I’m back from vacation! After 7 days of full relaxation in Mexico, I’m itching to move my legs like crazy and pick up my training plan again. If you’re like me, you carry your planner with you wherever you go (yes, even if it’s out for drinks with friends on a Friday night and even when you know there’s a high probability that you won’t even need it). But this past week, I totally unplugged myself from all social networks, online communication, and even my planner. It’s weird to turn back the page and see nothing scribbled and scrawled there–no “to dos” listed to motivate me to accomplish something each day. I’ll be posting more about the vacation over the weekend for your drooling pleasure. 🙂

In the meantime, I was thinking about getting some feedback about marathon training plans. I feel like there are so many out there to choose from and it’s only a matter of trial and tribulation until you find the one that works for you. As I’ve only trained for half marathons before, the decision between one plan or another for twice the distance seems even more important. I’ve always been a huge fan of Hal Higdon’s plans, with a little bit of my own alterations and speedwork additions sprinkled in. And sometimes, it just comes down to how I feel each day. There’s no secret that putting in the miles is the first step for a long distance runner, but how those miles are arranged and when you plan your recovery seems to set each plan apart from another. Let me know which plan works for you and feel free to leave comments about why you like or dislike the plan you’re using!

-J