. The cost of this is at your GP’s discretion. "Your doctor might sign it for you for free or you may be required to pay a fee, the cost of which is a bit of a lottery – anything from £10 upwards." says Mike Gratton from 2:09 Events. "However

, made famous by 1940s long-distance running legend and former-world record holder Gunder Hägg. Only 129 runners finished the 2008 edition, so you’ll be in select company. A 14.5K race is also offered. Race website: www.vertex.cx Tjejmilen (August)2009

calendar. With a 5K and 12K to choose from, the course features an undulating 4K loop that’s an attractive combination of dunes, beach, wind and village. More than 9,000 entrants took part in the debut in 2008, with 15,000 expected for the 2009 edition

: April 26Madrid’s most important athletic event has seen around 200,000 runners attempt to complete the 42.2K run within the six-hour time limit, but only 120,000 have been successful to date – it is without a doubt survival of the fittest. The well

published his play Romeo and Juliet in 1597 he probably didn’t expect the Italian tragedy to create so many spinoffs, including a half-marathon. The  13.1-mile race was launched in 2008 and passes some of the most beautiful monuments of the city of Verona

become part of running folklore. Race website: www.comrades.comSpar/Mercury Women’s 10K, Durban (June)2009 Date: tbc This is one of six in a national series of women’s 10K races, and by far the biggest of the series. Around 16,000 women – and a few cross

and Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, describes a race he first ran in 1973, when he finished second to the American Frank Shorter.“You go across some fields, then alongside the smelliest river you have ever known in your life, jumping over holes in the canal

the world marathon record. It provided the setting for Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie to stamp his mark on the marathon when he set the current world record of 2:04:26 in 2007. This autumn race takes place in September every year so if you need a goal

stretching off into the distance." (Dave Jelley on the French Trans'Aq). Outrageously flat courses, Himalayan courses, courses down mineshafts... they're all here. We've divided your reports into three pages:European RacesNorth American RacesRest-of-World

panorama in Austria or beneath New York's iconic Manhattan skyline, our line-up spans the world. Discover 10Ks, halfs, marathons and ultras in unforgettable surroundings, from once-in-a-lifetime destinations like Jamaica and Morocco to European races just a