Races I've entered this week

So now's the time to start planning the shorter races for the autumn running season and think about what's coming up next spring.  My credit card has taken a bit of a hit - not just entry fees but train tickets up to Newcastle and down to Cornwall!  I'll be doing a few of the same races I did last year - which is great as i know what to expect, and a few new ones.  Plus I'm looking into my first marshaling/volunteering role at the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October.

Coming up:

Herts 10k
Popular local 10k that I did last year.  Good points are it's well timed - 2 weeks after the Berlin Marathon so if I have recovered slightly I may be onto a good time.  I got a good PB there last year, so the pressure's on!  Just hope it's not too muddy this time!  They give you a free tee-shirt to run in on the day which most people do, but sadly it's cotton so I will be avoiding it. Sorry, I'd rather look out of place than run in cotton.

Stevenage Half Marathon
My current PB for the half.  Last year ran though wet, windy and rain, and fell over in the mud too at mile 8!  Considering it's Stevenage, they do a decent job of making the route as nice as possible, the route of a 2 lap course and about half of it is attractive parkland.  I don't think it'll be a PB this year though, in fact now even sure I should be running half's at all around this point as it is very close to the Eden Project Marathon and the Great South Run.

Norwich Half Marathon
I was disappointed with my time of 2.16 last year because it was slower than Stevenage and Run To The Beat!  Crazy - I'd love to get that time nowadays!  I haven't got under 2.20 this year ;O(  Norwich is an alright course, but doesn't go through the city itself and there is one very muddy field you have to do 3 times (it's frustrating weaving around the showground when you are sooo close to the finish line!), plus a bit of a drive but if I can I will stay over at my brother's who is based there.  2 lap course, and a very funky medal.  I remember last year it was very windy and bitterly cold!

Polar Nights Half Marathon
Really nervous, but also very excited about this!  Held in Tromso, Norway, it's well within the Arctic Circle in the very north of Norway.  It's going to be very cold and dark as it's held in January, but is a popular race with many people coming from overseas to have a chance of running an organised race in the arctic.  The medal is gorgeous too.  Plus, the Northern Lights may pay us a visit!  It's been my dream to visit Tromso for years so combining this with a half marathon will be incredible.  I just need to save up for the flights, expensive hotel and living costs out there, it's not cheap!

Kent Road Runner Marathon
As mentioned in a previous post, I became interested in this race purely for the medal.  It's simply huge!  It's at the end of May so just under 2 months after Brighton, and 4 weeks after the MK Marathon should I put my name in for that too.  There's the advantage of being able to set up your own personal drinks station every lap which is handy as no need to carry a water bottle and all the gels the whole time.  Downside? 17 identical laps of the racetrack...  Still, only one way to earn that massive chunk of bling!

They're also be a couple more 10k runs in November and no doubt a santa run or two in December, plus I'll easy back on the long runs which means I could focus on faster Park Runs.  It's impossible for me to train for both faster 5k's and keep up the marathon-fitness level!

I'm keeping an eye out for well-timed races for next spring as part of the spring marathon training.  Last year I did the Watford Half, Brighton Half, Bath Half, New Forest 20 and Reading Half but that may have been too many half's when I should have been focusing on long, slow runs of at least 16 miles.  This year I'll do the Brighton Half, Bath Half and possibly the Surrey Spitfire 20, plus Reading if I can.  New Forest was tough but rewarding, but is too close to the Brighton Marathon next year.  The Surrey Spitfire meanwhile is perfectly placed just 3 weeks before Brighton, so time to taper afterwards.  After Kent I will ease back on the marathons but am open to doing one or two long trail walks/jogs over the summer which are easier on the muscles and no pressure to get a good time.