Just asking, I am already trying to figure up my 2014 races (HMs with a possible FM in the Fall) so I was curious as to when others start trying to figure out what races they'll be doing and how many.

Depends mostly on two factors:  how far we are travelling for them and how far in advance they sell out.

Already registered for Ireland at the end of Sept. Not taking any chances.

Doing Disney Princess next weekend. Registered for that last Sept I think. This is the first destination

race I'm going to without my dear better half. I'm a little sad about it but it's a girls trip and my Christmas

gift and he had not interest in the Disney Princess!LOL

Have at least 12 others planned for 2013 but non registered for yet.

For more local races, or anything in 4-5 hour driving distance  we usually try to register prior to the prices

going up. With both hubby and I running anywhere from 15-20 races each season it can get expensive

(especially for duathlons and triathlons) so we try to save the $15-$20 X 2 that usually comes with a early

bird fee, when we can. 

We do typically look at the following year just to decide on what our destination races will be but don't

register until travel plans are confirmed.

Yeah, I am taking a look at 2014 already, next May I am going to do the One America 500 Festival Mini up in Indy. I kind of wished I had registered for that one  instead of the Flying Pig Half in Cincinnati (the day after). but I've always got next year 

With the exception of a couple races that are annual events for me, I start planning my racing year in December just before the year begins. I eschew large races and generally wait until the last minute for on-line registration or wait until race day to register. It's a rare event for me to travel more than an hour for a race. Most are local and within 30 minutes of home. In over 40 years I can think of only two races I specifically travelled for (and one of those was to crew, not run) though I have raced non-locally when a race was convenient while on vacation or traveling for other reasons.

wcrunner2 - where do you live that lets you race without having to go too far? I'll be running in St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati this year, all over 200 miles from me but we're making it a mini vacation also so it isn't huge deal. Next year I am looking at races ranging from Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and northern Indiana.

Pae - I am doing the Half, is there a video of the course like many other races you'll see on Youtube or somewhere?

I'm still pretty new to this, but this is my current strategy for signing up for races.

5K's - I look for one, and sign up when I feel like I need to test where I'm at in my training.  If it's this weekend, I'll see if I can sign up day of even.  If it's a few weeks out, I'll sign up in time to guarantee a shirt.

10K's - I haven't run one yet, but I'm looking at one in April.  I'm in no hurry to register.

HM's - I want to find it in time to train for it (months in advance), and register in time for the discount :-)

Marathons - I'm registered for my first, and I was waiting for the January 1st discount.  That's 11 months in advance.  Yep, I'm running the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.  I'll see you there.  I ran the half last year, and it was awesome.  I decided that I wanted it to be my first Marathon, and waited for the $55 registration on January 1.  I saved about $70.

For half and fulls, we plan pretty far in advance...already planning for Goofy 2015!!!  5 and 10Ks, we just do whatever we feel like doing.  For obstacle races, we try to plan pretty far in advance because they are pretty cheap before the first deadline and then go WAY up!!  And count me in for Monumental Marathon as well!!

When do registrations normally open? I know registrations for the Indy Monumental Half (and probably the Full too) opened January 7, so that was almost 10 months in advance I think.