My Race Wishlist

I've taken part in a LOT of races this year, more than I've ever run in a 12 month period before. What's more only a fraction of those were races I'd done before. I love the atmosphere of races (and the bling) and use them as an excuse to try different things, see different places and as motivation for continuing to maintain my fitness. I don't often use them as arenas to break PBs. Usually to complete in a "reasonable" time is good enough for me.

While it's tempting to keep entering the same races to try and improve my times over the same course I figure that's what parkrun is for and I'm also afraid races I really enjoyed wouldn't live up to expectations on a second try (which is why I won't be running Bournemouth Marathon again). There are masses of fantastic races out there to be run and if I keep doing the same ones I won't get to try them, especially as I've promised my mum I'll only do eight events next year.

I've already got three races in the diary for 2014 which only leaves me five to play with! If I had the time, money and ability to do as many races as I wanted next year this would be my list. As it stands I'm going to have to try to whittle this down A LOT. Let's start with the scary stuff... mum, you might not want to read any further.

The Ultras
Gatliff marathon just your bog-standard 50k ultra (ha!)
Toad Ultra I really fancy a multi-day event sometime and Susie sold this one well.
Oner (I'm hopeless at navigating though so maybe not)

The Foreign Ones
Chicago marathon to run with one of my best friends
Reykjavik half marathon I've been sold on this by Laura

The Halves
Race Your Pace Half at Dorney Lake
Lydd Half down in Kent, my home county
Eden Project Half because I love Cornwall and the Eden Project
Richmond Half because... I can't remember actually... I'm sure I heard good things

The Small/Local Ones
Shinfield 10k
Marlow 5
Wargrave 10k
Samaritans 10k - literally a mile down the road from my house. Been meaning to do it for about 3 years.
Royal Berkshire 10k - a new race i got an email about earlier in the year

The "Fun" Ones
Glow in the Park - oh come on! Glowsticks! And the National Trust! That's two of my favourite things!
The Tough 5/10/15 - I fancy challenging myself with some hills
Moon Walk - the fundraising aspect puts me off this one unfortunately
Kilomathon - there used to be a London version of this so I'm hoping they'll bring it back
Hellrunner - I'm not sure why... I have generally sworn off these types of events

Quite a list huh? I've just realised there aren't any marathons in there. I guess none have really taken my fancy this time around, although if I had to put one in it would be the Vegas Rock 'n' Roll marathon. I'd also have to include Brighton so that I can run with Alex, even though the course doesn't especially appeal, and I'd definitely tackle the Paris marathon if I won a place in the Women's Running 26.2 project. You see how they start piling up? There's even more that I'd like to do in my lifetime (MdS for instance) and that's without considering triathlons or duathons (Blenheim and London Duathlon if you're wondering).

What's on your race wishlist next year? Or do you avoid them like the plague?