Reflection and a week of recovery...

First, I would like to thank Zeke, Rob and others for the words of encouragement, congratulations, advice, etc in response to my Marathon report.

I still have not run since the race on Sunday. I decided to take the week off. I may go out for a short one today just to get re-acclimated. It is cold here today, but very clear and sunny.

Recovery from last Sunday's marathon was remarkably smooth for me. Strange, considering how much I struggled the last 3 miles. After we returned from Florida on Tuesday, I played a 1.5 hour hockey game on Tuesday night in the men's league. I didn't feel sore or slow at all.

The next three days were focused on catching up with work and dealing with trying to sell our condo.

My wife and I are about to move in the couple months or so from Connecticut to the Chicago suburbs. This will be the big personal change (and a huge piece of work) that we will need to work through that I will need to balance with running.

Based on some of your comments, I will be looking into the advice on Pfitzinger training plan. I don't have the Advanced Marathoning book but I will get it. I have not seen the weekly mileage plans, but I am hearing rumblings of 55-miles per week from some of the discussion boards that I have read.

I think that I do have the potential to run a 3:10 and qualify for Boston. I really believe that. However, I am struggling with the commitment that I know it will require to achieve it.

I understand that the vast majority of us in this "run blog community" in are in the same boat: We have dayjobs, wives, kids, friends and/or other interests that compete with our passion and desire to keep running. When not training for a marathon, I have found that I am happy when I run anywhere between 18 and 30 miles per week.

During marathon training, running 35 miles/week is no problem. Above that, it starts to get hectic with balancing work and the uncertainty of the winter weather. The intermediate plan I have followed the last 4 years only takes me up to 40 per week max. To get this 3:10 will require much more than that -- AND at slower paces than I have in the past, thus adding even more time required per week to my training.

Plus, I am sensitive to warm weather. Therefore, to successfully train, it will mean many early mornings will need to be dedicated to running through the summertime in our new community.

Not worried about another marathon until later in the year. Once we get back from vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in early June, it will be 20 weeks til the Chicago Marathon in mid-October. This is likely to be my next marathon.

For now, I will get back into my 18-30 mile per week routine and run the 5M to 1/2 marathon races when I can. I am looking in to doing a half in about 4 weeks. Gotta get back out there if I am going to be ready for that...

Greater Danbury Half Marathon - Sunday, April 2
http://www.jbsports.com/race_information.htm#greatdanbury