follows quiet country lanes and laps the beautiful Priory Park, with a few climbs thrown in for good measure.Closing Soon...The Sturminster Half-Marathon (Dorset, August 2) This romp through the Dorset hills will help you work up an appetite

for spectators of all ages - perfect if you're bringing a formidable support crew to your first race.The route starts and finishes at the local school before heading out onto wide country lanes to  wind through the town's beautiful surrounds. Slick organisation

-side spectators and camaraderie among the mixed-ability field are givens. Later in the month, Swansea's fast and flat, out-and-back promenade fixture - voted third best race in the UK by our magazine editorial team – holds equal appeal for both the hard-boiled PB

kicks in, the Brass Monkey Half-Marathon is a ticket to your first PB of the year. Described by one runner as "fast, fun and freezing", the Brass Monkey’s flatter-than-flat rural road course should get most runners in under the 2:45 cut-off. Its rural

this month and continues to attract an ever-growing number of competitors despite its mid-week staging. Quiet country lanes take runners on a single anti-clockwise loop out of Hungarton, via a couple of testing inclines for which you’ll have to dig deep

. To get a PB [12:23] and actually beat a couple of people put a smile on my face for quite a while.And you were racing in the lane next to Oscar Pistorius...I was more excited than nervous to be honest. It was just great to be see how fast he runs

- such is the popularity of this flat, fast course that places are going like hot cakes.-->National Highlights North Downs 30K (Kent, June 10) Kent: the garden of England, June 10 Few races in our event listings receive such consistent and unanimous praise

for the uphill finish at this otherwise fast and rural road race. Watford 10K (Hertfordshire, May 5) Feast your eyes on blankets of bluebells as you tackle this challenging course heading to and from Cassiobury Park.-->National Highlights...Beaverbrooks Blackpool

of Apperley Bridge in this beginner-friendly off-road number.-->Filling Up Fast... Cardiff Half-Marathon, October 19Gaz de France Leeds Half-Marathon (West Yorkshire, September 7) Encouraging locals, a PB-promoting course and finisher's T-shirt make

Closing Soon...The New Hangover Hike 20 (West Yorkshire, January 1) Whether it takes the 10-, 15- or 20-mile route to clear your head, this varied multi-terrain ramble does what it says on the tin. -->Asics Watford Half-MarathonFilling Up Fast