-ins, leisurely breakfasts, and perhaps a gentle jog in the park. But for the 160 or so who turned up for this new  offroader, it was clear that nothing short of getting covered head to toe in mud would do. And, fortunately for them, mud was the one thing

follies, a Saxon fort, a Chalybeate spring and sand caves. Bring trail shoes and money for the beer tent afterwards. 4. Cross Bay Challenge 13.1, Flookburgh, CumbriaDate in 2012: August 12This unusual event not only crosses a tidal bay, but also ticks off

)Bestwood Country Park 10K (Notts, October 9)Denmead 10K (Portsmouth, October 23)Bronte Way 8 (Keighley, October 9) Don’t let the fact that the Bronte Way 8 is classified as a fell race put you off – the off-road course is entirely runnable. If you do need

Closing Soon...Offerton 10K (Greater Manchester, July 6) Three-laps, of flat traffic-free running in Woodbank and Vernon Parks.--The Picnic (Surrey, July 2) Run this if you'd like to boast that you've run Britain's hardest marathon - this off-road

still enjoy a great race - this beginner-level adventure event is suitable for all abilities. Once you cross the finish line, prepare to be pampered at the luxurious Zest Village and look forward to discovering all the treats in your must-have goody bag

: two phrases I won't be using to describe my experience of the Meon Valley Plod.This 20.3(ish)-mile event was established by the Portsmouth Joggers Club in 1997 as a masochistic 21st birthday present to themselves and has been tweaked almost yearly

at my PC late at night looking for an event with a difference, I stumbled across a race website for The North Pole Marathon. It instantly seemed to tick all the boxes. A race run entirely on ice, in temperatures as low as –30C, in the middle

marathon.Edinburgh Forthside Half-Marathon (Midlothian, March 26) With our events calendar jam-packed with over 100 Scottish races, selecting a preview from north of the border was a tall order. But try this inaugural half-marathon from Edinburgh Forthside

Striders Scenic 7 (Suffolk, November 11) Any event whose name includes a reference to the quality of its setting is bound to set high expectations among a vista-hungry field but rest assured, entrants to this classic rural fixture are unlikely

) Three laps of a rolling road course, and your penultimate chance to run a UK marathon in 2008. Not feeling up to the full distance? Take the relay option... --Wokingham Half-MarathonFilling Up Fast…OK, so these events might be weeks away, but you'll need