Runner's World magazine has deemed the Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon the fastest marathon in the UK. Why? The race is located in Scotland, and runners, on average, complete the race with faster running times than the ten most popular races in the area. Of course, this fact brings up a lot of questions. The main one being, "Why do the people in the Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon run so fast?" I think I have a few plausible answers:

Answer #1: The Loch Ness Monster is chasing them throughout the race.

Answer #2: Little leprechauns carry them quickly over the finish line.

Answer #3: The ghost of St. Patty spooks them at the starting line.

Answer #4: They can't wait to drink a pint of ale at the after party.

Answer #5: J.K. Rowling promises to name a character after the winner in the next Harry Potter book.

Answer #6: Britney Spears threatens to become a legal citizen of Edinburgh, Scotland if they slow down.

Answer #7: Brownies have created special shoes for the runners in order to speed up their times.

Answer #8: These kilt-clad runners are more aerodynamic.

These are just a few of the things that I think make runners of the Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon run like the wind. However, there are other less important ones that motivate a few runners. Runners who participate in this race get to associate with athletic manufacturers like Asics, support charities like the Macmillan Cancer Support organization, participate in team relays and trek through a beautiful terrain. These things are what some Scottish folks say make Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon a great race.

If you are interested in running a marathon filled with spirit, fun people and few worthy causes, you should sign up for this race. You can get more details about it at www.edinburgh-marathon.com. This Web site will gives even more reasons to participate in this race.

If there ever were a Mohammed Ali of the track world, Wallace Spearmon could claim that title. He's tall (6'3"), sleek (185 lbs) muscular, intelligent and pretty. His name is often coupled with two words: sexy and runner.

As Fayetteville High School alum, Wallace Spearmon began his athletic career as an Arkansas Razorback. He dominated in the sprint events. As a result, he gathered several accolades during his college career. He was a four-time NCAA champion, five-time All-American, two-time SEC Champion and American record holder in 200 meter. These accolades were a sign; a sign that he'd continue to run and wow the world.

Wallace Spearmon ended his college career early and joined Nike's team. It was an event that took him abroad to other countries, leading to more wins and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2007, he won a gold medal for the World Outdoor 4-by-100 meter and a silver medal for an USA Outdoor 200 meter. At the Olympic Games, he faced controversy for stepping out of his lane, which led to his disqualification. However, considering that it was his first Olympics, he represented his country well. Spearmon was also able to place high in several of the 200 meter heats, showing everyone that he is a stellar runner.

Wallace Spearmon will surely get his name a place in history as a record breaking runner with an excellent, professional running career. Like Mohammed Ali, he dances like a butterfly and stings like a bee. We will surely hear more about him in the future. My guess? He'll be a record-breaking runner in the next Olympics. Spearmon will be the guy giving the other runners a lot of competition and running squarely inside his lane.

The Cinco de Mayo 10K is run in Tucson, Arizona, every year. A bit early to start talking about a 10K run in May you ask? Not necessarily. After all, even if you're in peak condition and running a 10K is a breeze, a lot of people aren't. So having 6 months to train to run the Cinco de Mayo 10K is necessary for them. Plus, it's a really nice 10K race and well worth putting in the training time.

In May 2009, the Cinco de Mayo 10K will be in its 28th year. It runs through some of the most beautiful country in Tucson as it follows the foothills of the Tucson Mountains and, because it's in May, it also has some of the prettiest weather of the year. Which also means you can wear really cool running clothes. The main thing for me about the Cinco de Mayo 10K though is not just the race but the food after the race. Because it's a Mexican holiday, post-race they serve incredible burritos and Mexican food and what could be better than that? Starbucks and a Mariachi band - that's what, and yes, they have those too!

If you love running 10Ks in great weather with awesome food and, of course, Starbucks then this is the race you wanna run. The views of the mountains are gorgeous, the air is fresh and dry and with a temp of around 55 degrees, it's truly truly perfect. Plus, it's really a laidback race so you'll have a great chance to meet new people without feeling the pressure to compete and win.

They also have a cool kid's race with pinatas, games, a jumping castle and tons of other stuff. The main race starts at 7am with the Fun Run at 7:05. Cinco is actually the Spanish word for 'five' but, this year, the race is actually on May 4th but close enough. Online registration is available, just check out the race's webpage for more help - http://www.azroadrunners.org/events/cinco.html.

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Watching the 2008 Beijing Olympic games was like sitting on the sidelines of a well-crafted soap opera. It had drama, sex, and secrets. Were the gymnasts from China under age? Should the synchronized swimmers from Spain be penalized for their sexy wardrobes? Did Usain Bolt act in a distasteful manner after he did a dance and lifted up his gold running shoes after breaking a world record in running? These questions kept the area around the water cooler warm and perked up with conversation. However, there were a few events at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games that didn't ignite any disputes. One of them was the record breaking performance of Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru in the men's marathon with a time of 2'06:32.

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru was born on November 10, 1986, in Nyahururu. It is the highest town in Kenya and a training ground for runners. It is an inspiration for anyone desiring to make it to the Olympics. For Wanjiru, it proved to be a stepping stone. Why? He embraced this area as a child, but the bulk of his training was completed in Japan; a place he moved to in 2002. There, he joined the Toyota Kyushu athletics team and sat under the coaching of a prior silver marathon medallist Koichi Morishita. This led to him (Wanjiru) breaking the half marathon world record on September 11, 2005.

However, Wanjiru never gave up his Kenyan roots. How could he? His people were there and he had a little family competition. Cousin Joseph Riri and young brother Simon Njoroge are both long distance runners. So, of course, he had to represent his country in the Olympic games and prove that the award he'd received just years earlier as "Kenyan Most Promising Sportsman of the Year" was right. Through his well-honed talent, Samuel Wanjiru was able to break an Olympic record and end a title drought that has plagued Kenya for years.

In life, there are always trade-offs. You agree to wear the birthday outfit your mom picked out for you in order to make her happy and deal with all of the jokes about it at the party from your friends. You stay late in an effort to catch up at work and miss out on a greatest happy hour ever in history that EVERYONE raves about the next day. And then, you decide to run a marathon in Seattle and have to deal with the rain. Okay, this last one isn't so bad. The perks of tackling the Seattle Marathon outweigh any rain you might encounter. It's what keeps runners returning each year to participate in it.

The Seattle Marathon draws people all over the country because of its scenic course, Carbo Load Dinner, goodie bags and charities. Born in 1908, this race has been going strong for 100 years. It's a weekend event that starts with a race for kids, bus tour and dinner. Then, on the day of the race, people gather to run a half marathon or full marathon. The course goes along the Queen Anne neighborhood near an urban terrain enhanced by water, trees and historic buildings. It's a scenic run that allows for a lot of photo ops. Plus, if you just want to enjoy it and a nice tune, you can now wear your iPod. The Seattle Marathon ends with awards being given to the winner along with a bag full of mementos handed out to the runners. It's an event that is good for the entire family.

So, are you ready to bear a little rain in order to tackle a fun run? Consider running the Seattle Marathon. You can find out more by visiting their Website at www.seattlemarathon.org. It'll give you details on the next marathon and how you can sign up for it.

As a child, I often felt that one of the best aspects of my family life was group activities. Card games. Tag. Hide and go seek. It was activities like these that made me grateful to have enough brothers and sisters to get a game going anywhere. And it didn't end there. I even joined a few walk-a-thons with siblings in order to raise money for charity. You know the old saying, "the family that exercises together, grows old together." (Okay. I just made that up, but it's true.) However, today, life is different.

With the advent of video games and the Internet, families don't necessarily spend a lot of time together anymore. So parents have to look for ways to do it. And guess what? One fun way to do it is to participate in a marathon race. It gives everyone in the family a chance to bond together over one event and also strengthen their hearts. Which family friendly marathon do I recommend? The Portland Marathon.

The Portland Marathon is held in the fall. As a result, the weather is excellent for a race. The main course is a trek through an urban terrain, but as with many northwestern cities doesn't feel nor looks like it. So expect to see a lot of trees and other greenery not prevalent in other urban areas. Also, in order to accommodate the families that attend it, there are smaller courses and a popular t-shirt swap. Then, there are pasta feeds, music and trophies for a variety of age groups. You can even raise money for charity. The Portland Marathon is the place to be for family fun catered for every age.

Good news! If you are interested in participating in The Portland Marathon with your entire family, you still have time to sign up. You can do it at www.portlandmarathon.org. Think of it as a late vacation or a much needed family break to kick off the holidays.

The BUPA Great Yorkshire Run in England is near and dear to my heart because I originally come from the British county of Yorkshire. The run also benefits cancer research in the UK, and as my uncle died of lung cancer, I like to support cancer research wherever I can.

Yorkshire is famous for its people and its scenery. Yorkshire people are a bit dour, serious and abrupt, yet, when you get to know them, you realize they are some of the kindness people in the world. Yorkshire people just don't believe in wasting time on niceties or being evasive if they can be honest. What you see is what you get in Yorkshire, and that, for me, has always been where I feel comfortable. Yorkshire scenery is bleak and cold and very bare, but beautiful in its honesty - just like Yorkshire people.

The BUPA Great Yorkshire Run is run by Yorkshire people. They're upfront and direct with the stereotypical Yorkshire honesty. But they also organize a great race and they'll make darn sure you have a good time running in it too. It does rain a lot in Yorkshire though, so make sure you wear running shoes with good grip, just in case.

The Great Yorkshire Run is a 10K race that starts in downtown Sheffield. Thousands of runners attend, but the race is usually run by Kenyan runners. Last year, however, in both men's and women's standings the Aussies did really well, and the Brits weren't far behind.

The BUPA Great Yorkshire Run is also part of the Great North Run series of races. The Great North Run itself is the world's most popular half-marathon road race, where almost 50,000 runners participate every year. The Great Yorkshire Run will be held this year on September 7th, 2008 and all runners will receive medals for completing the race. It's only the second time this race has ever been run, so get in on the ground floor and you can say you were one of the first to run in it. The run also has 2K and 3K races for kids, which means there's something for everyone in the family. And don't forget; get to know some Yorkshire folks while you're there. You won't be sorry.