Knowing how to enter the London Marathon is on the face of it very simple - you simply put your name down for the ballot, and take you chances. However with the number of participants limited, and the ballot becoming increasingly oversubscribed getting an entry to the London Marathon is becoming more and more difficult.

The ballot for the following year's London marathon is announced in October.  At that point many people will be disappointed and looking for alternative solutions as to how to enter.  There are a few ways to enter this amazing event and to raise some money along the way.

 You may be entitled to a London Marathon place for other reasons:

'Good for age' entry.  Have you run a fast marathon in the past?  If so, investigate whether you qualify for the London Marathon on these grounds. You will need proof of age and proof of performance and you need to get your entry in by the August in the year before the London Marathon you want to run.

Athletics Clubs - are you affiliated to a club?  If so, they may be able to arrange entry.  You don't have to be an elite athlete to belong to a club - just be someone who enjoys running.  Think about finding your local club and becoming a member.  If nothing else it will be a new group of friends to run with.

One of the best ways to find a place in the London Marathon if you have been unsuccessful in the ballot, do not qualify through on of the ways above, or have tried to enter after the ballot closing date, is to get a place affiliated to one of the charities. There are many charitable organisations which get allocated places in the event, and will give these to aspiring runners in return for a minimum fundraising commitment.

Have a think about which charity you would like to support and then contact them directly to see if they have any places. Maybe think about some of the less 'glamourous' charities which might benefit from your fundraising. Cancer charities are well supported, and rightly so, but are there other causes which receive less attention but might strike a chord in your family? Mental health charities do fantastic work, but are often overlooked. What about charities for the homeless, or for projects that work with disadvantaged young people in your area. Maybe your own personal challenge can be a springboard for a positive change in someone else's life too?

Remember, charity places are in demand too, and many charities are oversubscribed. They may choose to allocate charity places on the basis of whatever criteria they wish, but many prefer to see evidence of a connection or commitment to the particular charity over a period of time. Think of it from their point of view. They want to allocate the place to someone who is committed to raising as much money as possible for the cause and someone who is determined to deliver on their promise to rise to this particular physical challenge. Can you be confident that that person is you? If so, contact the charity, get yourself a new pair of running shoes, find a marathon training plan, organise your fundraising, and get running!

Good luck and enjoy!