How far in advance do you plan your races?

[mli]

I'm trying to decide re: Chinook half marathon but as it's in April I'm not sure whether or not it'll fit into my schedule. I've noticed this trend of people buying up bibs for races with caps and then re-selling them close to race day... Did all these people register "just in case"? And is this something that race directors encourage? Just curious - how far in advance do you plan your yearly race schedule/ goal race? (excluding long term goals)

[Jeff_L]

My wife and I have fallen into making race weekends family road trip weekends, or even more exotic. We try to plan ahead by a while to keep the expenses under control.
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Jeff

[canuck_runner]

I usually start thinking about my goal races a long time ahead. For instance I think I already know which marathons I want to do in 2008. Of course I understand that things can change and there are outside influences that can change your plans, so I'll usually don't register for my marathons until the 3-4 months prior time frame.

As for other races like local 10k's and such, those I'll register for last minute if I decide that I want to do them.
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Finished: BC (6), NS (2), NB (2), WA (2), MA, ME, OR
2013 goal - marathon PB! Maybe 3500km?

[n_burke]

Prep in late December for a May marathon. Usually registered by early Feb. Start preparing in June for an early to mid-October marathon.
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Up Next....
Hypothermic Half 15 Feb 09
Johnny Miles Marathon 21 June 09

[vancouvershardest]

I've got it down pat the last 2 years. I decide upon all the races I'd like to enter over the following year in December. Then I register for as many as I can as early as I can in January to get the early bird pricing. That way, it's like you get a free race over the course of the year with the money you save by not procrastinating. Some of the races I've signed up for this year are quite far away so planning travel and accomodation is the other half of it. It all takes alot of time to properly co-ordinate, never mind the training.
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2006 races:
Sunrun 10km, 358th place!
Vancouver Full Marathon, 583rd place!
Underwear Affair 10km, 4th place!
Royal Victoria Half Marathon, 250th place!
James Cunningham Seawall Race, 75th place!
Las Vegas Full Marathon, 1409th place!

[m_mettinen-kekalainen]

I take a lot of time to consider which ones, where (distances to home, accomodation options) and most importantly how the races fit in with my other love Rowing.

This yr everything seems to gell in perfectly.
Next weekend I race at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships (in T.O CBC building -adaptive racing is @ 11AM I will be the barely bald woman wearing a white shirt "Athletes Choice" beside the even balder and short man wearing the same shirt (he is my new coach -Callen McGibbon ), if anyone wants to stop by and say ;'hi';

This works just perfectly for me, because after a weeks recovery period i will start my 12 wk 1/2 marathon road racing training in preperation for the SudburyROCKS (new flat fast course this yr, last 3 km's a slight dowhill-perfect for me),
from there I will learn if I made it to the National Adaptive team selection camp, if so the camp is 2 weeks (of recovery ) after the ROCKS race,
and then the National Team training camp in June (if I make it, if not I will race a couple of local 5 km's). Then the Worlds in Germany Aug 26-2nd of Sept (I seriously would be shocked IF I made it there, but I keeop it at the back of my mind. If I dont go, I will go to North Bay do a 15 km race and start getting ready for the PEC fulll marathon in early Oct.

So basically I have my year of racing planned...
in either direction, wether I make it to the National Adaptive rowing team or not, I have options on both paths that are interesting and encourage me to go for forward.

-minna (a little obsessive about planning things)
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"pain is my zen"


"It is better to regret something you have done,
rather then regretting that you didn't try"
-Hugo Lemayi

[mli]

Minna, and the rest of you, best of luck with your races! I've decided not to do Chinook after all (sorry Ryne) and instead do Rock & Ice, which I can use as a long run. Just registered for the rest of my spring and late summer goal races though!

[h_jacobs]

In fact I have one planned out for next Jan next year, want to do the Orlando Disney goofy.

harry
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~Old runners never die. they just smell that way!~
March 2nd Miller Park Zoo 5km
March 17th St. Patricks Day run 5km
May 26 Paris - St. Germaine 20k
July 21, Rock and Roll Chicago Half
Oct. 27 Rock and Roll St. Louis Half

[lim314159]

My plan for 2008 is to sign up just before the discounted fee -- just in case I get injured. Last year, I signed up for races as soon as they were accepting on-line registration. I missed 2 races (1 due to injury).

But, I might have to reconsider my plan for 2008 since the Canada Running Series has a discount if you sign up for 2, 3, or 4 of their races before January 29th. http://www.canadarunningseries.com
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Louis

http://lim314159.blogspot.com/

[gottagothedista]

I sign up very early, in some cases a year in advance
IMC 04-06-08

[CdnMarathonGirl]

For "destination" marathons, I book early. I signed up for both Alaska and China a year in advance - mostly in order to ensure accomodations and travel. For closer runs, I usually wait until just before the price goes up.

[ChrisBarnes]

I have planned to do my first race, a Mudrun after seeing the Warrior Dash but missing out on the registration for it. So my first race's planning will have been about 9 weeks. My next race is probably about a year away when the Warrior Dash comes to Ontario again.
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