Yesterday I wrote my NYC Marathon Race Report. After crossing the finish line, I realized that for the first time in a LONG time, I don’t know what’s next. Since I started working at The SF Marathon, I learned very quickly the importance of planning your racing schedule in advance because some races sell out, some have lottery systems, some increase prices over time, and it’s best to give yourself plenty of time to map out training routines.
That said, my racing calendar is an every-changing beast. Last year I set out to run 3 full marathons (Winter, Spring, and Fall) and 2-3
Half marathons (one during each training period), and ended up with 5 marathons and 5 half marathons. So, like many other runners I know, I wind up making some impulse-registrations because sometimes it’s just too good to resist. 
(Here are my FULL marathon Race Reviews from 2010 (I skipped Seattle, oops!) :
NYC Marathon- 11/7/2010
Portland Marathon- 10/10/2010
Napa Valley Marathon- 3/7/2010
Phoenix Marathon- 1/17/2010
So, today I’ve taken some time to sit down and think about my goals for next year. I started really basic, with what I know.
- I love racing, it gives me a goal to work towards in my daily running
- Traveling to new places/using a race as a trip is especially rewarding
- I want to improve my speed and stride
- I want to run injury-free, which means being more conservative in my racing and training goals
- I want to run more shorter distance “fun-runs” to support my community
Now, aside from those goals, I have stored away in my apartment my “Bucket List” of races I want to run in my lifetime. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in my 20′s so, I realize I have plenty of time, but the more I run, the more the list grows. So each year I’ll hopefully tackle at least one of my “Bucket List” races.
And I do have ONE restriction. I can’t run The SF Marathon. We get asked this question everywhere we go- are you running the race? And the answer is, sadly, we are just too busy. Busy directing volunteers, setting up Finish Line Village Tents and displays, and “putting out fires” as we say. Let alone that it’s never been a goal of mine to run a marathon on 2 hours of sleep.
So, today I’m taking my goals and lists and putting together my racing calendar. I’ll post it tomorrow for all of you to see- BUT, in the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions? What races are on your calendars for 2011?
I’m running my 1st 50 miler in April and hope to run SFM for my 3rd time. Aside from that, I’m impulse driven so we’ll see what happens…!
the prairie fire marathon in wichita, ks, is a great one to PR on. it’s almost perfectly flat! they have the coolest finishers medals on the planet, too!
I run a lot of trail races (marathon and ultras) but there is nothing like the Chicago Marathon if you’ve never run it!
Thinking three marathons next year; Lochaber (on the west coast of Scotland) in April, SF in July and Dublin, Ireland in October.
Also my usual attempt to get into the Great North Run through the ballot, and a couple of other half-marathons in Scotland and England. Good times.
5 marathons and 5 half marathons in one year? You are an ANIMAL Jojo.
There is a 5K/10K in SF on February 13th – the SF Chinatown Chinese New Year Run! It’s a good time of year, a good cause, AND they give out cute Chinese Zodiac t-shirts. Or at least they used to when I volunteered back in college.
Among the race I have planned next year are:
Feb. Hagg Lake Mud Run 50k (OR)
April Vernonia Marathon (OR)
May Eugene Marathon (OR)
July Pacific Crest Trail 50 Miler (OR)
August Hagg Lake Dust Run 50k (OR)
October Portland Marathon and Autumn Leaves 50 miler (OR)
Okay, so they’re all in Oregon. But it’s a lovely state, and we have beautiful places to run.
I’m registered for Boston Marathon but think I will be in Chicago that day.
Contemplating:
New York Marathon
San fransisco Marathon
Martha’s Vinyard 20 miler
New Bedford Half Marathon
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