choices for 2011

Time to choose my races for 2011.

The most important race of the year, for me, will be the World 24 hr Championships in Brugg, Switzerland.  This race will take place in June and after my performance in Perth a few weeks ago I expect to be selected again for the GB team.

Also in 2011 will be the second Commonwealth Championships [probably].  This is expected to be at the end of September or the beginning of October.

So I have to fit my other races(s) around those two championships and, after looking at various race calendars, it appears that I have the following options:

PART A - BEFORE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS


1a)  Country to Capital (15 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Wendover, UK)

1b)  Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)

1c)  Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?)
AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

1d)  Country to Capital (15 Jan)
AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)
OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)
OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)
OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)
OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)
OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)
OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)
OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)
OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)
OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)
OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)
OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)
OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)
OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)
OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)
OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

2a)  ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)

2b)  ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)
AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)

2c)  ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)

AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)

AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)

2d)  ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)

AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)

AND Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)

AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

2e)  ULTRArace 45 (22 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Northampton, UK)

AND/OR ULTRArace 45 (23 Jan) - 45 miles trail race (Tring, UK)

AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)

OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)

OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)

OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)

OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)

OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)

OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)

OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)

OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)

OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)

OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)

OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)

OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)

OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)

OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)

OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

3a)  Thames Trot (5 Feb) - 50 miles trail race (Oxford, UK)

3b)  Thames Trot (5 Feb) - 50 miles trail race (Oxford, UK)

AND Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)

OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)

OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)

OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)

OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)

OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)

OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)

OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)

OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)

OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)

OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)

OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)

OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)

OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)

OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)

OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

4a)  Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK)

4b)  Barry 40 (13 Mar ?) - track race (UK) 

AND Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

5)  Hardmoors 55 (19 Mar) - 55 miles trail race (Helmsley, UK)

OR Frottstadt 12 hr (26 Mar or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Germany)

OR Celtic 100k (26 Mar ?) - road race (Ireland)

OR Kienbaum 100k (26 Mar) (Germany)

OR Crawley 12 hr (2 Apr) - track race (UK)

OR Athens International Ultra Festival 24 hr (9 Apr) - road race (Greece)

OR Bergen 100k (9 or 16 Apr ?) - road race (Norway)

OR Glasgow to Edinburgh double marathon (9 Apr) - towpath (Scotland)

OR Taby 100 miles (9 Apr) - multi terrain (Sweden)

OR 100km du Perigord Noir (16 Apr) - road race (Belves, France)

OR Copenhagen 100k (16 Apr) - road race (Denmark)

OR Woldsman 50 mile challenge (16 Apr) - trail race (Driffield, UK)

OR Iserlohner Stadtwerke 100k or 12 hr (16 Apr) - road race (Germany)

OR Saxonian Mt Everest Marathon (16 Apr) - 84.39k (Germany)

OR Coventry Way Challenge (17 Apr) - 40 miles trail race (UK)

OR Nitra 100k (23 Apr ?) (Czech Republic)

NOTES ... (a) there is also an indoor 24 hr race at Espoo, Finland at the end of January but I've recently learned that all the places in that race have been taken.  (b) the Athens 24 h race is only about 8 weeks before the World Championships and I'm not sure this gives enough time for recovery, training and tapering. (c) if anyone out there knows of another European 24 hr race, in January, February or early March, please let me know.

PART B - AFTER THE COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

indoor 48 hr race (25 Nov ?) (Brno, Czech Republic)

OR Bislett indoor 24 hr challenge (26 Nov ?) (Norway)

OR Marseille 24 hr race (26 Nov ?) - road race (France)

OR No Finish Line 24 hr race (26 Nov ?) - road race (Monaco)

OR 24 ore del sole (26 Nov ?) - 24 hr track race (Palermo, Italy)

OR 12 ore del sole (26 Nov ?) - 12 hr track race (Palermo, Italy)

OR Marseille 12 hr race (27 Nov ?) - road race (France)

OR Normandy indoor 48 hr race (1 Dec ?) (Evreux, France)

NOTES ... I really would like to have a go at a 48 hr race in 2011 but the only one I can find that fits in with the two championship races is in Evreux and it is by no means certain that it will be held next year.  Also, it is only about 9 weeks after the Commonwealth Championships - is that enough recovery time.

If anyone reading this knows of another 48 hr race which may fit better please let me know.  Ideally it should be in January, February or later in December.

If you happen to know the confirmed dates of some of the races above with a question mark please let me know.

Could I fit a race between the two Championships ?  Or would it be a bad idea to run an ultra in August 2011 ?

I'll let you know shortly what I decide to do.