Happy national running day!

So it papers that today has been dubbed 'National Running Day', well we are in an age where every single day must be blessed with a special title - be it 'World Hugging Day' or whatever. But who suggested to put it in the Calender on my rest day! Humph :(

Well of I'm not going to run on such a day, I may aswell write about running instead...

I decided to write a short entry about my favourite races on the running Calender - hopefully any readers can join in and tell us all your own top 3 that you look forward too and mark out at the start of every year!

I have avoided the London marathon from this particular list, seen as I don't intend on entering next time around, and have selected races which I have already participated in and have made me eager to return next time around.

I will include the dates too, for incase I tempt any of you to join me :)

1) Freckleton Half Marathon (21/06/15):

This race is an annual fixture in my race Calender, and is also the one that has the most special place in my heart. Not because it is a particularly fantastic course (although it is a good one), and certainly not because of the conditions it seems to throw up every year without fail...

No, you see I am a Freckleton lad from growing up. I attended Freckleton C of E primary school as a boy and grew up living down Green Lane - which is a stones throw away from the Bush Lane playing fields where the race starts and finishes.

I have vivid memories from a young age of sitting out and watching the runners go by, and the event seems to always bring out the village in full force - the support of the locals is brilliant at Freck.

Being from the local community, I always want to do well when I return to run here. Many of my family and friends turn up to encourage and cheer everyone on.

Not only that, but Freckleton Half was actually my first ever race that I competed in too. I was an unattached, inexperienced 20 year old when I first did this. I completed it in 1:24:28 and actually broke the Junior record by some 8 minutes!

I have never looked back since, and am determined to return one day in the future and hopefully become the first local lad to win the race in a good number of years. We will see, it's some way off yet, but it's always good to have aspirations!

Freckleton is also the oldest Half Marathon in the UK, having celebrated it's 50th year in 2014.

Negatives? The heat of the summer, the plastic cups that I never seem to be able to get any water from by the time I've scooped them up on the run(!), and the start time - a 2pm start in the middle on one of the hottest days of the year? I still can't quite get my head around that one either...

But it is a fairly flat, rural course and has PB potential too, if the weather is kind. It also gets a good standard of runner out every year.

2) Wesham 10k (28/11/15):

How could I include a list of my favourite races without my Home Club's 10k!?

This is a slightly undulating, but fast 10k course, over one lap of country roads.

Last time out I came within 10 seconds of a PB time, so it is a quick course.

The race is special because it takes place on the morning of the Wesham team's biggest day of the year - which concludes with our trophy presentation evening and dinner dance.

I haven't won this race yet either, but it is certainly another one on the list to target!

Starting downhill and finishing with a climb, make sure you leave something in the tank for that last mile.

3) Lancashire Cross-country Championships - Witton Park, Blackburn (no exact date sorry! I tried...usually first Saturday in January):

As you may already know, I am a massive cross-country fan and participant.

Now, this race is important as it is used as a qualifier to make the Lancashire Intercounties team, which I was fortunate enough to make it into this year, and would love to be part of again in 2016.

As far as tough, genuinely muddy, old fashioned XC courses go - you can't really beat this one!

It is a 3 lapper of a course (approximately 10km) and includes a massive climb at the halfway point of all three laps. On the way back down, you throw yourself through a cow field, which sees you almost knew deep in mud in places - lovely!

The fact that it is just after the seasonal festivities and in the coldest month of the year, makes this an even tougher, even better crosscountry challenge!

So there you have it, now what is your own top 3 races you look out for every year?

Hope you've all had a great National Running Day - and hope you did an extra mile for me!

Rob