London marathon: run or not?

Reasons not to run the London marathon

-just too many runners

-charities hijack the race

-lottery applications now filled in the first day - ridiculous

-too many plodders, even from the first mile

-too many cheering crowds

-qualifies more as a fun run than a race nowadays

-course is not a loop, making it exposed to unfavourable wind

-race start is a long way from home, in Docklands

-exposed to likely rain on race day

-requires winter training

Reasons to run the London marathon

-very flat course, well placed to run a PB

-GFA (good for age) qualifying times are now within my ability

-the only flat road marathon in the south-east of England

-familiar even to non-runners as an event

-cool weather pretty certain

-timing is perfect in the season

Strategy

-run a sub-3:15 marathon as soon as possible, for instance Paris, Seine-Eure or Yvelines

-get a GFA place in 2012

-every year, get a GFA place using the performance of the previous year. Note this will become more and more difficult with age