Baseball teams use home-field advantage to place their hits according to the quirky dimensions of their own ballpark. In hockey, home ice allows teams the final line change.

Runners have a home course advantage as well. But it's only an advantage if you take it.

When I ran the Senior Olympics 10K in 2005, the top five finishers were from Western Pennsylvania. We all had practiced at least a couple of times on the hilly North Park course.

While the race was still one of the most difficult 10Ks I've run, at least I wasn't surprised by it.

One of the greatest fears in life is fear of the unknown. Running on a familiar course allows runners to relax, to internalize and to focus on the aspects of racing within their control.

That's what runners in my Saturday morning group hope to achieve by taking a road trip this weekend to the Pittsburgh Marathon course. We'll try to get familiar with 20 miles of the marathon route and take away that fear.

I always smiled when someone at the start of the original Butler Road Race 10K said, "I hear there's a hill in this race." I knew there was a good chance I'd finish ahead of this person, who hadn't bothered to check out the course.

It isn't always possible to preview a race course on foot, especially out-of-town events. And running some courses on busy city boulevards can be dangerous. If you can't run the course, you should at least take a tour by car.

I learned that lesson the hard way on my first attempt at the Ogden Newspapers 20K in Wheeling, W.Va. After a pancake flat start in downtown, the race veers away from the Ohio River to climb for more than a mile. I was humbled by dozens of West Virginians who chugged determinedly up Chicken Neck Hill while I gasped for air.

While not quite as effective, some larger races offer video or virtual tours of their courses. If you can't take a tour, at least study an elevation map. If you can't practice on the actual course, you might be able to replicate the terrain at home.

Practice is especially important on physically demanding courses. And the early downhills of the Boston Marathon can pound your legs and feet into painful exhaustion by the time you reach the climbs in the second half if you haven't trained properly.

If you can't train on Heartbreak Hill, you can set up similar conditions around your neighborhood.

Saturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Your choice of distance. No coffee and doughnuts this weekend as Ed takes a road trip to the marathon course. 724-898-2525 or shoes@runpa.comSaturday, 8:30 a.m.: Martha's Run 10K, Mount Lebanon. Challenging course starts at Mount Lebanon High School. 412-454-0204 or rrinaldo@williamscoulson.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Riverside Run 10K, 5K and Fun Run, Pittsburgh. Run along Allegheny River's North Shore. 412-766-2693 or tricia@genesispgh.orgSaturday, 9 a.m.: Great Shamokin Path 5K, Nu Mine. 724-783-7040, Ext. 304 or merc@asd.k12.pa.usSaturday, 9 a.m.: Mountain Duathlon, Coopers Rock State Park, Bruceton Mills, W.Va. Off-road race of 2-mile trail run, 8-mile mountain bike ride and 2-mile run. Nathan.Kile@mail.wvu.eduSaturday, 10 a.m.: Ole 5K Run-Walk, North Park. Starts at Harmar Grove Pavilion (behind swimming pool), benefits Anna Seethaler Hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. 412-367-2428 or keith.bish@verizon.netApril 17, 9 a.m.: Armstrong County YMCA Big Foot Half Marathon and 5K, Kittanning. 724-545-9622 or jbeeker@armstrongymca.orgApril 17, 9:30 a.m.: Big Blue Quest 5K, North Park. Also 2K fun walk, starts at pool area. www.bigbluequest.orgApril 24, 9 a.m.: Team Alex 5K and 5 Mile Run-Walk, North Park. Starts at boathouse. 724-934-3672 or bmac@zoominternet.netApril 24, 10 a.m.: St. Bernard's School 5K Run-Walk, Indiana. Run out and back on Hoodlebug Trail. 724-422-4338 or K32Hilliard@comcast.netApril 25, 10 a.m.: Boyce Park Trail Run 10K and 5K, Monroeville. 412-303-8610April 25, 1 p.m.: Get Lost Orienteering Race, Coopers Rock State Park, Bruceton Mills, W.Va. Use a map and compass to score points by locating various checkpoints. 304-293-0851 or Nathan.kile@mail.wvu.eduMay 1, 9 a.m.: Friendship Hill 5-Mile Trail Run, Morgantown, W.Va. Starts at Friendship Hill National Historic Site 10 miles north of Morgantown. 304-293-0851 or Nathan.kile@mail.wvu.eduMay 1, 10 a.m.: Pittsburgh Marathon Kids' Marathon, Pittsburgh. Ages 5 through 14 run or walk a noncompetitive mile starting at David Lawrence Convention Center. 412-586-7785 or www.pittsburghmarathon.orgMay 2, 7:30 a.m.: Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relay, Pittsburgh. It's sold out but you can still volunteer to help. 412-586-7785 or www.pittsburghmarathon.com

<B>Just a Short Run Half Marathon, March 27:</B> Jeff Weiss, 1st Overall M, 1:07:11; Karen McClintock, 1st Overall W, 1:20:57; Jason Jacobs, 3rd 25-29 M, 1:24:31; Barry Mittermeier, 2nd 50-54 M, 1:28:08; Susan Piotrowski, 2nd 40-44 W, 1:39:02; Paul Severine, 2nd 35-39 M, 1:43:37; Curt Grimm, 1st 60-64 M, 1:44:21; Cindy Grimm, 1st 55-59 W, 1:46:42; Lauren McKinney, 1st 19 and under W, 1:49:53; Kristina Paracca, 2nd 19 and under W, 2:09:58; Suzanne Leonberg, 3rd 50-54 W, 2:10:00Susan Tassey, 3:04:58; Bradley Schmitt, 1:36:15; Mark Shipley, 1:36:26; Ron Trout, 1:37:03; James Wrubel, 1:38:54; Bill Melfi, 1:39:14; Bob Cunningham, 1:40:01; Chris Romito, 1:43:14; Barry Waiter, 1:43:33; Mark Pekich, 1:4:56; Ryan Kennis, 1:45:54; Mike Kriznik, 1:48:52; Jim Clark, 1:49:04; Darren Allworth, 1:50:50; Robert Todd, 1:52:28; Bob Stanionis, 1:52:41; Matt Brandt, 1:53:16; Stacy Juchno, 1:53:25; Michael Cratty, 1:55:02; Cyndie DeLucia, 1:55:37; David Csupak, 1:55:38; Linda Etherson, 1:55:53; Ryan Smith, 1:56:09; Scott Glebe, 1:56:56Ann Tallerico, 1:57:23; David Steigerwald, 1:58:06; Larry Brubach, 1:58:11; Nicole Khoury, 1:58:44; Kristine Poloyac, 1:59:19; Angela Marchiori, 159:56; Jessica Meurer, 2:00:16; Michael Gregory, 2:00:21; Keith Frosch, 2:00:43; Lisa Wolf, 2:01:45; Pam Fredericks, 2:02:14; Phillip Shinsky, 2:02:23; Lynn Royab, 2:05:45; Michelle Pekich, 2:06:31; Jaime Schmitt, 2:06:40; Neil Gregorio, 2:08:19; Kelli Hartman, 2:09:15; Karen Bowen-Meurer, 2:09:21; Tom Murray, 2:09:26; Justin Curry, 2:09:26; Brian Beitko, 2:09:34; Michelle Beitko, 2:09:35; Carly Porter, 2:10:27; Eileen Wrubel, 2:10:37Brian Shuttleworth, 2:11:11; Tom Ulewicz, Jr., 2:11:18; Terry Gizienski, 2:11:19; Renee Gliptis, 2:11:46; Renee Lambert, 2:12:02; Jennifer Do, 2:12:10; Tracy Stotler, 2:13:25; Marilyn LaRocca, 2:13:34; Elizabeth Mitros, 2:14:59; Chris Williams, 2:16:53; Marcie Good, 2:20:04; Thomas Karenbauer, 2:22:30; Jackie Karenbauer, 2:22:31; Linda Ryan, 2:23:30; Daniel Sawyer, 2:24:13; Jill Moreman, 2:25:31; Rebecca Shinsky, 2:27:57; Jeanne Iasella, 2:28:15; E Imhoff, 2:28:38; Daena Dibucci, 2:29:13; Marcia Semple, 2:46:31; Sherrie Mazurek, 2:53:58; Laura Augustine, 3:03:08; Lisa Vulakovich, 3:14:58; Teri Bottles, 3:40:00; Deborah Jackson, 3:40:07<B>Just a Short Run 30K, March 27: </B>Eric Anish, 1st Overall M, 1:52:18; Danielle Benson, 1st Overall W, 2:14:28; Richard Goldright, 1st 20-24 M, 1:58:09; Adam Leskanic, 3rd 35-39 M, 2:06:04; Brent Collins, 1st 45-49 M, 2:18:02; Lori Piedimonte, 2nd 45-49 W, 2:37:57; Lawrence Ross, 3rd 55-59 M, 2:42:47; Becky Miller, 3rd 45-49 W, 2:58:51Ken Elias, 2:17:46; John Armstrong, 2:21:03; Henry Spreng, 2:32:32; Eric Melo, 2:34:29; Robert Malchano, 2:35:31; Mike Monaco, 2:35:36; Jason Gallagher, 2:35:55; Julia Strejcek, 2:36:15; Duke Donnelly, 2:40:53; Chris Cutone, 2:40:56; Mark Spontak, 2:41:37; Keith Quisenberry, 2:43:46; Michael Labarre, 2:44:00; Shannon Smith, 2:44:54; Erin Nicotra, 2:46:50; Todd Trofimuk, 2:48:04; Mary Jo Sanks, 2:51:19; Jeffrey Yingling, 2:51:22; Paul McCartney, 2:53:29; Jill Jackson, 2:55:30; Christi Novak, 2:57:23; Amy Leonard, 3:00:43Rachel Salisbury, 3:01:59; Jason Logue, 3:06:12; Jim Villela, 3:07:55; Matthew Callihan, 3:08:05; Sean Nolan, 3:08:16; Carl Heinlein, 3:10:29; Gineen Jarnevich, 3:14:19; Mary Morgan, 3:14:29; Alice Wiesner, 3:16:43; Melissa Jungling, 3:22:59; Heather Slater, 3:23:08; Alfred Schnabel, 3:25:17; Kim Bell, 3:25:57; Carol English, 3:48:35; Anne Semmler, 3:53:40Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Road, Saxonburg PA 16056. Phone: 724-352-4395. E-mail: lotzak@consolidated.netPat Neubert is the running columnist for the Butler Eagle.