifying period to run a Good for Age time is between October 5, 2020, and October 3, 2021. Qualifying times must have been run at an in-person event with a certified marathon course, or at the virtual 2021 London Marathon. There are 6,000 Good for Age places available at the London Marathon - 3,000 for men and 3,000 for women which are allocated on a ‘fastest first’ basis. 

The London Marathon 2022 Good for Age times are as follows: 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
London Marathon 2022 Good for Age qualifying times
Age MenWomen
18-39sub 3:00:00sub 3:45:00
40-44sub 3:05:00sub 3:50:00
45-49sub 3:10:00sub 3:53:00
50-54sub 3:15:00sub 4:00:00
55-59sub 3:20:00 sub 4:05:00
60-64sub 3:45:00sub 4:30:00
65-69sub 4:00:00sub 5:00:00
70-74sub 5:00:00sub 6:00:00
75-79sub 5:15:00sub 6:20:00
80+sub 5:30:00sub 6:40:00

How to enter the London Marathon 2022 ballot as an international runner 

If you are not a UK resident, you will need to enter the international ballot for the London Marathon 2022 on this link here. The international ballot is also a random draw, but the fees for international runners are slightly different. If successful in the ballot, international runners will need to pay an entry fee of £99, plus a £26 carbon offset levy — this is to help reduce the carbon footprint of the event. 

The international ballot closes at 21:00 BST on Friday, October 8 and results will be announced in February 2022. 

How to get a guaranteed entry to the London Marathon 2022 

If you’re really keen to take part in the London Marathon 2022, there are a few other ways to get guaranteed entry into the race. 

Charity entries: Getting a spot to run for a charity is one of the easiest ways to gain guaranteed entry into the London Marathon 2022. If you get a charity place, you agree to raise a minimum amount for that charity in return for your spot. If you get a charity place and are then successful in the ballot, you can return your spot to the charity, and raise money for them yourself if you wish. Charities may ask for a registration fee when you accept your place. You can see a full list of charities with marathon spots on the London Marathon website.  

International tour operators: Another easy way to get a guaranteed spot in the London Marathon 2022 if you’re not a UK resident is to sign up with a tour operator. (This is also likely to give you more protection if the race is cancelled or impacted by coronavirus restrictions). A tour operator will sort everything for you and you’ll often find the price of your flights and hotel is included in the cost. There’s a full list of international tour operators on the London Marathon website. 

Jane McGuire
Jane McGuire
Fitness editor

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.