As I mentioned in my first post there are loads of benefits in doing races, whatever your ability and aspirations. How do you go about choosing a programme of events that's right for you though? There are plenty of factors to consider and they include the following:

1. The cost? - some can be a lot more expensive than others and I mean a lot more! Some 5ks can be dearer than marathons if you can believe that. If you are paying top end money just make sure you check what you're getting for your money.
2. The course? - is it hilly or flat, multi-terrain or road? You can really get caught out if you don't investigate properly. I'm talking from experience!
3. The field? - is it likely to be full of similar people to you? Most of the bigger events will be but the local running club 5k events during the week are likely to be full of fairly hard core regulars. Try and talk to others who have run it before to find out who you'll be lining up with. Running in a big race is great experience if you are eventually planning to run in the world's major marathons like the Virgin London Marathon.
4. How far will you have to travel? - if you choose a race a fair distance away factor in travelling times and potential overnight stays. A long trip beforehand can play havoc with your performance if you're not used to it.
5. How easy is it to get in? - remember that if you opt for some of the big name events you will have to enter really early and you won't be able to leave it until too close to the event to get and entry. Some races still accept entries on the day but this definitely isn't the case with most of the big ones.

The adidas Silverstone Half Marathon on March 14^th already has 3000 entries and the Bupa London 10,000 on May 31^st next year already has nearly 5000! Both will be full well before Christmas.

Planning is the key to a successful event programme so the more time you spend researching your events the more fun you'll have!