Shut up and Run

Ok I promise I won't bore y'all with everything toooo much. But I'm in schedule madness at the moment. If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know I followed Hal Higdon's Intermediate I for my Chicago marathon, no schedule for my Derbyshire marathon (doh!) and Hal Higdon Intermediate II which then dropped down to Intermediate I for my fourth marathon. I am now 1 week away from starting an 18 + 2 week training program for London. Why +2? Because I've booked a 10 day skiing holiday in January where I probably won't be running. (Plenty of hard aerobic workouts though - I ski like I run, little skill, much determination). I feel that Hal and I have reached the end of our road together - I don't know whether I could improve much more on this schedule. I would like a different program this time as I think I would benefit from more varied workouts - a bit of speedwork, more tempo work etc. Sooo... I have been reading Pete Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning and my - this is advanced stuff. I've come a long way since starting running with John Bingham. While I think I'm at the bottom end of the people he's writing for I do want to improve my marathon time (are you kidding? who doesn't?) and I also want to try something new..

So - what are the factors?
- Jen (the great and the fast ) commented that's she's about to finish a 12 week Pfitz programme but feels that 18 might be too long - you might lose motivation. More so than with other programs Jen? I'm really interested to know what you think.
- the fabulous MarathonMaritza? You followed Pfitz for 18 weeks no? What did you think?
- Anyone else got some thoughts to throw in?

I'm going to have to show my hand here as well. Remember that post I put up and took down recently about prioritising and fitting everything in? Well.. I wrote that because I was in the process of finalising arrangements for a job. I have been working freelance from home for some time now but have now been offered a part-time position in a marketing department. It's a great job with great challenges AND mommy-friendly hours - 9-2:30 Mon-Thurs so it has everything I could ask for at this point. BUT while I've been able to run when I wanted recently since my son went to school, I am obviously going to have to do a lot more prioritising now. This is a good thing - I tend to get more organised when I have to and much more efficient. But. Running. So - here's my thinking. The Pfitz 18 week schedule has 4 days of running, 3 of rest / cross training. Long runs on Sunday. Now - given that my Fridays are free I think I would do my long runs on Friday and then just move the whole schedule back 2 days. This would mean that I would have to fit in one midweek long run during my Mon-Thu working week. Thankfully I joined a gym a month or so ago so I think that run will most of these in the evening on a treadmill. Husband is very supportive - of marathoning and working - so, provided I schedule all my runs in - I think that is feasible.

So what do you all think? Am I nuts? The more sensible amongst you will probably say you can't tell me whether this is all feasible. On the scale of discipline and determination I would say I am definitely human - I get tired and lose motivation - but I am also determined and keen. And I think it will help me to cope with the inevitable workplace stress etc. to have my running to come back to.

Input asked for guys and gals. In the meantime, I've been having a good time running footloose and schedule-free. Had a few days in London this week and check me out in Hyde Park

Yup there's Lolly again - this time city dog took country girl for a run round Hyde Park!

And ShirleyPerly - I had to think of you when I saw this. Bear in mind that it was cold (maybe about 3 or 4 above (Celcius) and look at these gals swimming with the ducks!
Shirley's also tagged me so my next post will be a meme... And we will soon be onto rhinos I promise! In the meantime, keep running!