Best marathons to run this year

I ran a marathon in 2006 and it was an amazing experience. Having a goal like that to aim for kept me motivated to train, and gave me a reason to stick with my workout routine all year long. I was never more dedicated, which is why I'm a big fan of setting concrete fitness goals, like competing in a race.

Marathons aren't just for hard-core runners. My longest run prior to my marathon training was probably 4 miles, but I had a great training plan that I followed to the letter, along with a running buddy, which I highly recommend. (You need someone to keep you company when you're running 15 miles.)

And just as important as all the training preparations, is the race itself. I used to think all marathons were the same, but each has its own personality and draws very different participants. Some have more first-timers than others, some have time limits; there are those that don't have many fans, are very small, quite large, flat, fast, hilly or are known as tough courses. Here's a great story about the best marathons to run in 2008. I strongly suggest you do your research before you sign on for one to make sure you have the best running experience possible.

After all, if you plan to finish in 6 hours, you should you know which marathons have a 5-hour time limit, right?