Running a cold, stuffy December marathon isn’t the dream marathon for average runner. For runners like you and me, we want a challenge. Running a December marathons, in almost all places around the world, isn’t always in a nice climate.

The training you do for the marathon will only get you there to race day. To actually run the race, you have to be mentally tough and prepared to run a challenging. This is something to keep in mind when facing an obstacle such as a marathon in colder climates. Below is a list of Marathons in the US…

photo credit: gatogrunge

 Marathons in December:

• Baton Rouge Beach Marathon – December 5, 2009
• Envirosports Death Valley Borax Marathon  - December 5, 2009
• St. Jude Memphis Marathon – December 5, 2009
• Tecumseh Trail Marathon  - December 5, 2009
• California International Marathon – December 6, 2009
• Zappos.com Las Vegas Marathon – December 6, 2009
• Marathon of the Palm Beaches – December 6, 2009
• Santa Barbara International Marathon – December 6, 2009
• St. Croix International Marathon, Half Marathon & Marathon Relay – December 6, 2009
• Charlotte’s Thunder Road Marathon – December 12, 2009
• Kiawah Island Marathon – December 12, 2009
• Rocket City Marathon – December 12, 2009
• Roxbury Marathon – December 12, 2009
• National Ding A Ling Day Marathon & Half Marathon – December 12, 2009
• Holualoa Tucson Marathon – December 13, 2009
• Season’s Greetings Marathon & Half Marathon – December 19, 2009
• Florida Marathon – December 19, 2009
• Jacksonville Bank Marathon – December 20, 2009
• Santa’s Marathon & Half Marathon – December 20, 2009
• Year End Marathon & Half Marathon – December 31, 2009

I would love to know if you’re running a December marathon above. Best of luck!

photo credit: terriseesthings

If you think you’re too old to run a marathon, think again! There are many people out there, just like you, who dream of running a marathon and do it. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people who get past the 50 years milestone and it all goes downhill: more aches, more pains, sickness, etc. Why does this happen? Is it really caused by your age or is it your mindset towards your life?

There are thousands of people that decide to take the leap and run a marathon each and every year. Many of those thousands are people over the age of 50. You still may not be convinced. I want to illustrate the power of the mindset towards running by sharing a story with you of a woman who accomplished just what we’re talking about today: she ran a marathon…at age 65!

I came across a story of a woman, Cammy Wesson-Cohen, who dreamed of running a marathon after she saw one of her friends running the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon and decided that she was going to do it. She was always fit and active but as life progressed, she got caught up in things to do and just pushed her health to the “to-do list” (does that ring a bell?)

Cammy’s Story

I want you to read this story, understand Cammy’s mindset and how she fulfilled her dream.

Cammy shared one of her mindsets in terms of time training for the marathon:

“I just knew it was going to take me longer and I wasn’t going to compete with the fast guys.”

When you will run your first marathon, keep one thing in mind: just finish. Don’t get caught up in the pace, and the speed that everyone else is measuring up with. Run your own marathon without caring of what speeds other runners are running at.

I hope you enjoy the story and take to heart what is your are capable of.

PS: Talking to your physician regularly is a necessity but what is your biggest concern with running your next marathon? Is it injury? Is it failing to complete the marathon? What is stopping you from running your next marathon?