Nothing like a race to get your motivation going. Of course, you could be like me and make a raceday decision that you just can’t do it (Bay to Breakers, cough), but generally, if you plan for it, you’ll make it. And you’d be surprised how little time you need to train for some races. After all, you don’t have to go for speed–you can just go to finish.

Here are a few upcoming races you can still train for–there’s time left!

July 20: Marina Green 5k

Say what you like about the Marina, but it’s one of the prettiest places to run in San Francisco, and that’s saying something in a home like ours. Think you don’t have time to train? A 5k is three miles; the first time I ran a mile, I ran three miles two weeks later. You’d be surprised how little time it takes to cover three miles. Even if you’re a slowpoke like me, it’s barely more than a half hour. Can’t make it? Check out DSERunners.com for a whole list of races.

August 3: San Francisco Marathon

What? Train for a marathon with only eight weeks left? I wouldn’t recommend it for newbies, but if you start now, you can train for a half-marathon. If you’re just starting, I’d recommend the second half–there’s one long uphill, and the rest is all flat. It’s not as pretty as the first half, but you also don’t have the grueling trek up to the bridge and through the Presidio. If you need some help, here’s a great training plan from Runner’s World: Your Ultimate Half-Marathon Training Plan. It’s nine weeks, which is cutting it a bit short, but you can make it. I’ll be there, plugging along through the hilly first half.

August 24: Run for the Fallen

This is a run-your-own-race race. Soldiers will be running a cross-country relay–one mile for every fallen soldier in Iraq–and ending the eight-week relay in Arlington Cemetery on August 24. Participants are encouraged to run their own mileage, submit it on the website, and make a pledge. You can even download a bib to show you’re running to support the families of the fallen. I plan to run a 10k using some version of this route. If you’d like to join me, drop me an email and we’ll figure out where/when to start.

August 31: The Human Race

This is another run-your-own-race race, and it’s especially tailored for those of you who have taken Smurf’s advice and bought a Nike+. Just as with Run for the Fallen, you can make a pledge and donate, but the bonus is that Nike will know how far you ran because of your neato tracking device.

September 21: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

This race is close to my heart–Susan G. Komen was the foundation my college sorority sponsored, and given that two of those sorority sisters have since beaten breast cancer, I can’t run this without crying. At least, I couldn’t last time. It’s a 5k along the Embarcadero, a well-supported, wonderful run, and I dare you to see women wearing pink survivor badges without getting choked up. A beautiful, life-affirming way to start a day, and since it’s a 5k, you have plenty of time to train. Or you can just walk. In any case, go.

October 19: Nike Women’s Half Marathon

This running spectacular–and you’ll believe me if you’ve ever been in Union Square the day before–is a terrific half-marathon with a whole weekend’s worth of events connected to it. The Nike flagship hosts a running club every Wednesday night (I’d go if not for my own running club) and it’s also a Team in Training event if you’d like more motivation AND money for a good cause. Team in Training welcomes all levels, speed demons and penguins alike.

October 19: Nike Women’s Half Marathon

This running spectacular–and you’ll believe me if you’ve ever been in Union Square the day before–is a terrific half-marathon with a whole weekend’s worth of events connected to it. The Nike flagship hosts a running club every Wednesday night (I’d go if not for my own running club) and it’s also a Team in Training event if you’d like more motivation AND money for a good cause. Team in Training welcomes all levels, speed demons and penguins alike–and beginning runners can start now and run proudly.

November 11: The US Half Marathon

Much like the Nike and SF marathons, this beauty crosses the bridge. I’ve never run it, but I registered this year to keep my training up post-SFM. The weather should be lovely for running, and with five months to train, this is a great opportunity for long-term training, especially if you’re nervous about getting started.

November 27: Turkey Beach Trot

I always have the best of intentions to make it to this race, which sounds delightful and silly and all the things family holidays ought to be, but then I wake up after a Wednesday night of revelry and skip iit. It’s a 5k along the Great Highway (unless, of course, there’s an oil spill), folks dress up like Pilgrims and turkeys, and in theory, it’s a fab way to pre-burn Thanksgiving calories. That is, if you can get your lazy ass out there.

So there you go, folks–a few races for which you have plenty of time to train. Paying a registration fee is excellent motivation, and there’s nothing like running in a race to get the internal pride going. I’ve cried every time I’ve crossed a finish line. I also cry every time I watch the season 5 finale of Buffy, but really, it’s worth it. Register and run!