will never experience because of its strict qualifying standards. That certainly doesn’t stop people trying, since the effort of qualifying and the exclusivity of the race are undoubtably part of its allure. If you have the talent, this is a marathon you

certainly never run a race like this one. It traverses one of the most beautiful bays at low tide, over sand of varying texture, with occasional waves lapping over your laces. The 13 or 14K as the seagull flies will seem more like a half-marathon effort

views like these, expect a field of at least 200 runners for this new event.”Watch out for: The new shoes that give the race its name. Any extras?A T-shirt for your effortsHow to enter:Click here:

Distance: 1.5K/ 42K/ 10KWhen: June 12Where: Knockburn Loch, AberdeenshireFirst man: Andrew Brierley 2:11:07First woman: Rachel Boyd 2:23:45Last finisher: 3:42:14No of finishers: 107As triathlon increases in popularity, event organisers need to find

Distance: 750m/ 20K/ 5KWhere: Karnes, Argyll, ScotlandWhen: July 3First man: Graham Leitch 59:13First woman: Kerry Macphee 1:10:12Last finisher: 2:04:29No of finishers: 117This new sprint-distance event is bound to become a season favourite

their PB. Hannah Shooter led the women from the start and, despite a strong effort from Naomi Warr, who closed the gap to just a few seconds on the bike, Shooter was able to shake off her challenger and finish in 2:14:03, with Warr just under a minute

as it is to the planet. The pretty course takes place entirely on Ashtead Common, over quiet paths through ancient oaks. 5. Race for Life - Women Only, locations nationwideDate in 2012: spring/summerA national behemoth with events held all over the country, this worthy

difference was making a concentrated effort to work on speedwork. I just have to see my race times to see the improvements. I did my first marathon in 4:25." --Ruth Hulton, 3:06 "I set a PB. The race was tough in the last few miles, but my club South London

this year, making it the most lucrative one-day annual fundraising event in Britain. And with charity runners making up a large part of the fields at an increasing number of events, from the Great North Run to the London Triathlon, or even the Paris and New

is the Walt Disney Marathon. The Disney organisation recognises the efforts of every person who undertakes the marathon by delaying the opening of their four theme parks to ensure that the 16,000 entrants who take on the 26.2-mile course can run through