Yes, that’s right, it opened yesterday for entry into the draw and will remain open until the 17th February.

I vowed not to do any marathons in 2017 after doing so many last year (but still next to nothing compared to some of the 100 marathon club people).  23 in a year was hard work for me (you people on like 50 or 80 a year have my full respect) and the thought of another one made me feel physically sick.  I vowed never again (or at least not for a while) but I was so inspired by the 100 marathon runners that my new long term goal is to get into the 100 club by the time I’m 50.

I’ve entered a double track marathon that is on the track right next to my house.  It’s my favourite place to run so I had to enter but it’s in February.   I’ve still got another two weeks of no running so I’m going to be running the races without training properly for them (Not like I haven’t done that once, twice or 23 times before). I’m sure it’ll be fine but I’d like to actually run a marathon with like proper training and stuff.  Last time I did any type of marathon training was for Brighton in 2015, last year I barely even did any training runs.  My plan for this year is to work on speed and try to get under 25 for a 5k.  5k races tend to disappear towards the end of Summer though so I’m thinking that training for a marathon towards the end of the year might be a good plan. I’d love to know just how fast I can go if I do it right.  Brighton is also still mt PB race and I’ve gotten so much faster if every distance since then but then except the marathon, probably because it’s the last time I wasn’t running on tired legs.  If I’m going to do it right though then it has to be the right marathon.

In 2015 I did Berlin, 2016 London so why not try to get into New York in 2017 and continue the tradition of a yearly World Major (World Majors = New York, London, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo marathons).  Entries for the New York marathon lottery opened yesterday and will remain open until the 17th February. 82,172 entered the lottery in 2016 of which 19,083 people where given a place to run.  Only 23% of international runners who entered got through, a total of 4,460 runners, so my odds are not that great but my back up options so far are Venice or Athens. You can enter the New York marathon lottery by clicking here (or you could not, just saying).