Life is an ultramarathon

The Dublin Marathon just closed my running season and I'm obviously already thinking about next year. No confidence ratings this time. Just a bunch of random ideas that might or might not happen.

I'm only going to run one major event next year. Probably one of those:

• La Petite Trotte à Léon (PTL) - 220km +17,000m ascent in high-mountain terrain around the Month-Blanc in under 100h (teams of 3 runners) - this is my favourite choice if I manage to build up a team in a month
• Lakeland 100 - 100 miles (161km) +6,300m ascent in Lake District
• the full Thames Path - 295km from sea to source (most likely solo and without assistance, or mabye in 3 days of 100km each)
• Grand Union Canal Race - 233km from Birmingham to London along the canals

I wish I could run the West Highland Way race but it's full already, the limit being only 175 runners.

Other potential and somehow shorter events:

• Down the whole Thames in canoe non-stop with Fred - could be combined with the run ... or maybe not!
• Moonlight Challenge - 52km by night in February
• Paddy Buckley Round - 4 intense hiking days or 2 running in North Wales - could be a good training for the PTL
• Istanbul Marathon (18 October 2009) - the only marathon across 2 continents
• Athens Marathon (08 November 2009) - the "original" marathon
• Marathon des Alpes Maritimes - Nice-Cannes (08 November 2009) - if Bastien is brave enough to go for it this year
• Man vs Horse Marathon - a 22 miles race where runners are invited to challenge horses and bike riders

And because my thesis should be finished by next summer (touch wood), I'd like to do something a bit longer but not necessarily running. I'd like to see the Alps, loads of them, and the sun. I have the impression I haven't got any real summer for a while.

• Cycling between Istanbul and Athens marathons: about 1400km via Sofia (70km/day) or 1100km following the coast (55km/day - runnable?)
• Cycling around Iceland
• Via Alpina (red) - hiking 3 months in the Alps from East to West across 8 countries

I've not run since the Dublin Marathon, and I'll try to stick to it till the new year (although I'm already tempted to do the ritual December run to Guildford). And why not a new year ultra: one marathon from 8pm to midnight, a quick flute of Champagne and toasts, and another marathon from midnight on. That would be the last marathon of the year, the first marathon of the year, and an ultramarathon over two years overall :)

More generally, I'd like to enter more short races for the fun. I know I said that last year already...

Beside that, I'll try to marshal at Hardmoors 110. Since I came down from the race's high I've been thinking about that: I'd like to give something back to the race. It would be cool to be posted at Bloworth Crossing or Roseberry Topping...

Ultra ideas.