False start for Virgin London Marathon website

Comments

• Now we Know why the Banking Systems in such a bloody mess dont we come on Branson get a grip of your company!!! Youve had a year to gear up for this God help us!
  Flora Flora Flora Posted by A Bluck, uk
• Totally agree, have been trying since 9am and it just won't load. How ridiculous. Posted by LJC, United Kingdom
• Not a good start Virgin. Posted by Alison Pearson, UK
• Has anyone had any joy registering? Inspired by yesterday's event I decided to break my marathon virginity - 2010 one seemed appropriate but appears Virgin's inexperience of running the event might result in a premature ending. Posted by iain, UK
• been trying since 9am no joy ,and he wants us to sign up to his broadband ha ha Posted by Katherine Edwards, uk
• I ran the marathon in 5 hours 9 mins yesterday, it has taken me longer than that to get on to the website and still no luck. Posted by Alison Pearson, UK
• They must have realised that many thousands would be wanting to sign up once they open the ballot. Why do they never create robust enough systems to handle the traffic? Posted by Martin, UK
• I've been trying since 9am too - occasionally it will let you get as far as the ballot ... then it crashes again. My bottle is going to desert me if I can't register! Posted by Vikkie Richmond, UK
• Technology people at LM are clueless. The websites have been shit for the last three years at least. Posted by Alan, UK
• Still can't get on it, I've been trying since 9am, this is ridiculous Posted by Peter, UK
• Can't get on at any cost. Mind you there were problems last year as well, buit this is crazy, Virgin Money credit card is run by MBNA could they have not used their system which does at least work? They clearly haven't a clue on how to run this!
  Posted by Josephine, UK
• The worst start possible for Virgin. The online entry system is a shambles. Surely the bright sparks at Virgin would've thought of this before the day? I guess not. Also, why did the say entry would open at 9am when it actually opened from midnight? Why lie to us all? It's just stupid and frustrating. Posted by Jamie, UK
• Tried to register husband since 9am and am virgin customer , very disappointed ,marthon should go back to postal entries [maybe someone has been successful ! ] Posted by kath, uk
• May be they are trying to force you to enter via a charity.............who me cynical? Posted by Rick, United Kingdom
• Very disappointing and frustrating, thought Virgin were bigger and better than this. Posted by Julie, UK
• Had no problems with registring with Flora last year. So much for the Virgin brand. This not good publicity for Mr Branson! I have been trying since 9am Posted by Jem, UK
• Have been trying since 9am Now 1.45pm and still not been able to register, I will get the sack at this rate as i am at work!
  come on guys get your act together there are thousands of us waiting............... Posted by Julie, UK
• been trying to register since 9am - still no joy - another corporate cock up Posted by dean, england
• have bbe trying since 9am now 12.55pm still no luck [virgin customer ] Posted by m, uk
• useless!! I know people who managed to get on before the supposed 9.00am, since then no joy!! Posted by christina, uk
• I am getting so frustrated, been trying since 9am aswell. Great start Virgin!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted by Emma, UK
• I too have been trying to register since 7am (I know the registrations started at 9am) at 7am I was able to get to page 6 of 7 twice before it bombed out. Since then I have totally failed to get to the registration pages. Being in IT I predicted that Virgin would fail at this task, but not as badly as this. They knew that they were going to get up to 100,000 hits this morning, so why did they not plan for this.
  
  Very poor show indeed Virgin..... Posted by Alex, uk
• Virgin are the sponsors.
  If you have to queue to get into the FA cup final do you blame E.on.
  
  Some sanity please Posted by Andy, greater manchester
• It's 1.30pm and we still can't get on! Get your act together Virgin Posted by marie, England
• I'm getting really frustrated as well, I've been trying since 8.30.....I didn't have this problem last year surely they must have anticpated the number of people trying to access the site it was the same last year. Rubbish!
  
  Andy who else are we to blame if not Virgin, their name is all over it! Posted by Paulette, UK
• Sorry disagree, Vigin are one of the largest ISP's in the country, boasting of how fast their Internet service is, it is their infrastructure that has failed and this should have been planned much better than it has. This is one of the drawbacks of having your fingers in a lot of pie, the buck stops there....
  
  Virgin are the Sponsors.
  Virgin host the website. (looks like there is only a single webserver, there maybe more if there DNS server is doing round robin)
  Virgin are a large ISP how should know how to do this stuff properly.
  
  Who else is to blame? Posted by Alex, uk
• Well Flora please keep it going Virgin go. Open Registration and a break down on the site i dont understand you can muster enough to fly around the world in a balloon, But this come on this is truly Pants. Posted by mike, United Kingdom
• Total disaster
  Its even worse than last year
  Bring back the postal applications at least it was the same for everyone !!! Posted by Dave Allemby, Wombwell ,South Yorkshire
• Virgin do not host the London Marathon website. It's actually hosed by realbuzz.com. They've hosted the site for many years. Posted by Ryan, UK
• Well, I'm sitting pretty as I was on at 7.30 this morning and didn't have a problem registering!!!
  Here's to Virgin and 2010!! Posted by Merunning, UK
• I've been trying for 5 hours now, this is beyond a joke!
  
  Has anyone managed to get on or am I risking my job for nothing? Posted by Peter, uk
• Just got on the web site and it has been updated with :
  
  Due to unprecedented demand for marathon places, this website is currently unavailable.
  
  Please try again later today or tomorrow.
  
  David Bedford
  Race Director, London Marathon
  Posted by Jo, England
• Now it has a message saying due to unprecedented demand this page is out of order please try again later or tomorrow! signed by David Bedford. Posted by Paulette, UK
• Also been trying since 8.30am and no luck, Come on Virgin sort it out!! Posted by Sam, Wales
• "Unprecedented" ..mmm I doubt it. Unprecedented lack of planning I suspect. What is "unprecedented" is opening the site nine hours before it was advertised to be opening. Posted by Jerry Stockbridge, UK
• How disappointing, only glad i dont use virgin broadband LOL
  
  Just proves technology is not that good after all Posted by Tracy, uk
• This is a disgrace got up with very sore legs after running 3.50 yesterday - to make sure I keep my consectutive applications up - to everyone who is on their 5th application this year SORT IT OUT VIRGIN - the Flora London Marathon is soooo well organised I hope this isn't an indication of their race day prepartions!! Posted by Laud, UK
• Totally agree with most of the comments. How b .......y irritating just be be constantly forwarded to a smirking Richard Branson. Been trying since 8.30 am. Doubly frustrating as I am having to also register a friend who does not have the internet. Posted by Mo, UK
• "this website is currently unavailable."
  
  No, i think you'll find the website has been unavailable since 9 in the morning, I certainly havnt been able to get on at all since then.
  
  
  
  Posted by Danny , UK
• After 5 hours of trying, my wife is through on another PC. She has got to page 5. That's the good news. The bad news is that as she is trying to enter for the fifth year (after four unsuccessful) she needs to click a HERE button to register previous applications. Guess what, the pop up box then fails to work. Posted by Jerry, UK
• ..and NO, it is not the popup blocker! Posted by Jerry, UK
• I registered at 7am this morning...it all seemed fine then. How these big companies can't predict that there will be huge numbers of people trying to register is beyond me!! Bring back Flora! Posted by Ben, UK
• I have been trying since 08.55 as well.
  Considering that it has taken 5 hours for them to put up a message about "unprecedented demand ", I don't hold out much hope about even getting into the ballott - forget about then being awarded a place!
  I honestly thought that Virgin would make a difference & as you can obviously see - it has been a difference for the worse. Posted by BrianN, UK
• Still trying. 12 months to prepare for this and the website still fails. Its unacceptable.
  
  Virgin are a blue chip business and the systems and processes should be thoroughly tested by now. Posted by Chris, UK
• Absolutely crazy, been trying to get into website since 9am, over 5 hours later and still trying..... if this is the signs of how the new london marathon going to go please help us. Website now saying 'due to unprecenteded demand' really - don't think so Flora managed it last year not problem and had sold out of places within days..... Posted by Amanda, UK
• How can the demand on the website be seen as unprecedented? Yesterday thirty odd thousand people ran yesterday, a hundred thousand did an amazing job cheering us all on, and it was the only thing that the national broadcaster showed on its main channel from 8.30am to midday.
  
  What the hell did they think was going to happen at 9am when the next ballot opened, to have three or four applications? Posted by John The Hat, England
• been trying for 5 hours how crazy, how long do we leave before we try again? the race director didnt even say sorry. i cant believe the ballot was open hours before advertised total mess the whole thing virgin sort it out Posted by jayne nunn, england
• I'll be fuming if I dont get entry into the ballot becuase of thier mistakes! Posted by Grahame, UK
• I managed to register at 14:00 just before they shut it down (after 5 hours of trying - I would have finished the run at that rate!). Apparently only 3,500 people have been able to register so far. Posted by Andy Clegg, UK
• F5, F5, F5, F5, F5, yawn, F5, F5, F5, F5........4 hours later; F5, F5, F5, F5..... hours later;
  
  "due to incompetence within the largest billion pound telecommunications company in the world, we can't provide enough bandwidth on our centillionoctilliontrillionmillion bit fibreoptic links for more than 10 users at a time, please try again next year when we have to pass it back to a butter company, because we have had our arses kicked by the london marathon council, have a nice day,"
  
  .........yawn, F5, F5, F5, F5........... Posted by Simon, England
• I have found that ebveryone who went on the site after midnight up to 6ish this morning got on ok and registered. I am so frustrated that we were lied to and were originally told the ballot would not be open until 9am today.............. now none of us can get on!!!!!!!!! Sort it out Posted by Adele, flintshire uk
• You know what guys, just chill your jets for a bit! Maybe a little patience and understanding would help! Virgin are using the same company as Flora did (realbuzz)! If your gonna keep freaking out, freak on them! At the end of the day, problems happen with websites, servers, life!! Remember, if you can't enter the ballot then neither can anybody else! Sit back, have a cup of tea, maybe a slice of cake and come back later! Trust me, nobody will be more dissapointed than the guys at virgin who have worked tirelessly to get this site built and then have it fail through no fault of their own! Posted by Pickles, UK
• Opening entry right after the 2009 Marathon is a mistake (with or without the bandwidth). FLM was a welcome break from the redial-redial madness of events like Glastonbury Festival.
  
  Suggestions:
  
  1) Opening for entry somewhat later (after the obvious buzz has died down a bit)
  2) Closing online entry at the end of a decently long time window, rather than after a set number of entries.
  
  What we have here is a recipe for high blood pressure, cholesterol deposits and all the stuff Flora claim to fix! Posted by Chris, Stockport, UK
• Website crap, have been trying to register since 8.45 on two separate broadband lines, with no joy, just as you get to enter the ballot the link fails. A very poor service. I have been trying for several years to get in the marathon and it annoys me intensely when this happens and people like Jordon and the others get places and struggle to complete the thing............. Posted by JG, uk
• Guessed this would happen. The entry form in the magazine you pick up in the shop option was fair and democratic (I too didn't know there was to be an early pre-9.am start today - how fair is that?). If the old fashioned way is more expensive I think many peiople would still be willing to pay for it. I toop have dented my day when I should be working. Posted by Gareth , England
• just taken this from the realbuzz website
  
  Dear All,
  
  We know that some of you may be having problems trying to apply for the 2010 race. Here is the official response from Nick Bitel (Chief Executive of London Marathon Limited) regarding the site demand issues:
  
  I can confirm that we have not had anywhere near 100,000 registrations before the site opened and that our hosting service, Rackspace, is working very hard to resolve the issue. Rackspace is one of Europe's largest hosting companies. The site was stress tested to very high levels but the demand at 9am was so high that it caused the difficulties now being experienced.
  
  The site has been unavailable whilst the new firewall is being installed (that was at capacity as well).
  
  Best Wishes
  
  realbuzz.com
  Posted by Dennis Briggs, england
• So the website might have been tested and allowed thousands at a time but the firewall that everyone has to pass through first, it seems wasn't tested.
  
  Haha, realbuzzrunbritain.com website struggling now.
  
  Posted by S, England
• realbuzz.com forums struggling now, everyone tryin to see that pos.
  haha Posted by S, England
• Everyone should email support@rackspace and request an ETA!! Posted by Eric, England
• The real issue here is the ballot system with a first come first served basis (ok I know that the first 80,000 ish are logged and then the ballot entries are picked from that and other sources), but to have a system where well over a 100,000 people are interested to only allow a small percentage of those in is just not fair. I checked the bonded places and they are going for around £1,500 for the London Marathon and for other Marathons like Berlin the bonded places are going for around £1,000, I think there is too many places given out to the charities (meaning that there are less places for the ballot entries), being someone who lives in london this is my local marathon and I just cannot get in year after year without getting a bonded place, I speak to many people each year who attempted to get in and did not, very disapointing.
  
  The website should be opened for at least a week, and then closed and then randomly from those entries the ballot entries are picked from regardless of the amount of entries.
  
  First come first served does not work on web portal for high demand stuff.
  
  Posted by Alex, uk
• I've registered but I did it at about 6:30am this morning. It didn't open at 9 as advertised but actually at about 2am. Posted by Emma, UK
• im so mad what happend to getting the email saying it was open did not get one of them and it 4pm monday . was also told that it did not open tell monday 9am if so why where people entering at 10pm sunday night and at 12 am monday . has some one forgot how to tell time in the virgin land and they new it would be this bad and so many people trying to get in so why not get a bigger server that can cope with all of the entrys i will just go find anouther marathon to go and run
  come on guys let go some where eles and do anouther marathon
  who needs this stress
  
  so any one up for not entering the virgin marathon teach them a lesson let find anouther marathon
  so if so tell me what marathon you will be doing instead of the virgin one
  Posted by tammy kirkwood, uk
• I cannot believe I have had the window open since 9am and still no joy (its now 4.04pm) - this is a really bad start. I really hope this is not the start of things to come. Posted by Rachel, UK
• Sorry but virgin are not the organisors. Its nothing to do with them, as much as we would all like to blame someone. Posted by Paul Milton, Uk
• So do we have to keep trying all evening, just in case they lie again about when the system is open? Or are we all going to crash the system tomorrow when it supposedly comes up, all desperately trying to beat the entry limit? How ridiculous. Surely there should just be a 2 week period to enter with no maximum entry limits. They did this with the postal system and that worked! Posted by Fiona, Shoeburyness, Essex
• spent all day in work trying to register bloody ridiculous never had this problem with flora Posted by paul, uk
• Hope their planes dont crash as much as the website. It is a really sad state of affairs when it takes longer to register for the ballot than run the race. All of us could probably have completed the course and gone home for a bath and then had dinner in less time than I've been trying to log on. Really bad PR, even if Virgin are not the organiser, if I was Branson I would tell them to sort it! Also gutted that people have been registering before the 9AM advertised time! Posted by JG, uk
• Been trying since 9 this morning and still not able to get on there. Please bring back the old way of doing it, at least that way we don't all end up getting high blood pressure! Posted by Michelle, Gloucestershire
• I have been looking on the Realbuzz web site but can see that post ,
  anyone know where it is Posted by SL, UK
• This is just so frustrating. Really poor. Like Virgin trains and the rubbish planes the marathon is being made a joke of too. Posted by KPB, United Kingdom
• http://www.realbuzz.com/forums/flora-london-marathon-2009/threads/site-meltdown/?page=1 Posted by db, England
• free publicity for virgin me think. Its got to be delibrate Posted by doe, uk
• The trouble, in my opinion, lies not in the ballot system but restricting it to online only entries - i know post entries may cost them more in terms of processing but think of the brand damage to Virgin today??? You only need to look at the posts above - virgin are only the sponsors and appear not to be hosting or responsible entirely for the site but to have this happen is insulting whoever's fault it is. And let's not forget there is NO benefit to the people entering the system to do it online!!!!!!!
  
  I ran yesterday and it was bloody tough - for those slating Jordan (JG) she had a pretty bad knee injury and just to complete that marathon yesterday was an acheivement so unless you wee running yesterday i suggest you leave that out of it. Posted by Andyt_321, UK
• txs Posted by SL, UK
• Online entry for the London Marathon is a joke anyhow. The website failing may be a good thing. it may put off all the poeple who were inspired from watching the race yeaterday, but have no real intention of running next yearfrom entering.
  
  What was wrong with having to get a copy of Marathon News and writing a cheque?
  
  Posted by Dave B, Liverpool, UK
• oh - and where can you get the only information ....the old flora site that seems to have been up all day and had all the results listed so i should imagine that as well people who can't get onto the new Virgin one but also cope with 36,000 people who are checking their results online!!!!! Posted by Andyt_321, UK
• If the start time for registering was 9am surely all entries before that are not valid, If the start of the race is at a certain time you wouldn't start before the official time would you? the same should apply ,be fair
  I will probably be very unpopular for saying this! Posted by k, uk
• Did Stratford yesterday, fantastic course , drinks every 2m , well organised and lots of friendly marshalls....no stress ! Posted by Andrew, UK
• Been running now for 2 years built up my races, Marathon was next and thought i had nothing better to do than register at 9am!! Not a chance!! I plucked up courage to go ahead and go for it!! Scared to move away from PC ncase site opens up what a disaster!!! Oh I'm away out for a run to clear my head!! Will probably miss it now but hey ho!!!! Posted by Leigh, Scotland
• The site crashed last year with Flora as the sponsor.
  Those of you suggesting: " Bring back Flora " need to remember that; and the fact that RealBuzz are the people that crashed it. Posted by Bob, England
• my brother did it yesterday and it made me really want to do it , been trying at 9am on the dot, come on guys this is all i have been doing all day Posted by jbrown, uk
• Managed to register my Boyfirend after 5 and a half hours, and tried immediatley after to register my self, but no luck!! Atleast one of us managed to do it, but will be a shame if only he can run!! So annoying!!! Posted by Sarah, East Sussex
• The LM is becoming a begging-bowl for charities - I registered for the ballot last year (unsuccesfully) and then had about 11 months of charity SPAM telling me how I could bust a gut to raise a minimum of £1500.
  
  This year, assuming I actually get to register, I'll be VERY careful what boxes I tick on the forms.... Posted by JC, UK
• and virgin wanted to run the lottery Posted by andy, uk
• Apart from being misleading and lacking in transparency, is advertising one opening time for the ballot and then changing it without notice on the grey side of legal? Does anyone know anything about this, or have any contact details for the organisers? Posted by gwen, uk
• This ridiculous, been trying since morning to no avail!!! Posted by Christina, England
• I only have 2 hours left to try then I have to wait till morning when it may be too late what the hell is going on. Posted by Went,, London.
• totally shit and wank. i've been trying all day. this country is just turning into one big mismanaged pile of bollocks. while i'm here- gordon brown's a twat. Posted by albert, uk
• Realbuzz and rackspace should be blamed for inadequate testing. Its easy to test server load including factors like firewalls. This i just another repeat of them screwing up. Frankly its a shame for Virgin that they've got stuck with them. Posted by Daniel, uk
• I'm trying to get an application to enter the London Marathon.
  Can't get a thing and up all night!
  How do I get in the "Q"??
  HELP!
  john Posted by John P. Rademacher, USA - California
• The site was down last year for the whole day so those suggesting Virgin suck compared to Flora are probably people who didn't try registering last year.
  
  Think I finally ended up registering last year at about 2am so if I am able to do it before that time this year then it will be an improvement.
  Posted by Nick Everitt, Uk
• this is a joke and not a funny one. Saying that they didnt expect all these people. What did they expect? The website has been down all day and I have wasted a full day at work trying to get on. They should have a back up plan in case it didnt work, you think they would have learnt from last year. It took me three days and lots of phone calls to sort it out and I ended up being rejected. I for one will be looking for another marathon and another credit card company. Posted by Debbie, UK
• I totally agree, they knew what kind of traffic this would come through, complete incompetence. If David Bedford or realbuzz read this, next year get it together, this is a disgrace. Posted by Mia, UK
• Outrageous, how frustrating is this site. 9am Joke! Posted by Ness, England
• I was able to enter the ballot last night, around 2AM London time. They opened it much earlier than they advertised, I think that's unfair. I got the email confirmation and all. Now, the site is down. Does that mean I have to reenter when the site is back on? Posted by Alex, USA
• Justgiving managed to stay up and take 70k donations or something. Maybe they should run it. Posted by Michael F, UK
• Alex (USA), I very much doubt you'll have to re-apply, especially as you got a confirmation email, so try not to worry. I for one am very envious as I waited until 9am (typical English!) and of course it all crashed. Was at work very early and had I known the site was functioning earlier than the stated time, I'd of been on registering much sooner. Good on you to all those who managed to register early! Posted by Jo, England
• How come the site was open before 9am this is totally unfair If I do not get to register this year because of this problem london marathon will get a very strong letter as this is the year were hopefully i am in because of the 5 year fails It is so badly planned this year Posted by Sue, uk
• Absolutely ridiculous ran 3:33 yesterday and have spent three times that amount of time trying to register for a ballot I probably won't even be succesful in. At work tommorow so looks like Won't be running next year.
  
  Bring back the postal ballot all you've got to worry about then is the post men going on strike!!
  
  Oh and I agree with Albert above about Gordon Brown Posted by Nige, UK
• I am so annoyed with the whole thing. The fact that it opened early, the fact that the IT morons, who had an entire year to make sure that it didn't crash like last year, can't make a website work knowing what the demand will be like ("unprecedented" my &*!£), the complete lack of information on when it will be back up and running, and NOT EVEN AN APOLOGY!!! We pay an admin fee for this appalling service, it's an abomination. Posted by Emma, UK
• Does anyone know if you can still enter through sending a cheque with a runners world entry form? I have been trying since before 9 this morning and 10 hours later I'm still trying, I've been turned down twice already so was hoping for a 3rd time lucky!!! Posted by Sarahjane Murphy, United Kingdom
• I tried throughout the day to get into the Virgin Marathon website without success....Branson should fire his website designers....or is that Virgin Media?
  I entered the second London marathon when I had to queue all night outside a post office to hand my application in on a first come first serve basis. That was much easier. I entered the Paris recently online with no trouble, why can't Virgin with all their resources get it right. Posted by david taylor, uk
• I think that they should, at the very least, allow people who have NEVER run before have priority over runners who I saw yesterday were running it for the 9th time, and I'm not talking about celebrities. I'm sure this is practicably not possible but it does make me sick when I see so many people doing it again and again, when I have failed to get in each time I've tried. And now I'm going to be beaten by technology! (19.30hrs, no luck). Posted by Phil, UK
• Yes frustrating - just want to make sure I am am registered, emailed my intersts over 3 months ago,
  
  So Calm down I'm sure Richard will sort this out - Soooooooon 11 Posted by johnny, North Yorkshire
• Absolutely disgusting that they opened it early. How is that fair? They should extend the number so that it allows those that tried at 9am to register. Posted by Stu, UK
• Opening the ballot early is as bad as ITV's voting scams. It cannot be allowed to continue. We must object in droves. has anyone any contact with the national newspapers Posted by TREFOR, ENGLAND
• Dear Richard - please sort this out.
  
  Thanks Posted by johnw, England
• Been trying for 5 years - Posted by bob toss, birmighan
• Seems like a catalogue of wholly avoidable errors.
  
  Surely testing would be high on the agenda for the next few hours.
  
  Can we have an official apology and explanation to help make up for the hours we have wasted to try and get a place for next year.
  
  I can't believe that I am getting so annoyed by this, it happened last year too so should be no surprise.
  
  embarrassing all round really, at least the race itself is well planned! Posted by Bernie, UK
• I totally agree with Phil's comments above, this will be my 3rd attempt to enter for the marathon and it looks as if i'm going to fail again before i even get a chance! WHY, why is it that people get to do it year after year after year! Posted by Sue, London, England
• I have been trying to log on since 9.30am, continually trying all day, I thought due to the demand the site was busy, guess I was wrong, come on Virgin sort yourself out, just not good enough. Posted by Gino, Enfied
• disgusting Posted by john bibby, UK
• How can David Bedford say 'due to unexpected demand' when last year was exactly the same. At least with the old system you were guaranteed a place after five rejects now you can't even get a reject slip. As a member of an A A running club I can't even enter the club draw because I haven't got a slip to hand in! Maybe Virgin could offer their advice to improve the web site so it can cope with the expected and normal demand for this event.
  From a long and loyal supporter of the best marathon in the world - lets try and keep it that way! Posted by Dave, England Devon
• to quote someone else off the runners world uk site - i've, "more chance trying to sh*g the popes wife than get an entry in." i've been trying all day. would have thought that the people who set this system up would have foreseen the small matter of A LOT OF PEOPLE trying to enter... totally f***ing useless. Posted by trolley, uk
• Hey all the entry was open from midnight last night i filled my online form out at quater past midnight and had no problems even got the confirmation email from virgin saying that that i was in the ballot .. good luck all hope its up and running soon Posted by Simon Wainwright, uk
• I've just cancelled my Virgin credit card as I have lost all confidence in Virgin - if they can't make a website work, then how can they look after my money???? Posted by Cally, UK
• I can't get on to apply either. But this is so typical of this country. I used to think that anyone could run the marathon for a charitable cause, but I was wrong. I bet if your name was Peter Andre you would get a place instantaneously!!
  Posted by Jean Le Bibre, Britain
• Due to unprecedented demand for marathon places, this website is currently unavailable... yuyuuugHHgHG, NO SH*T! AAAaaaaaaaAAAAARRRGGHHHHHHH Posted by terry, uk
• Been trying all day too, total mare as was very keen like everyone else to register!! But with two small kids time is precious and will prob miss the boat. Looks like it'll be a charity place! Posted by Suse, U.K.
• seems you have to raise a lot of money - £2000 for a lot of charities... how can i get in in through the back door? can i get a club place? Posted by tobbly, uk
• Running the London marathon for a good charitable cause should not stop anyone from competing, what ever the numbers of people running the marathon. Why is there a limit to the number of people running. Perhaps they should consider two or more marathons a year. Richard Branson is obviously going to make more megabucks to line his pockets out of this. "Flora" seemed so innocent, compared to "Virgin". Very suspicious about Branson now. Frightens me that he already cannot deliver to the common man or woman! Cancelled all credit cards and other things concerning this tycoon! Posted by Steven Everest, GB (?Great)
• I've also had a frustrating day trying to enter for London 2010. Perhaps a bit of lateral thinking is needed here.. you want to run a marathon? Well, there are plenty other marathons in UK and abroad.... check out http://www.marathonguide.com/races/races.cfm?place=Intl. (I ran Paris earlier this month.... almost as good, big city race with around 35,000 runners, and much, much easier to enter than London Posted by Final Mile, UK
• I have been trying to register since 9.am this morning as advised that lines open at that time. I think it is very unfair to suggest this time, only to find out that it opened at 12 am. I am sure that this is unlawful, if not at least unjust!
  
  Bring back the postal entry, it was so much easier and much farirer. It is now 8.20 pm and I am still trying to register, having had my lap top on since 4.30 pm when I returned from work.
  
  Does this mean that so many people are going to miss out. I did not have this problem last year, although I did not get through the ballot system. Everybody should have a fair chance. Antonia - London
  Posted by Antonia Wilson, England
• Not the most encouraging start Virgin - hope you've taken note of how well Flora did the London Marathon. Hopefully your organisational skills will have improved by 2010. More money than sense Virgin?? Posted by Carol Fairburn, England
• I was one of the lucky ones...I went on this morning at 7 and managed to register. Though no idea how-I thought it didn't open till 9! Posted by Claire, UK
• You would think a company like virgin would have a system that worked and if not at least a back up plan (other than closing down the website). Posted by Paul, London
• People saying just run another marathon, it is not as simple as that, people have other commitments to fullfill and cant make runs abroad. Also there is a certain thrill to the LM that makes it one of the best in the world if not the best. Posted by Grahame, UK
• Come on Mr Branson. Put in some extra cash and get this working.
  I don't necessarily want to go down the formal charity route - am happy to run for a charity, but don't think it fair to have to promise to stump up minimum amounts of money in advance. Posted by Angie, England
• Yes I agree with Grahame, trying to get people to sponsor you for the Merthyr run aint the same as getting sponsors for the London Marathon. My father has Parkinsons and I want to do something for him through something like this!
  It is atrocious that you have to apply to do this and be entered into a bloody lottery! Posted by Jen, UK
• I can totally understand the frustration. Phone: 020 7902 0200: this is the phone number I received along with my confirmation email(Yes, I was able to enter the ballot last night). If you do call, please post your phone conversation here; that would be very helpful for other runners. Good Luck! Posted by Alex, USA
• Still no joy. This is ridiculous. Should have created more than one website to register!
  
  Why bother shutting the site? What exactly are they gaining by doing that? They're just p*ssing a LOT of people off. Is it worth trying to get through a charity this late?
  
  When is the closing time/date of the ballot entry?
  
  I have NEVER been soo frustrated in all my life! Posted by Michala J, Wales
• I phoned. All they said on a prerecorded message, was lines are closed till 11 am tuesday morning and then they repeated Bedfords message about the site being unavailable. What a way to run something so vitally important for real British people!!!!!!!!!! Posted by Jen, UK
• How unfair is it to advertise that the VLM site will be open for registrations at 9am on Monday, and then open it in the very early hours of Monday morning by all accounts? Who was responsible for that decision? Will you be applying the same 'slackness' when it comes to a 'closing date', or a 'maximum on-line entries accepted'. If you accept entries BEFORE the stated opening criteria, then you should accept entries AFTER any stated closing criteria.
  
  How unprofessional is it to have a web site/infrastructure or whatever that cannot cope with the 'unprecedented' demand? C'mon guys, anyone could have told you that there would be thousands upon thousands of people logging on at 9?
  As a computer professional, I'd be interested in seeing what performance tests, load tests etc. were carried out before the site went live. Who is responsible for that?
  
  This whole thing sucks!!
  
  Bring back the good old application form and cheque. Just think how much could have been saved. All Virgin would have to have done is change the address on the envelopes, instead of spending money on "One of the first developments under the new sponsorship deal will be the creation of a state-of-the-art website to be launched on 26 April 2009. The site will look to bring together the marathon community in one place – not just runners, but their supporters and spectators too. People will be able to enter the race, find someone to train with, watch celebrities training, download music play lists for different training plans and much more." Posted by Stuart Henderson, UK
• This whole thing is just totally laughable. I cant believe that one has to enter as in a lottery to help those people less fortunate than our selves.
  What a total mockery of the good intent in the common people.
  Richard Branson is the worst sponsor for the London Marathon. He wants to build his empire even larger. Flora sounded so uninspiring,(God bless em) but now big Dick has got his finger in yet another pie, and has already pulled out a bloody plum. Why can't you leave things alone Branson, you have to get involved in every God damn thing going, from condoms to the lottery., and you spoil it all!!
  Posted by Blodwen, UK
• Mmmmm I wonder how YouTube cope with the volumes they experience?
  
  If it's true that the website opened at 10pm last night instead of the advertised 9am today, them someone wants their a*se seriously kicked. Posted by Alan, England
• back on again now! but keeps crashing!!! Posted by Dazza, UK
• Why dont they use an established race online entry system? Active in america do all the big races including the online entry for the chicago marathon which is much bigger than London. Dave Bedford should get signed up with www.active.com they could have it all ready in the morning. :) Posted by TJ, UK
• The website is a disgrace but what's funny is that there are people stupid enough to think Virgin are organising the ballot! They are sponsors, do you all think that sponsors suddenly become event organisers?
  It's the same old London Marathon Ltd who also run realbuzz.
  The past sponsors (that's Unilever) also had no part in race organisation or entry systems because they make stuff to spread on bread rather than organise races. Posted by Mark, UK
• F**King joke. They shut it off all day and then turn it on 9pm (12 hours after they said it would be live) and it still dosent work! Realbuzz/London Marathon/Virgin are a joke. Piss up a in brewery they couldnt organise. I wouldnt mind if they were more honest about it but rather than say sorry we didnt buy enough server space they knock out some story about the unexpected increased demand. I like to think people are not as stupid to listen to their PR spin. Dont take the p*ss out of your customers London Marathon.
  Posted by Alistair, UK
• any idea if Virgin have another site where they are keeping people informed. I just need to know when the site is likely to be live. Sad that we all have to plan our lives around the availability of a web service. One of those cases where technology hasn't made life easier... Posted by Paul, UK
• Two words - Absolute Joke. Posted by Clive, England
• anybody had any luck in getting thru since 9pm this evening I've been trying all day. still nothing :( Posted by Meg, UK
• Its live again but keeps cutting out. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
  It would be easier to cross the world in a hot air balloon. Posted by Debbie, UK
• Not only his phones don't work ,registering has taken me since 9 this morning from Milan.
  Stick to records and come down from your balloon Richard !
  Tony Posted by Antony Howard-Grubb, Italy
• Just got on the homepage - they have put up a countdown in the bottom left hand corner to let us know when the ballot system will be up and running. Posted by iain, UK
• Ha! for a moment then I though Iain was being serious but 11 months, never they might just get this sorted in time for the 2012 Olympics!!!! Posted by Andrew, UK
• ummmmm this is annoying want to not be hitting refresh all the time! Posted by sarah, uk
• Watchdog is after rubbish customer service comments for next week's programme, how about we have a little moan an get a Realbuzz rep to splutter a red-faced apology on telly? I am so seething - I almost did it last night, thinking it'd probably be open earlier and now kicking myself for not doing so. There's nothing more annoying to British people than having missed the start of a queue! If we were all in the same boat it wouldn't be so bad but hearing that the lucky early birds got there first is a bit gutting... Posted by Trep, UK
• i can not belive it, i have been trying to get a place for 4 years so the 5th year place applies to me, but ONLY if i manage to register..... after hours of trying i am to tired but will stay up and wait , fingers crossed and good luck to all the rest of you who are desperatly trying xxxxx Posted by emily, uk
• I'm furious, already written a strongly worded letter. Only just managed to get on the website but still it crashes!! Posted by Jenny, UK
• An absolute joke. This is my 3rd year of trying. Looks like this year I wont even get as far as registration. Been trying since 9am this morning. Now 9.30pm. Site came back up briefly and then crashed. To top it all my Virgin TV went off this afternoon, and then the virgin customer helpline went down too!!!! And my Virgin Credit card has charged me interest when I was meant to be on interest free!!!!! For gods sake dont give him the lottery...... Posted by Helen , UK
• Been trying since 9am this morning, work in a school so kept one of the computers on in class on the web site. Now home still trying and its10pm. This would have been my 6year attempt and now lost out AGAIN. can't believe despite ballot not opening until 9am loads have applied and got through since midnight. Complete and utter UNFAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted by Liz, Hertfordshire UK
• I'm absolutely disgusted. I've been trying in vain, off and on, since 8.45. this morning. I can't believe some managed to register last night! It is now 10.p.m., and I have just managed to access the homepage, but I still can't get onto the ballot section! If this is an example of Virgin organisation and preparation, what sort of dogs dinner will they make of the marathon itself? Posted by Sue, UK
• I managed to enter the ballot with Internet Explorer where as Firefox just kept timing out. Just incase anyone is using Firefox. Posted by Sausages, UK
• It just goes to show you can't be too careful Posted by Ross, UK
• I cant get on through Firefox OR IE - its so frustrating. Been trying since 9am..
  
  AAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH Posted by Kim, UK
• If your payment is successful, does that mean that your entry has been accepted? Posted by bob, uk
• To all those people who deend Virgin as "only" being race sponsors... I DONT CARE! I am associating this farce with them. It is there name all over it. I did not have this problem last year. Half the trouble is not only are they limiting race entry toc. 36,000 but they have now stupidly decided to limit registration to c. 150,000 so everyone who is trying to get on to ensure if nothing else they reach their "5 years and your in" scenario. GET IT SORTED - NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!` Posted by Helen Lund, United Kingdom
• Still no progress. The whole situation would be almost laughable if this was the 1st time there was a london marathon.. but it isn't and they know very well the attraction it gets. I agree with the watchdog and national press idea. Time to shine a spotlight on this mess. Posted by Christina, UK
• I have been trying since 9am and it is now 22:25.
  It would of been my first marathon but looks like that wont be happening.
  Im thinking of a charity place but with the credit crunch I doubt I will be able to raise £150 never mind £1500!!! Posted by Kelly, England
• Kelly
  
  I'm in exactly the same boat. Would of been my first ever marathon (in honour of my brother) but I dont think I could raise the £1500 either - its actually a huge amount of money to raise from friends and family :( Posted by Kim, UK
• Part of the first timers club as well. How does someone even go about collecting £1500 in this financial climate. Posted by Mia, UK
• I'm so glad that I cannot get onto the site to enter the race. My wife has been nagging me for months to do the Marathon, and now I've got the perfect excuse, thanks to Richard and the other bunch of arseholes running this thing. Instead this time next year, I'll sit on the comfy sofa and drink Fosters while watching all those poor buggers running the Marathon. I'll stay at home and nurse my haemorrhoids, so thankyou Branson and you other idiots for saving my day at least.
  Good luck to the rest of you Posted by Roger Sole, UK
• I am recovering from depression, an eating disorder and I was a general mess. Ive been feeling good about myself and thought I would give the marathon a go. It would give me a goal. If i dont register soon I may talk myself out of it Posted by Rob, UK
• bring back the paper ballot, it was simple, straight forward and cut out the all the people who think its a good idea to enter at the time but then dont actually do the marathon! the first time i entered was through paper ballot and was succesfull. at least that way as many people as posible can enter with no limit and then the ballot is picked fairly rather than an online limit being reached and the ballot closed after a couple of days! Posted by hayley, uk
• been on 18 times now still sat up waiting ,been on since 9 am what the hell is going on dont want to go to bed so i can keep trying whats the point its not going to come on Posted by jen , scunthorpe
• It's back online now... just managed it!!
  Such a relief after ten and a half hours... I was so gutted I didn't try in the early hours when I was still awake... still, its done now!
  Good luck everyone ;-D Posted by Jen, Wales
• The only scrap of comfort that I'm getting out of this fiasco is that it has been a PR disaster for Virgin. Like the poster above, I don't care if Virgin aren't actually running the website; they've got their name all over it so they should have done some due diligence to make sure the tech was up to the job.
  
  I'm sure the 100,000+ people that they've royally p*ssed off today won't be going anywhere near a Virgin product in the near future. I certainly won't. Posted by Bob hates Virgin, UK
• ... just realised the time doesn't get posted with comments... it's now 10:44pm... and it should be working (albeit SLOWLY).
  
  Have patience! Posted by Jen, Wales
• ''"Have patience! " Posted by Jen, Wales''
  
  Sorry, it's fine for you, who's already managed to get through but as you can see and read some of us have been trying all day. So no I dont think we need any patience, we need results!! Posted by Mia, UK
• this is my fourth consecutive application (previous 3 failed). Agree with Hayley. I think I've just wasted 3 years! Posted by Woody, UK
• I agree bring back the paper ballot- It meant that ypu actually had to go and get the magazine and then fill in the appliaction form.
  This will be, if I ever manage to register this year my fourth year of trying to get a place- I will lose that if unable to register.Only been trying all day.I am really cross to find out people able to register before 9am-That's just NOT fair.
  Also will be unable to try for running club place with no rejection from ballot. Posted by emma, UK
• Want to vent spleen at the man himself?
  Digg is interviewing beardy tomorrow.
  http://digg.com/dialogg/Sir_Richard_Branson_1?FC=UATDRB1
  Posted by JimD, UK
• 10.50pm not working here :o( Posted by Andrew, UK
• just discovered that rackspace are trying to recruit a PR manager - they probably need to get a move on after today's fiasco. Posted by iain, UK
• i really hope the organisers (David Bedford and them lot not Virgin) find this site and really read all these comments - i actually think David Bedford will be royally pissed at this but it is a complete waste of everyone's time - BRING BACK THE PAPER BALLOT then at least you can get a rejection slip and prove your are on your fifth rejection or can enter club draws - complete joke. Oh and the post about the countdown clock counting down to when the online entry was going to work was a pure work of genius!!!! One of the few things to make both my Wife and I laugh today!!!! Posted by Andyt_321, UK
• Rob, definately don't give up! If you don't get a marathon place this time there are so many other fab runs you can do to keep your spirits up!!
  I am still trying to register and have wedged a couple of matchsticks under my eye lids, and am now considering a five min alarm call throughout the night!! Posted by Suse, U.K.
• Virgin on the ridiculous now. That Richard Branson is a right Dick. Got up at 6am and patiently waited until 9am and have been trying constantly ever since. Really tired and cheesed off now. I agree with many of the comments on this Forum, Why do they let so many people run it year after year and so deny the opportunity for those of us who have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get a place? Off to bed now (11pm) but will leave the PC on and try again later when the old bladder calls during the night... Posted by Welsh Bogtrotter, UK
• I have just noticed on the homepage (http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/) someone has paid a lot of attention to airbrushing FLORA off of the running numbers in the photo, shame they didn't pay the same attention to the technical details - I wonder if Virgins PR are wishing they could airbrush VIRGIN off of the whole website?? Posted by Pissed off with Virgin, On behalf of everyone here
• Can't believe some of you have actually been able to register. Every time I click on 'Enter the Ballot', it doesn't even attempt to connect, just goes to 'IE cannot display the webpage'. I've refreshed to the point when I don't think I'll ever feel refreshed again. This is more of a marathon than the 26.2 miles - and infinitely more painful. Posted by Sue, UK
• I can't believe that they still haven't sorted the issues - All this hassle, when I know that I'm just going to get told that I haven't got a space. Could you imagine if voting worked this way ... they can't even give a half decent error page - the amount of times I've seen "page load error" - arrrrrggggg Posted by Neill, UK
• bored bored bored bored bored, oh and bored Posted by suse, u.k.
• Sue I have exactly the same problem as you! can get to enter the ballot then nothing else!
  been trying since 08.30 its now 23.13 Posted by Emma, UK
• Same here, no problems getting to the 'enter the ballot' page, but then nothing! It is so frustrating, been trying since 9am!! Posted by Hayley, UK
• Me too - Enter The Ballot - YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! Trying since 9am - 14 hours and 20 minutes. Could have run the bloody course 3 times so far............ Posted by Helen, United Kingdom
• Can't believe none of the mainstream media have picked up on this farce! There was all the fuss about the Michael Jackson tickets at the O2, but nothing about this. The other really annoying thing is there has been no updates from Virgin (or whoever is meant to be running the site) as to when it might all be up and working again. It's all so frustrating... 14 hours in and no further on :( Posted by Dave J, United Kingdom
• I was really looking forward to this registering this morning, but getting the same problem where i've been trying since 9 and still can't enter it now at 23.25! I never thought the ballot would be the hardest part of the marathon lol Posted by Matt, UK
• This is boiling my piss. If I put up some pathetically under-resourced system like this at work then I'd probably lose my job. If I left it like that for 14 hours+ then I would definitely get the boot. Bloody monkeys. Posted by R. Sole, UK
• Im another been trying since 8.30, im a first timer so I know im not going to get in anyway! Pointless, pathetic, useless. Never using Virigin again....I dont care if its not there fault, they've plastered their name everywhere, it's thier name i'll choose to tarnish! Posted by Grahame, UK
• It annoys me that the charities have to pay a large some of money for the place (£1000+) and the friends and family who sponser for the run don't realise that the majority of the money raised goes to the organisers rather than the charity! Its such a con!! I'm happy to run for charity when I know that the money I raise will all go to the charity.
  This is my first attempt at entering for the marathon and it really has been painful. I've been trying since 10am and its 23:25 Posted by renuka, uk
• They are going to have to work hard to salvage whatever is left of their reputation. Perhaps a stern reminder is needed that no competitors equals no event. Having managed to alienate so many of us, I suggest that they pay us to take part, and match it with a donation to our chosen charities, as a gesture of goodwill to make up for this farce! Posted by Sue, UK
• Hi all, jus got this link of the runners world forum and tried it and it works for me
  jus type the link below into the top
  good luck and let me know how u get on
  
  Darren
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  "At Bloody Last after 12 hrs and 7 minutes virtually continuous attempts!
  using http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/ instead of https://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  An absolute disgrace. A PR triumph for Richard Branson? I hope he's reading some of these comments.
  Now to face inequalities of the place allocations" Posted by Darren, UK
• tey this link: http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/ which I got from a runners world blog which worked first time. Apparently the link is slightly different to the old one of earlier today. Just got through to get me and the wife into the ballot at last! 23.31hrs - good luck! Posted by JG, uk
• Cant imagine Gordon Ramsay or Katie PRice sitting here refreshing every few seconds to get a ballot place!!! LOL! Posted by Me, UK
• ha ha! an gordon ramsay seems to do it every year! shocking! Posted by darren, UK
• Have been trying on and off all day, the homepage loads really quickly then get to the 'Enter the race' page, click on 'Enter the Ballot' and it doesn't even conect to the server....
  This is my first time entering after a few half marathons though so will probs stand no chance, feel sorry for the people on their 4th or 5th years trying! I think i'll just join a running club for a place, seems to be the only way without being forced to raise ridiculous amounts of money of which is simply unrealistic at this current time... ell well Jordan and various boy band members will get straight in and be provided a private tent on race day. Posted by Tom, United Kingdom
• this is soooooooooooooooooo boring F5, F5, F f***ing 5 boooorrrrrrrrrring Posted by Peter, uk
• Managed to get through after some extensive googling. Stumbled on this forum: http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?UTN=140664&dt=4&URN=11&srchdte=0&cp=49&v=6&sp=
  
  Click on the link for the virgin ballot. Got through.
  
  Good luck everyone. Posted by Christina, UK
• renuka....it costs the charity jus over £300 a place. Some may ask you to pay this upfront, some just factor it into your amount. Posted by coca cola 79, englan
• Use the link fellow runners
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  Paula Radcliffe Posted by Paula, UK
• "Sorry, it's fine for you, who's already managed to get through but as you can see and read some of us have been trying all day. So no I dont think we need any patience, we need results!! " Posted by Mia, UK
  
  Well Mia, I understand everyone is angry... I am too, especially that the ballot was opened earlier than publicised. However after finally managing to register after ten and a half hours trying I thought I'd let everyone know it was actually possible and the site seemed to be up and running at 10:44pm. Please don't have a go at me for trying to be encouraging and helpful. Also, if you'd read both of my posts you would have seen that I too have been trying all day. Don't direct your anger at me please, or anyone else who's managed to register, contact Virgin or Realbuzz.
  
  So, once again and with the greatest of respect and support... Good luck everyone! and (dare I say it again) ... have patience! Posted by Jen, Wales
• Those not using https:// you are aware that thats not secure and not encrypted so data could have been intercepted etc.
  I noticed the non-secure site works but not sure if I want my details flying around the Internet unencrypted. Posted by Matt, UK
• JG - genius! That link just worked for me too and I got registered (23:40). The difference between it and the one linked via the main website is that it's a non secure (http rather than https) connection.
  
  Re-posting so everyone gets to see:
  http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/
  
  Posted by Big Phil, UK
• Thank you so much JG the link worked for me!!!
  re posting- http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/ballot/uk/ Posted by Tom, United Kingdom
• Worked for me too, thank god for that, I can go to bed.
  
  Only took 15 hours!! Posted by Peter, uk
• The Worldpay bit of it to pay the entry seems encrypted though and I reckon my details are flying around the internet all the time anyway. The IP address, I think, is an indication of who and where you are? Posted by Me, Engerland
• Thanks for that link - it works! Posted by Paul, UK
• Did anyone choose the option to pay the fees even if you don't get in? i didn't and just wondering if that will effect the chances of getting in, also does the amount of times you have entered make a difference?
  Thanks Posted by John, UK
• Just got in! Been trying since 9am...it's now nearly midnight...there's still hope.... Posted by Plodder, uk
• Thought I'd let the rush of the first day of online registrations pass by - but I've now been trying for 4 hours and can't log on - aarrgghh!!
  
  Set a challenge with hubby yesterday that I would run the London Marathon - he did it in 2005 - well done - so proud of your hard work xxx
  
  Tried to get a place for the last 4 years but failed - please please get this web site sorted so I can at least apply!!!!!!!!
  
  I'm 43 and want to have achieved my goal before I'm 45 - will it take that long to register ;-)
  
  Jules x Posted by Julia Llewellyn-Hughes, UK
• Yup, worked for me, too! Thanks, guys, what a relief. Now where did I put my recovery drink.......... Posted by Sue, UK
• thanks for the link it worked first go!!!! only taken since 9 am and it's now 23.57pm
  Bloody hell what fiasco.
  Just hope i get in....been rejected since 2005. Posted by Dave, uk
• Thanks to all who posted the new link... after a very frustrating day I am finally registered... hope I get a place now to make the day worthwhile!
  
  Good luck to everyone, hope you all get places after the trouble trying to get registered!! Posted by Hayley, UK
• It worked for me too...finally!
  
  A charity I tried to enter with last year told me it cost them £1000 for the place and that I needed to raise £1500. Maybe they charge different amounts to different charities? This one is not a well known one. Posted by renuka, uk
• dear all
  finaly after all day of trying i have managed to register... i am due to go on holiday tommorow and i can now go to bed... i wish all of you every luck in the world. fingers crossed i will see some of you next year x (please god i actually get a place this year)
  
  i will also go to bed happy knowing that paula was on this site. (if it was not her, never let me know, i am still struggling to get over the loss of father christmas. xxx
  
  00.01hrs Posted by emily, uk
• Thanks so much for the link. Got through first time since 9am this morning.
  
  I ran the marathon - my first - on Sunday via a charity place. I managed to raise more than the £2k target. I was very dubious about acheiving it (I work in the public sector so no match funding and no rich colleagues). If you really want to make London your first though I wouldn't be too put off. People can be amazingly generous. Always a tough call but seriously it can be done. Bloody easier than get a ballot place anyway! Posted by Kate, uk
• It worked for me too (after trying all day and missing my line-dancing class). Thanks you guys ,,, you are the tops!!! It is now midnight. Posted by Kate, UK
• Dont enter the ballot more than once - they can refuse ALL your entries if you are seen to apply more than once.
  
  I donated my fee - but thats just because the jacket looked cool and I'd wear it for my runs :) Posted by Kim, UK
• renuka.....possibly.....I'd suggest you check the credentials of anyone telling you that a grand though. Maybe they are also factoring in some of their own extra costs of anything they offer on the day. It is irritating how much they have to pay but I must admit the event must cost an absolute fortune. Good luck with your entry, has just worked for me also. Huge relief. Posted by coca cola 79, england
• at last just registered it only took me 15 hrs now i can go 2 bed in work 4 5 oclock good luck to everyone who registered and best of luck 2 those who r trying good night Posted by paul, pembroke dock
• Thanks; now I can go to bed. Can't imagine that the actual marathon is as tiring as trying to get on the blessed web site. Good luck to everyone. Posted by Woody, UK
• Looks like it suddenly sprang into life arround midnight Monday 27th (early hours of Tuesday morning) Having tried almost non stop all evening it suddenly sprang into life! It worked on the HTTPS link no problems. Also looks like it is still working now 00:15
  
  Good luck !! Posted by Gavin (running widower and late night IT support), United Kingdom
• Why is everyone so surprised about the hassle today? It's like this every year, everyone tries to register on the Monday morning and the website dies. Just have some patience and all turns out well. I registered at 10pm today without any problem and without developing a stress-induced tumour. It's just the same as getting tickets for U2, Rolling Stones, Glastonbury etc - no company can justify the cost of the extra infrastructure just for one day of extremely high volumes (unless you want the admin/entry fee to be £132 instead of £32!)
  
  Oh and well done everyone who used the http address - the identity fraudsters will have fun with your details. Posted by Jim, uk
• Quote: "Mmmmm I wonder how YouTube cope with the volumes they experience?"
  
  By having numerous data centers around the globe each containing many servers, each with their own fail over system and backup costing millions of €'s per year. Posted by Geoff in IT, Holland
• Finally made it!!! Yay!!!! Back to bed now... Posted by Welsh Bogtrotter, UK
• Not sure I go along with Jim, three comments earlier. It absolutely must not ever become 'just the same as getting tickets for U2, Rolling Stones, Glastonbury etc'. I think a good percentage of the comments on here come down to that, in effect: London Marathon worthwhile - ticket races for gigs cacky and depressing.
  
  The old paper-based setup offered a big time window during which anybody could register their wish to enter the ballot, without a maximum applications cutoff kicking in. Not saying it should be paper-based again, but it should accept all applications within a specified time window regardless of how many, then do its picking. Posted by Chris, UK
• Nope, neither link is working. Damn it! Posted by Tim, UK
• Omly taken me 22 hours and 9 minutes - could have run the course 5 times by now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted by Helen, United Kingdom
• Ok, looks like it works with IE but not Firefox!!! Worked first time with IE but I had been trying all night and this morning with Firefox to no avail getting that Mod_python error after clicking Next on Page 7 of 7. Posted by Tim, drtimoneill@gmail.com
• "By having numerous data centers around the globe each containing many servers, each with their own fail over system and backup costing millions of €'s per year."
  Geoff in IT
  
  Very true and thats why the London marathon should pay a company who does that for a living to provide the service. You get what you pay for and it looks like they have paid a 14year old to stop doing his homework and knock something together.
  
  They did the same last year and for it to happen again is very wrong. I am sure they are not bothered, they know everyone wants to enter the race so however many times the system crashes they know you will be back tomorrow with your money. For Virgin it has been a complete disaster, they are known for thier online websites and this has just been a joke.
  What I also find funny is once people enter they seem to be happy again but they shouldnt forget they have spent a whole day trying to get in.
  I wont be entering this race ever again. I am going to give me money to a race organisers that wants it rather than one than expects it.
  
  Posted by Anthony, UK
• I set an alarm for 2am this morning, and managed to get my entry in (but it still took 20 minutes!), however it had messages about the server being incredibly busy, blah blah blah. It shows our dedication that we're still trying!
  
  Keep hitting that refresh button if you haven't got through yet, you'll get there :) Posted by Emma, UK
• Payment accepted at 23:00 last night, but still no confirmation e-mail. Does anyone know if this means that the entry failed? Should I try to enter again?
  Any advice appreciated! Posted by Gwyn, uk
• Virgin may welcome constructive comments and suggestions on how to improve the ballot - how about sending opinions to:
  
  online-entry@london-marathon.co.uk Posted by Sara, uk
• Gwyn - I registered at about 2.20am and got an instant email to confirm my place in the ballot. I wouldn't register again for fear that you may be disqualified for duplicate entries. I would phone the helpline no. I did that last year after the site froze and, having tried all day to speak with someone, it was eventually sorted. Good luck!
  
  Posted by Welsh Bogtrotter, UK
• Response to John: I've tried twice to get into the marathon through this system (this is my third time) and both times gave my £32 to charity if i didn't get it. I didn't get in and I'm still trying! I don't think that by not giving the £32 it will affect whether you get in or not. But good luck! Posted by Lou R, UK
• Lou R: "I don't think that by not giving the £32 it will affect whether you get in or not."
  
  Annoyingly, the entry form says that if you "choose" to donate the £32 then you will be entered into another ballot for 1,000 'extra places'. I'm not sure how I feel about this; part of me thinks it's blackmail - you're effectively forced to opt between entering a subset of the ballot for free, or entering the [slightly larger] entire ballot *only* if you forfeit your £32. Given the numbers entering this must make a fortune... Posted by RossM, UK
• Thank you to the people who gave the http:// address as a successful way of FINALLY entering the ballot. It worked.
  
  Posted by Nicky, UK
• Got as far as step 4 then crashed again, nooooooooooooooooooooooooo Posted by David Knight, England
• I find it so greedy that the marathon has gone on line with the entries AND now also offering 1000 extra places for those give up the £32. It's such a shame this event has changed. Have to say I preferred the ballot opening in October which then filtered out those who weren't serious about taking part. Greed has done this event no favours.... Posted by Lucy, UK
• Nicky what do you mean http:// address ? Posted by David Knight, England
• i agree the £32 is a complete blackmail ploy, ive just spent over an hour registering only to get to the fianl page to find that my email and username are already in use, thats because i registered for updates for the london marathon, this is a real shame, i am so mad right now and you don't want to feel that way about such a wonderful event ! Posted by David Knight, uk
• I have to say I am disappointed. Of course there was always going to be a flood of people wanting to sign up for the 2010 London Marathon. If you are going to offer the service provision of online registration at least make sure the infrastructure is up to it.
  
  I've evan called the telephone number for customer support. I've been trying for hours and hours.
  
  Not impressed. At the very least I would expect something on the site to say "We are currently experiencing technical issues..." or something of that ilk but instead there is nothing.
  
  I think this will put a lot of people off of signing up and will probably leave a foul taste in their mouths... significantly effecting the support for the event for next year.
  
  Sorry to see Flora go. Posted by Daimon Walker, England
• FRUSTRATING!! Been trying to enter since 9 am Monday morning. Hope the race organisation is better than that for the website!! PLEASE go back to paper entries as this actually worked!! Posted by Stephen Morris, United Kingdom
• I think this is ridiculous! Been trying since the ballot opened yesterday morning and only get as far as the "I'm a UK Resident" page before it crashes. Can't believe that 40000 have already managed to enter so far! The paper ballot system was soooooooooooooooo much easier!! Posted by Leanne Dollive, England
• Perhaps a little patience wouldn't go amiss :-)
  Even the most robust systems would have difficultly coping with so many people all going on at the same time.
  Go out for a run and chill out for a bit - then try again. I have just managed to sign up - surely one day wasn't too long to wait!! Posted by Ziggy, UK
• Calm down folks its always got a big buzz for a few days after. If you are really wanting to get try getting up early in the morning about 5 then you should get through. if not try in a couple of days.
  
  Posted by mike, United Kingdom
• Got in at 2:45am Tuesday morning after a totally miserable day's experience on Monday.
  
  Virgin want the publicity of being associated with one of the best events in the world - they've got it - and they must take the rough with the smooth, not pass the buck.
  
  It doesn't matter that Rackspace run the kit, it's Virgin's marathon now and the best thing Mr Branson could do is to apologise for initial problems experienced, admit they got it wrong, and thus begin to claw back a fraction of the goodwill he has lost. Amazing how a brand can be mauled because of one major error. Posted by Ralph, UK
• Eventually got my application through, although it was so frustrating especially when it said my email address was already in use, thats because i reg sunday night to recieve updates about the marathon, tryed phoning but constantly engaged, as the headline says complete false start ! Posted by David Knight, UK
• i will say don't do the non-secure route !
  all your personal details are there for hackers to see, saves them rumaging thru your bins ! Posted by David Knight, UK
• Virgin are only the sponsor, it has nothing to do with them at all. David Bedford and his crew are still managing the whole event. Some peoples comments are incredible.
  
  Last year 120,000 entered in 12 days. This year 70,000 in the first day this year. No wonder the system has problems. Posted by Steve Marks, England
• Well I finally got my entry in, on the second attempt. I doubt they'll let me in now, after all the above... Posted by chrishall, United Kingdom
• Reply to Steve Marks
  
  It has everything to do with Virgin. If they havent built the website then they should be looking to build it as it clearly dosent work. As a company that markets itself online very well to be associated with a webstie that dosent work is not good. Will the virgin money website crash if lots of people try to sign in at the same time?
  
  As for saying 120,000 entered in 12days last year that is true to a point. The system crashed last year and they had to turn it off for at least a week and then they drip fed entries through it. And this year on teh first day 70,000 people didnt enter, only a handful did as again they turned teh system off all day. If you are comparing the lenght of disasters year on year then yes they have turned it around quicker this year but I hardly think that is somethign to be proud of.
  
  But what do I care. Its not like I wasted a whole day trying to enter the race again and then to be told a couple of days later a bunch of lies on why it didnt work.
  
  Posted by David B, UK
• Starting early, crashing systems, limiting places. This is a ballot before the ballot.
  
  At least with paper entries it was unlimited to those that have computer access and who have time on their hands to sit and try and enter. Then there is no guarantee of a place in the ballot when it is drawn.
  I have spoken to people who have said "I think I might try for it next year, and I have had to say sorry too late.
  
  Better to have a "time limit" for entries than a number limit, this is what the old paper system was. Many people are only entering because they have seen it on the TV and think I could do that. Believe me 26.2 miles is a lot of hard work.
  
  With the ballot opening later in the year, or rather closing later in the year it filters out the knee jerk "I must do this right now" attitudes and allows those that really intend to have a good go the opportunity.
  
  The "race" is becoming a fundraising opportunity rather than something to be proud of achieving in itself. I had a charity place which cost them £250. If I enter myself it costs £28/£32. The reason they need to do this is because of all the money they need to pay to the elite athletes to come and take part. But where were they all this year, very few taking part.
  
  If you want to run a marathon, much better to take part in one of the many around the country every year, because that is much more of an achievement. The London Marathon seems to be just for fun runners and charity raising. To run....choose something different.
  
  Posted by Sue T, UK
• I tried to enter the race first thing Monday morning, then again Monday afternoon then evening without success !!
  
  When I tried again on Friday (only 5 days after the ballot had opened) it told me the ballott had closed. I have entered the Flora London marathon 3 times but have never secured a palce. At leaste I managed to enter the Flora London Marathon, I am so shocked and gutted the ballott closed so early !!!!!
  
  I'm a club runner and with a rejection from the marathon could enter in the club draw for a place, I can't even do thay this year.
  Posted by Amanda , UK
• Virgin are better than a lot of ****** companies out there for thousands of reasons, they just sometimes get set backs like most.
  
  GET OVER IT, you'll get to run.
  
  I'm glad RB is sponsering BrawnGP, as this company rocks. It also will not give you high colesterol.
  Posted by GET OVER IT, UK
• I'm in the same boat as Amanda - only worse.
  I have applied 5 times and been rejected 5 times in 5 years.
  This would have been my 6th succesive application and therefore I would have been guaranteed a place.
  But I didn't get a chance to apply this time and so have therefore lost my guaranteed place.
  That means another 6 years of applying!
  The charity I want to run for is very small and either doesn't get or can't afford a place.
  I agree with earlier comments - it should be time limited for applications and you should be able to apply by post like before. It's discriminating against those that aren't computer literate.
  So what have I got to show for my £150 and 6 years of patience?
  5 cheap Flora branded tops and jackets.
  Being a Londoner it's been the London Marathon that I've wanted to run - mainly for the support of family and friends. But I think I'll take the advice of an earlier poster and apply for somewhere else in the country.
  Sorry to rant but I'm just bitterly disappointed and indeed angry at the moment.
  And even though Virgin might not be to blame - I'm still going to blame them.
  At least that's another excuse to give the kids for not getting their TV service. Posted by Peter Mac, England
• Peter Mac
  You just have to have been rejected 5 times, doesn't mean in 5 years, then you get an entry by right. Have to contact them to check. Telephone them. You could be in. If you have valid rejections they should have a record of them. Good luck :-)
  Sue Posted by Stizy, UK
• If anyone, like me, successfully got through in April and entered the ballot but has today just received an email from VLM saying that you didn't, so its being re-opened until 12th August, please note that this is another error. I have just spoken with VLM. The message was circulated en masse and should not have been sent to those who succeeded in getting into the ballot before it closed within 3 days of opening. However, if you didn't make it, here's your chance. Yet another cock-up! Posted by Welsh Bogtrotter, UK
• Sorry, my last message should have said that it was posted at 17.11hr, Wed 5th Aug, 2009 Posted by Welsh Bogtrotter, UK