All the running about I want to do in England Land

There is a slight favour of being ill.  Whilst in repose on my settee, or, slumming as I am on the couch, I have begun… in the way one should when looking for positive healing vibes… to search on all the races I would ever like to run in England.  So, without further ado, I give you this list, plus the reasons behind it.

1. The Silverstone Half Marathon

I have actually run this race before in 2007.  This race is a race designed as a lead up to the London Marathon and, when I was there, boasted no lines to the women’s bathroom but huge, snaking lines to the mens.  It is also the place where I experienced no less than two ice storms during my run, and only narrowly did I finish ahead of a man dressed head-to-toe in full motorcycle gear.  The upside to the pelting ice storm is I wasn’t sore the next day and I carried the teeny-tiny medal and gi-normous finishers shirt around with me for an entire year.  This, I can say confidently, is a race vendetta.

2. The Bath Half Marathon

I’ve not yet been to Bath, and sometimes I find signing up for a race will get me to the city that I want to go to.  (See: Rome)  Bath is constantly referred to as “a place I should really visit” so it’s on my list to run.  Plus, the website looks cheerful and fun.

3. The Reading Half Marathon

I’ve known quite a few people who have run this.  It’s just one of those that you are supposed to “do” for all intents and purposes.  The only problem I foresee, despite knowing that I should be pronouncing the city as “Reding,” is the fact that whenever I encounter the city name the song “Reading Rainbow” enters my head.  Butterfly in the sky… I can go twice as high… take a look.  It’s in a book.  The Reading Raaaiiinnnboooooww.

4. The Royal Parks Half Marathon

All the pretty of the London Marathon without having to run the London Marathon.  Or, in my case, since the London Marathon has rejected me twice (those bastards) this may be the closest I’m ever going to get.  However…

5. The London Marathon

I will one day run this race, even if I’m 105 and walking it for three days.  When I got into running people would ask me after I finished my half marathons what marathon I would do.  “London!” I would answer, confidently thinking that the day would never come where I would be close enough to consider it.  Now, as it approaches this next weekend I’m already starting to search out the registration date for 2012.

I will run you, London.  Oh yes, I will.

Finally, the other marathon everyone in England goes nuts over, The Brighton Marathon. Because I have yet to actually visit the English coast. Perhaps it is due to the multitude of years living on white sandy beaches with clear blue water. Perhaps it is the fact that frankly, I sometimes forget I’m living on an island. But Brighton is yet another city I’m told I must visit. So, visit it I shall. Hopefully with running kit.

There you have it, the six races I hope to run (one again) in England. Of course, this is just based on two years of my own limited research. And it’s only England. I’m more than certain that Wales and Scotland place has a few interesting runs of their own.