Travel and Event Mondays: Upcoming Running Events Around The World

Last week, I talked about several running events around the world. In a perfect world, where money, would never be an issue, I would participate in all of the races as long as my energy and body could withstand it all. Unfortunately, traveling does take money. Here are a few upcoming popular races around the world (some of these races have already taken place, but I am sure they happen again next year).


- Roamin' The Hills Of Olympis Toga Run (Universal City, TX, USA)
  August 28, 2015
  ** First Annual 5K and 8K Toga Run sponsored by Universal City. All participants receive a shirt, finisher medal, glow necklace, print out of runner’s time, access to the Toga Party with food and 2 beverages! The running/walking route will follow the golf cart path and is completely paved. The course is not lit so don't forget your headlamp or flashlight. The 5K Toga Run route will follow the path along holes 10-18. There are a couple steep but short hills in the first mile then mostly flat. Strollers are not ideal for this course. The 8K Olympia route follows the same path but will break away to include holes 1-9. The 8K Olympia route is more challenging with long inclines and more hills.

- Bay to Breakers (San Francisco, USA)
  May 15, 2016
  ** This San Francisco event is on a similar theme to Sydney’s City to Surf, with participants starting in the centre and racing down to the Pacific Coast. It was first held in 1912, and is claimed to be the oldest consecutively run race in the world. You’ll need to be happy with large crowds along the seven-and-a-half-mile course: on some years more than 100,000 runners have pounded the route, many of them in fancy dress.

- Cape Wrath Challenge (Cape Wrath, Scotland)
  May 15-21, 2016
  ** A quirky, friendly series of events, the Cape Wrath Challenge is run in the windswept north-westerly corner of Scotland. It’s not quite as forbidding as the name suggests, although the final race is certainly not for the faint of heart, with organizers warning that it heads through some of Britain’s “most exposed locations”. It also includes – uniquely, perhaps – a ferry journey to the start point and mid-race. There are more gentle options on different days: a half marathon, an off-road race, and a run for charity past the beautiful dunes of Balnakeil Beach.

- Comrades Marathon (South Africa)
  May 29, 2016
  ** This is a rite of passage for many South African – and international – runners. It is the world’s oldest ultra-marathon, stretching over approximately 56 miles in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. It alternates from year to year between an uphill and a downhill course. This year, runners will take on the slightly shorter but uphill race, starting from Pietermaritzburg.

- Inca Trail Marathon to Machu Picchu (Peru)
  July 1-July 10, 2016
  ** If you’ve ever considered hiking the epic ruins of Machu Picchu, why not run them instead? Racers travel the same footpath used by the Incas thousands of years ago. On race day, the route is outfitted with modern comforts like aid stations stocked with fresh water, a medical team and even a staffed campground for those who don’t meet the 11-hour cutoff and need to spend the night on-trail before finishing the next day. Take-your-breath-away vistas, welcoming locals and a rich culture deliver an epic race experience.

- Race The Train (Tywyn, Mid Wales, United Kingdom)
  ** There will be another race the train in 2016, but there is no date as of today.
  ** Competing against fellow runners is hard enough, but at this race in the Welsh countryside, you have to beat a train, too! As the Talyllyn Railway steam train chugs to Abergynolwyn and back, runners tackle a parallel 14-mile route and try to make it to the finish line before the train reaches its final destination. No easy feat through sheep fields full of muddy terrain, but, given the number of racers that return year after year, it’s a challenge well worth the effort.

- Quebec City Staircase Challenge (Quebec, Canada)
  ** There will be another race the train in 2016, but there is no date as of today.
  ** If a Stairmaster is your go-to cross training, this challenge is for you! Quebec City is uniquely situated on both the Cape Diamond rise (Upper Town) and at sea level along the St. Lawrence River (Lower Town), with 30 flights of steps connecting the two sections. The 19k route takes racers up and down more than 3,000 stairs as they experience the best European flair this side of the Atlantic.




Tune in next Monday for events and running destinations on Travel and Event Mondays!

Also, check in tomorrow for my fourth installment of Fitness Tip Tuesdays!

Fitness Tip Tuesdays: How to Get Yourself Race Ready

Last week, I posted about Warm-up vs. stretching, pre-run warm-ups, post-run stretching, and recovery. So, how do get yourself race ready, especially if you are just getting into running? This week, I have decided to post about how to prepare yourself for a race, 5K, marathons, etc.

There are many types of running races and there are different ways to train for each of them. Below are a list of races, how to train for them and a link to more in-depth descriptions.

5K
A 5K is 3.1 miles. You should ease into your 5K training plan gradually. In fact, the beginners' program we outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program. The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you to begin running a 5K or 3.1 miles and on a regular basis in just two months. Here are two different running plans couch-to-5K and Hal Higdon. Hal Higdon's site offers training plans for novice, intermediate, advanced and walking the 10K.

10K
Many runners start by entering a 5-K, then shift upwards to the 10-K (10,000 meters, or 6.2 miles) en route to a marathon. Or they begin at the marathon and look downward, realizing they can improve their speed and race more frequently at 10-K distances. Ten-K races are fun to run and easy to race. Unlike marathons, you don't need to spend 18 weeks training specifically for them, and recovery time is measured in days, not weeks. Check out Hal Higdon's training plan. This site offers training plans for novice, intermediate, advanced and walking the 10K.

Half marathon
Beginners, who have gotten their introduction to road running in a 5-K or 10-K, can look to the half as the next step upward. Experienced runners like half marathons, because racing 13 miles requires somewhat less time commitment than does a full 26-mile marathon. They can recover more rapidly. Check out Hal Higdon's training plan. This site offers training plans for novice 1, novice 2, intermediate, advanced and walking the half marathon.

Marathon
The marathon distance of 26.2 total miles may seem insurmountable but the truth is many runner attempt and complete marathons each year. These marathon finishers are not only seasoned athletes who have been training all of their lives for these events. Many first time marathon finishers are actually amateur athletes who may not have any special training or running experience prior to deciding to train for and compete in a marathon. Check out Hal Higdon's training plan for a full list of training plans for a marathon. This site offers training plans for novice 1, intermediate, advanced running a marathon. Check out the video below for a little humor from Buzzfeed about the 8 stages of running a marathon.

** video courtesy of Buzzfeed

Spartan Race
Obstacle course races are a fun way to challenge your mental and physical limits, compete with others, and get a little dirty. In every Spartan race, you can expect mud, barbed wire, and a field of Gladiators poised to hit you with their pugil sticks. And although there are some signature obstacles at every race, there’s a lot of variety between courses so you can never anticipate exactly what you’re going to face. Several components to remember while training for a spartan race would be endurance training, sprints and hill training, total body strength circuits, and of course, rest. Check out the Spartan website to find out more about it. Check out Bodybuilding.com to see their recommendations to get ready for a Spartan race. Check out Stack.com for an example of a Spartan race training program. Check out the video below to see what the Spartan race is all about!

** video courtesy of The Spartan Race

Tune in next Tuesday for more running, fitness and exercise tips on Fitness Tips Tuesdays!

Also, check in tomorrow to see my second installment on Product Review Wednesdays!