Making life a holiday with interesting vacation and adventure ideas.

Sunday sees this year's London Marathon. Always a big day for thousands of fun and charity runners, it now also forms part of the World Marathon Majors series.

The series brings together the world's 'big five' city marathons: the
Boston Marathon, the London Marathon, the Berlin Marathon, the Chicago Marathon, and the New York City Marathon, but also includes any IAAF World Championships marathons and Olympic Games marathon races held during the period.

There are a men's and a women's series, each running over two-years. The winners of each of these races earn 25 points, with 15 going to second place, 10 to third, five to fourth and one to fifth. To qualify for the prize, runners must complete at least three races over the two years of a series, with a maximum of four scoring races counting towards their points total. They must also finish at least one qualifying race in each year of the series. For which, the top man and woman at the end of a two-year series, not only get to have had the fun of running marathons and the pleasure of being super-fit, they get to split $1 million in prize money. See the leader boards on the official World Marathon Majors website.

Labels: 2008, London Marathon, marathon, World Marathon Majors

It spans five bridges and winds through some of the most beautiful parts of all five boroughs before finishing at Central Park's Tavern on the Green.

It draws more than 90,000 runners from all walks of life, and enthusiastic spectators line the race route.

One of the world's great races, it is the ING New York Marathon, which hits the Big Apple on November 4, 2007.

For non-Americans having to fulfill the new US entry requirements, getting there could be as big a challenge as the race itself.

Labels: marathon, New York, race, USA

I came across this picture record of the recent 2007 Great Wall of China Marathon. The 1300 runners were mainly foreigners from 36 different countries , with a handful of Chinese nationals and four goats; there is a picture of the goats but it is not clear if they were accompanied by a herder or just joined in to the melee.

The route includes 3700 steps of the Great Wall of China and is possibly the world's most beautiful and extraordinary marathon. Spaniard, Salvador Calvo won this year's marathon, breaking the course record. Next year's Great Wall Marathon is scheduled for 17th May, 2008.

Here is a small video clip of the event.

Labels: 2007, 2008, China, Great Wall Marathon, marathon

Next week is the London Marathon, 22 April 2007. The race has been described as the World's longest street party with people in fancy dress and outlandish costumes, bands playing on every street corner and crowds lining the streets to cheer the runners on.

Over 30,000 people will be racing from Greenwich Park to The Mall and more than £15 million will be raised for charity but it looks as if the warm, sunny weather that the UK is currently enjoying, will persist, with temperatures remaining at about 24 C, which is twice the seasonal average, so runners will have to take care that they are prepared and that they take on board plenty of fluids during the race. If next week is anything like today, even the spectators will find it warm.

Labels: London, London Marathon, marathon

The Boston marathon takes place as usual, on Monday, April 16, 2007. If you are disappointed not to be registered for the event, or you fancy running a marathon but the thought of running as fast as you can with only water to sustain you, you could try the Médoc marathon, which is scheduled for Saturday 8 September, 2007. In this marathon, competitors are expected to take their time and savor the ham, beef, cheese, oysters, other good food and of course wine, of the region.

The course for the Médoc marathon reads like a wine list of the finest French wines. The route passes more than 50 chateaux and 22 are organised as refreshment stations, except that there is more than water on offer, expect to be treated to liberal quantities of the regions wines. At this marathon, they party the night before, they party during the event and then they party the following day. Spectators are not left out and everyone is expected to wear the most bizarre costumes. The winner gets their weight in the regions best wine but the Médoc is a festival, it is not about winning, and I believe that the same prize is awarded to the person who comes in last!

Labels: France, marathon, Medoc