Add Sacramento's California International Marathon to the list of races which are selling out faster and faster every year. The Sacramento Running Association, which puts on the race, told members on Friday that CIM is 88 percent full on Thursday. Last year, the 8,000-runner race sold out on October 15. It appears likely to sell out by September this year. It'll be run on December 2, 2012.

CIM is considered a good PR bet and it's a popular Boston qualifier due to its calendar placement, predictable weather (cool, dry) and net downhill profile. The other major Northern California marathon that is selling out crazy fast these days is the Big Sur Marathon. The 2012 race sold out in 29 days. The 2013 race sold out in 26 hours. (I'm still bitter.)

CIM doesn't include a half as an option, but does have a relay component. The 2012 race is the 30th anniversary, which may be boosting its popularity.

Man, that San Francisco Marathon is something. The marketing campaign is based around the slogan "Worth the Hurt." There's a reason for that: this race hurts, but the incredible scenery, conditions, event organization and the tag of pride that comes with conquering the course makes it all worth it.

I wish the San Francisco Marathon got more talk and consideration in the California running scene. I see why it doesn't, but I think it has the makings of a "must-do" that hasn't come close to hitting that level of attention. I mean, you run over the Golden Gate Bridge ... during a marathon! That's pretty awesome!

Most of this report will be about the race, not my race. But indulge me for one paragraph.

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Everybody has a race list of sorts. You know, the ones that sound awesome and you feel like you'd be missing out by not running them. I mentioned this morning that the Bay To Breakers is on my must-run list. Given a little more thought, here's a not-totally-complete list of races that I really want to run before I'm six feet under.

Most races listed here are races that I just want to experience. If I want a fast, flat race I can always run a marathon in Ohio or on the Outer Banks.

Bucket List Runs Completed:

• New York City (2009)
• National Marathon (2011)

Still On the List:

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This morning, I ran my first-ever half-marathon, and it was a hell of an experience. The Brooklyn Half-Marathon was well-executed by the New York Road Runners, allowing a record number of runners into the fold while still retaining a uniquely Brooklyn flair to the proceedings.

Over 14,000 participants managed to finish the race at Coney Island with a picturesque boardwalk finish.

To hear about my experience, follow the jump!

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Marathon registration status: Accepted

And just like that, I'm in.

Never been so excited to spend $255.

My lottery acception for the 2012 ING New York City Marathon was accepted, which means I now have plans for November 4. Hooray for me! Those four words -- "Marathon registration status: Accepted" -- means I'll get to run 26.2 miles through the five boroughs of New York City. It means I'll get to experience everything I've so far only read about: the bridges, the people, the crowd on 1st Ave, the finish in Central Park. I can't wait.

Did you get in? Tell us in the comments! You can check your status at the ING NYC site here.

The time has finally arrived, friends. The long-awaited registration for the Brooklyn Half Marathon will open at 12:00 PM tomorrow, Monday, March 26.

NYRR has changed the course map to allow for up to 15,000 participants, which would nearly triple the 2011 field of 5,921 entrants. In previous years, runners would do two loops of Prospect Park in Park Slope. Unfortunately, this change of course means that it will be very expensive to participate -- non-members of NYRR will pay $70 in early registration fees.

Half marathons have become very popular in recent years as athletes and exercise enthusiasts increase their participation in official races that take scenic routes through busy cities. Last weekend's NYC Half was a huge success with over 15,000 participants.

Don't forget to sign up for the Brooklyn Half Marathon tomorrow at noon! We'd love to see you out there, enjoying a nice hot dog on Coney Island to celebrate another big achievement.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The alarm hits my eardrums like a sledgehammer. It is 7:03 AM and I am immediately awake, turning off the noise and putting my feet on the floor. Coming into New York City on Saturday afternoon, my brother told me one simple fact: if I wanted to go out on St. Patrick's Day, I had to find somewhere else to sleep.

He had been fastidiously preparing for the NYC Half for the last fourteen weeks, and his drunk little brother wasn't going to crash his Brooklyn apartment at 3 AM and ruin his important night of sleep.

Mindful of this gentleman's agreement, one of my coworkers was kind enough to allow me to sleep at his cousin's apartment with him. The best part? It was located just two blocks away from the starting line of the NYC Half.

Getting up quickly, I threw on my bright green "Everything is bigger in Texas" shirt and headed to the elevator. Within minutes, I was strolling down 66th street, staring up at a big CNN animatronic billboard with the temperature and the time - 7:10 AM, 46 degrees. Twenty minutes until race time.

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Contrasted with the logistical nightmare that was the Rock and Roll USA Half Marathon, the Tobacco Road Half Marathon in Cary, NC was a smoothly-run event. The race was scheduled to begin at 7 AM -- we left the house at 5:30 by car and got dropped off a few yards from the starting line at about 6:30. There was a long string of about 50 cars ahead of us dropping off other participants, though this was not really an issue. The weather was extremely humid, and a bit warm (about 60 degrees at gun time). It had rained the night before, dampening the whole course and saturating the air with water.

Once we arrived at the starting line, the crowd of about 4500 runners packed in closely (though not too closely) and co-mingled. We settled around the back of 9:00-10:00 pace "corral" (there were no real lines of demarcation here) and waited for the gun. After the singing of the national anthem (I think, as we were so far back we couldn't hear) and some enthused emceeing, we heard the crowd roar and the bodies around us surged. The race had started.

As we set out, it quickly became apparent that we were running the grounds of the USA Baseball training facility. We headed over some lightly rolling hills as we made it around the facility, moving onto two-lane roads that weren't quite wide enough for the crowds running the race. We got stuck behind a 2:30 pace group and had some trouble getting by, as the cluster of runners dedicated to that pace spread out and stuck with their pacer. The course eventually widened at mile 2, allowing for more easy navigation as the race populous spread out.

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