Dare I Say It...Race Budget Time is Here

Next Sunday, April 28, 2013, I will run the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon in Washington, DC. I am extremely excited and can't wait to spend my birthday exploring our beautiful Capital city. The Tiffany's Finisher Necklace, friends, and Nike swag are pretty exciting too! This will be my first destination race, as I will be traveling across the country for it. I can't wait to run. It has also brought up the need for me to implement racing budgets. Yes, I cringed when I typed that word. 

Budgets are my least favorite thing when it comes to planning my race calendar and training. But, one that must be addressed. I do a relative few number of races per year, mainly due to money and partly to make myself adequately able to train for the ones that I REALLY want to do, aka: Nike Women Races, the Hood to Coast Relay and a few races with my close friends. I've never had a specific racing/training budget, but this year it has come to my attention that I should really start planning out my year ahead of time and budgeting a certain amount.

I also have started wanting to do more destination races, which are not any cheaper! Yes, Sydney Australia Marathon and Nike She Runs race down under, I will run you someday! China Wall Marathon, hopefully. London Marathon, absolutely! I have learned so much about cities and the streets by running, I can't imagine a better way to explore a new place. Of course, coming home with a great finisher's medal is awesome too. I think you can see my predicament: travel + race fees + training gear = Budget! 

Since I can't see myself being sponsored to travel the world to race quite yet, (though Nike - if you are listening, I'd love to run for you or work as an event organizer, I would be great at it), my only solution is to start a race fund and that starts with a monthly budget devoted to racing! 

Since I have no idea where to start, I need some help from you, my faithful racing friends. How much do you budget to racing monthly and how do you choose what races you will do each year? Do you have vacations planned around races? 

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! And if you know of anyone who wants to sponsor me to travel the world.... that would be great too.

~Karen