How to Qualify
Qualifying Criteria
To run Spartathlon you need to have ‘qualified’ by meeting one of the minimum standards of entry in a previous race. I will refer to this as a ‘ballot qualifier’ going forward. In addition, runners who have achieved a performance at least 25% better than the ones required (i.e. 25% better than the ballot qualifier) are considered qualified and are thus automatically admitted. I will refer to this as an ‘auto qualifier’.
Qualification needs to be achieved in the previous two years for the current race (i.e. qualification race takes place in 2018 or 2019 for the 2020 Spartathlon race).
As an example. If you complete a 100 mile race within 21 hours (men) then you are qualified and will be eligible for the ballot. However, if you can complete the 100 mile race within 15 hours 45 minutes (men) then you have auto-qualified and will be automatically admitted.
As this article is geared towards UK entrants, I have focussed on some of the more common qualification standards that are likely to apply but would suggest you refer to the full list of standards in the official terms of participation which also includes a number of race specific entries.
Typical Qualifying Standards
Cover a 120 km (men) or 110 km distance (women) in a 12-hour race
To achieve a ballot qualifier, once again you need to be able to complete the following:
- Men = 75 miles (9.36m/m pace) for 12 hours
- Women = 68.75 miles (10.28m/m pace) for 12 hours
For an auto-qualifier, you need to have achieved:
- Men = 93.75 miles (7.40m/m pace) for 12 hours
- Women’s = 85.94 miles (8.22m/m pace) for 12 hours
Compared to the now defunct 100km qualifier this is a little more challenging but with 12 hour races typically taking place on a track this makes it more achievable as a track race offers easy access, support and good running conditions.
Finish a 100-mile race in 21:00 hours (men) or 22:00 hours (women).
To achieve a ballot qualifier, once again you need to be able to achieve the following:
- Men = 21 hour finish (12.56m/m pace for the 100 mile distance)
- Women = 22 hours (13.12m/m pace for the 100 mile distance)
If you are looking for an auto-qualifier then you need to achieve the following:
- Men = 15.45 hour finish (9.27 m/m pace for the 100 mile distance)
- Women = 16.30 hour finish (9.54 m/m pace for the 100 mile distance)
I would estimate an ‘average’ finishing time for a 100 mile race to be 24 hours based on when the peak number of runners finish so 3 hours quicker is definitely achievable for a lot of people. However, I would remind people that 21 hours is around the cut off point for 100 miles in Spartathlon so whilst your qualifying finish may place you mid-pack (a guess and I’ve not looked at data to calculate this) you might be towards the back at Spartathlon.
Cover at least 180 km (men) or 170 km (women) in a 24-hour race.
To achieve a ballot qualifier, you need to be able to achieve the following:
- Men = 180km/112.5 miles (12.48m/m pace in 24 hours)
- Women = 170km/106.25 miles (13.33m/m pace in 24 hours)
For an auto-qualifier the standard is as follows:
- Men = 140.63 miles (10.14m/m pace for 24 hours)
- Women = 132.81m (10.51m/m pace for 24 hours)
Finish a non-stop 200-220 km race within 29:00 hours (men) or 30:00 hours (women).
To achieve a ballot qualifier, once again you need to be able to average complete the 200-220km (125m-137.5m) distance as follows:
- Men = 29 hours (between 12.39 – 13.55m/m pace (depending on the race distance)
- Women = 30 hours (between 13.05m/m – 14.24m/m (depending on the race distance)
To achieve an auto qualifier, once again you need to be able to average complete the 200-220km (125m-137.5m) distance as follows:
- Men = 21.45 hours (9.29m/m pace for 200km distance)
- Women = 22.30 hours (9.49m/m pace for 200km distance)
Finish a longer than 220 km non-stop race within 36:00 hours (men) or 37:00 hours (women).
To achieve a ballot qualifier, once again you need to be able to complete (assuming a) 220km (137.5m) distance as follows:
- Men = in 36 hours (15.43 m/m pace)
- Women = 37 hours (16.09 m/m pace)
To achieve an auto qualifier, once again you need to be able to complete (assuming a) 220km (137.5m) distance as follows:
- Men = 27.00 hours (11.46 m/m pace)
- Women = 27.45 hours (12.06 m/m pace)
Finish Grand Union Canal Race within 34:00 hours (men) or 35:00 hours (women).
This criteria for this race specifically was changed a couple of years ago. (It could have been considered a ‘soft qualifier’ in the past).
To achieve a ballot qualifier, once again you need to be able finish the race as follows:
- Men = 34 hours (14.04 m/m pace)
- Women = 35 hours (14.29 m/m pace)
To achieve an auto qualifier, once again you need to be able to complete the distance as follows:
- Men = 25.30 hours (10.33m/m pace)
- Women = 26.15 hours (10.51m/m pace)
Qualifier Achieved – What’s Next?
The Ballot
The race is limited to 390 participants (with a very small number of discretionary places) and the ballot draw takes place in March.
From a India perspective, we are limited to 25 entrants and demand for these places generally exceeds the number of places available (in 2017 & 2018 we had around 40-50 applications).
In view of the above the likelihood of achieving a place is as follows:
- Auto qualifier places granted
- Ballot selection places granted
- India will receive (up to) 25 places and Spartathlon race will allocate 390 places in total
If we exceed the India cap or race entry limit then people are placed on a waiting list
Therefore, we could have scenarios where 390 places are allocated but less than 25 India names are selected drawn or 25 India are selected before we reach the 390 race cap and India entrants are then added to the waiting list as we have reached our country cap. This is a consequence of wishing to take part in a popular race.
If the India entered more than 25 entrants who all have auto-qualifiers then 25 would be drawn by lot and others placed on the waiting list.
Statistically, you probably still have a better chance of running Spartathlon than the London Marathon ballot though!
If you are desperate to achieve a place in Spartathlon then the best option is to try and achieve an auto-qualifier. If you enter by way of a ballot qualifier then it’s down to the luck the draw.
Based on a quick look at previous Indian entrants, I would assess between 33-50% of entrants have had an auto-qualifier so essentially ballot entries could potentially be fighting for a dozen available places for the India. However from 2020, the standard of auto-qualifiers has been raised. Therefore this is likely to mean less people with auto-qualifiers and more standard entry ballot places.
With the rise of social media, blogging and the efforts of the India Spartathlon Team publicising and promoting the event, the demand will continue to grow each year as more and more India ultra-runners seek to participate in this event.
The Indian Spartathlon Team
The Indian Spartathlon Team represents the Indian runners. If you are a Indian national and have completed all of the above entry criteria and are fortunate to be selected then you essentially are a member of the team.
The purpose of the team is to bring together and represent the Indian runners and provide advice, information and support for this fantastic event.To be absolutely clear, the Indian Spartathlon Team has no influence over the selection and draw process… our job starts when the entrants have already been selected.
I hope you found this article useful (and hopefully my maths is correct for the pace breakdowns shown above). In addition, I have provided examples of races that fit into each criteria but this is not an exhaustive list and there are other races that may apply.
If you have any further questions then feel free to raise these on the Indian Spartathlon Team Facebook group.