Marathon Training: Masochism or Machismo?

I've gotten it into my head to run another marathon. Maybe it's nostalgia for those productive college days... Maybe it's a yearning for that finish-line feeling of accomplishment... Maybe it's a need to prove that "I've still got it"... Maybe it's masochism pure and simple... In any case, I bought some new running shoes tonight, so I'm at least $90 into this thing. (No stopping now!)

The Marine Corp Marathon is on October 28, which gives me about seven months to get ready. Posted on our bedroom door is a flashy training schedule/calendar I made with pictures from old races to keep me motivated. (Cali thinks it's "cute." Are you kidding? I'm training to run 26.2 miles, woman! This is teeth-gnashing and gut-busting stuff! Cute?!?) I'm planning on running four times a week, building from around 14 miles of weekly mileage to about 40 before the taper. Yesterday I ran four miles and it was tough (not a teeth-gnashing, gut-busting tough - more of a creaky-jointed, what-were-you-thinking tough) Still, I got through it. Much to my dismay, I'm not the runner I once was. The weekly stuff will get easier as I fall into a routine - if it doesn't, I just wasted $90!

Feel free to follow up on me and my progress. I'll probably post more about my training during the coming months.