Good For Age London Marathon 2026 – Qualifying Times and Application Rules

Date of publication: October 17, 2025

Good For Age London Marathon 2026 – Qualifying Times and Application Rules

Applications for the Good For Age (GFA) programme for the 2026 London Marathon will be accepted from 2 October 2025 until 16:00 on 30 October 2025. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered. The results and information about allocated places will be announced on 8 December 2025. The programme is exclusively for residents of the United Kingdom.

To be eligible to apply, you must achieve the required qualifying time between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.

Key Rules for Good For Age Applications

Achieve a qualifying time: Complete a marathon on a certified course in a time under the limit for your age category (see the table below).
Certified course: Your result must come from a race with a course certified by UKA, AIMS, or another relevant national governing body for athletics.
Qualifying with a virtual marathon (MyWay): You can also apply if you achieved a qualifying time in the virtual TCS London Marathon MyWay. However, if this is your only qualifying result, you must also provide proof of completing a traditional half marathon on a certified course. The time for this half marathon must also be within the limits specified below, and the race must have taken place within the same qualifying period (1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025).
Limited places: There are 6,000 places available (3,000 for women and 3,000 for men). Places are allocated based on the fastest times (the ‘fastest first’ principle), which means meeting the minimum requirement does not guarantee entry.

Good For Age Qualifying Times 2026: Marathon

Age	Women	Men
18–39	sub 3:38	sub 2:52
40–44	sub 3:43	sub 2:57
45–49	sub 3:46	sub 3:02
50–54	sub 3:53	sub 3:07
55–59	sub 3:58	sub 3:12
60–64	sub 4:23	sub 3:34
65–69	sub 4:53	sub 3:52
70–74	sub 5:53	sub 4:52
75–79	sub 6:13	sub 5:07
80–84	sub 6:38	sub 5:27
85–89	sub 7:10	sub 6:10
90+	sub 7:45	sub 7:20

Required Half Marathon Times (for MyWay qualification)

Age	Men	Women
18–39	sub 1:23:37	sub 1:44:23
40–44	sub 1:26:00	sub 1:46:47
45–49	sub 1:28:09	sub 1:48:13
50–54	sub 1:30:32	sub 1:51:34
55–59	sub 1:32:56	sub 1:53:42
60–64	sub 1:44:23	sub 2:05:25
65–69	sub 1:51:34	sub 2:19:16
70–74	sub 2:19:16	sub 2:47:13
75–79	sub 2:26:27	sub 2:56:33
80+	sub 2:33:22	sub 3:05:52

What to Remember Before Applying?

Gather all necessary proof of your results, ensure the race courses were certified, and adhere to the deadlines. Remember, the faster your time, the better your chance of securing a place. Allocation is on a ‘fastest first’ basis, so simply beating the limit may not be enough if there are many applicants with faster times in your age category.

FAQ – Good For Age London Marathon 2026

Who can apply for the Good For Age programme?

The programme is exclusively for residents of the United Kingdom (UK residents).

When do I need to achieve the qualifying time?

Your qualifying result must be achieved between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.

What are the application deadlines?

Applications can be submitted from 2 October 2025 until 16:00 on 30 October 2025. No applications will be accepted after this deadline.

Does meeting the time limit guarantee me a place?

No. Simply achieving the required time does not guarantee entry. There are 6,000 places available, which are allocated on a ‘fastest first’ basis, meaning those with the best times in their age category are given priority.

Can I use a time from a virtual marathon?

Yes, you can apply with a time from the virtual TCS London Marathon MyWay. However, if you do, you must also provide proof of completing a traditional half marathon on a certified course within the required time limit, achieved during the same qualifying period.

What kind of course must the result be achieved on?

The course of the marathon (or half marathon for MyWay qualification) must be certified by UKA, AIMS, or the relevant national governing body for athletics.

When will I find out if my application was successful?

The results of the application process will be announced on 8 December 2025.

Source: London Marathon

What is the cost of participating in the London Marathon?

Planning to run in London and want to estimate the expenses? Check out my detailed budget and logistics cost analysis in a dedicated post: London Marathon – Full Cost of Participation – there you will find a breakdown of expenses: entry fee, flights, hotel, food, and souvenirs.

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