Most of them will inevitably be within an hour or two of Edinburgh, featuring a mixture of favourite races I've run before, ones I've always wanted to do or have been recommended by others, and ones that are just easy and obvious. Plus I'll try to fit in a couple that are a bit further afield so I can coincide with visiting friends and family. Anywhere, heres what I've got to so far:
1 January - Portobello Promathon - my local race, have never managed to do it because of my wife's work, but looks like I might be able to this year
7 February - Watford half-marathon - would have been my local race when I was growing up. So know the area and have wanted to do for a while.
28 February - KB5 - Never managed this race before either. KB stands for Kings Buildings, a campus of Edinburgh University where I used to have a lot of my lectures some years ago...
7 March (tbc) - Lasswade 10 - A favourite local race, one I've done 3 times before. It's hilly and tough but beautiful country lanes and a fantastic post-race feed...
end March - Either the Deerstalker or the Alloa Half - I think these might both end up being on same weekend... I've did the Alloa half last year, and enjoyed it. Deerstalker is down in the Borders, takes place partly in the dark, includes scrambling over bales of hay, and people dress up in tweed. I think I'm edging towards the Deerstalker...!
early April - Dunbar 10K or Kingston breakfast run (16 m) - Dunbar is another beautiful local race which I've only done once before. Kingston would be if I wanted to coordinate with a trip to London to visit friends...
18 April - Edinburgh half-marathon - local and easy. Past experience says it's the worst organised race anywhere. Usually a total shambles. But feel obliged to do it every year anyway in the hope that one year they'll finally get it right!
late May - Balerno Rigg race - usually a Monday night, uphill for 3 miles then downhill for 3 miles. Very nice race I did for first time last year
late May - Black Rock 5 - over in Fife on a Friday evening, you run along sand to a tidal island near Kinghorn. Free pint for all race finishers!
20 June - Seven Hills of Edinburgh - total killer, but everyone raves about this race. I've yet to do it. As you'd guess from the title, you go up each of the seven hills of Edinburgh, including castle hill, calton hill, corstorphine, blackford, arthur's seat, etc. Just short of 20 miles, with hills. Nice!
23 June? - Red Moss Revolution - midweek trail race in Pentland hills near Edinburgh. Total midge-fest but another local favourite...
end July - whatever local race they have on in Stromness shopping week - I'll be in Stromness, Orkney, on holiday anyway and there's usually a town race on that I'll want to do
Random summer hill races - most of the Borders towns have a local town or hill race as part of their annual festival week. They're always cheap, fun, community races.
early August - Haddington half - keep meaning to do this one
late September - Linlithgow 10K - another local(ish) race that I've never managed to do. Will try harder next year!
24 October - Jedburgh half-marathon - down in the Borders, another one that people seem to like that I've never managed to make it to. Gonna try and rectify that next year!
There's bound to be a couple of others, from cross-country schedules that haven't yet been publicised, or from whichever races the club decides on for its championship schedule.
And there will probably be a marathon in there at some point in the year too... more on that in my next post!
