Trail races Name Eric Hardwick MBE, Hastings Lions Club Organises Hastings Half-Marathon (since 1984) Name Mike Gratton, 2:09 Events Organises Tens of races each year, including the Salomon South Downs Marathon, London’s Great Gorilla Run and the Jersey

, June 22) Celebrate the legacy of inspirational runner and fundraising hero, Jane Tomlinson, by joining 12,000 runners in next year’s commemorative Leeds 10K. Taking in all of Leeds’ iconic landmarks, the race promises an atmosphere and camaraderie

racing better than training. Recently my big solution to the nerves problem is this: do more races. I've found that in previous years when I've only done a handful of races, there's been a lot of pressure (self-imposed but we all do it) on myself to get a

in for this longstanding, value-for-money fixture – hardly surprising given the staggering 100% return rate awarded by last year’s race ratings. Attracting a wide variety of ages and abilities, the event is renowned for its across-the-field camaraderie, pleasant course

through the rolling countryside, but these shouldn’t deter any novices keen to debut at this distance. A high return rate ensures a sense of camaraderie among the field, while the promise of a race memento for all finishers – last year there was the choice

– if past years are anything to go by, this fixture is sure to reach its entrant limit in advance of race day.More off-road highlights...Henham 10K (Hertfordshire, June 10)Sialens y Barcud and Ras y Diafol challenges (Ceredigion, June 16 & 17)Pennine 100

, as the locals turn out in force to cheer some 1,100 runners round the undulating, two-lap traffic-free course. Well established on the north-east racing agenda, this year marks the event’s 20th anniversary, and a concurrent 3K race for 11-16s and a beginners

atmosphere that guarantees entrants return year on year.--Quicksand 15 (Kent, September 16) If you like your off-road events more pleasant than punishing, then you might want to think twice before entering this out-and-back multistage beach race. Aside from

. Attracting near on 1,500 competitors last year - a sixfold increase on its 2006 debut - its annual out-and-back half now enjoys a reputation as the largest ever road race in West Wales.Winding its way along Camarthenshire's award-winning Millennium Coastal

to see the positives. I ran my first marathon (FLM) in April last year and was deliriously happy with my time of 3:58. By October I was hoping to break 3:45, but was quite ill the week of the marathon and had a really rough race - finishing again in 3