Um... OK, now what?

Let us recap here for a second.

From March 2012 to March 2013 I ran. Just flat out ran; three times a week with no real plan other then to increase the distance I could run at one time. Then, after the World's Best 10K, I began to officially use a training plan; a Half-Marathon Training plan for beginners. This got me from a 6 mile long run to a 10 mile one. Not bad...

Then immediately after finishing the beginner's plan (I didn't actually run a Half; it was more a hypothetical Half I guess) I jumped into the intermediate version of the plan. This time around I didn't focus on increasing distance as much as I was working on running at a faster pace for longer periods and while I only extended my long  run to 11 miles, all the speed work and tempo runs on this plan got me from running at around 16:30 to 17 min/mile pace to being able to run up to 7 miles at around the 14's. Again, not bad...

Lately, I have been keeping my long runs shorter to practice maintaining a faster pace. I can really feel the difference. Plus, I started cross-training by going to the gym. It hasn't all been honky-dory; there has been an "adjustment" period (read: horrific pain and soreness) but the worse seems to be behind me. No, like really, behind me. Ever since I started doing squats, my butt hurts.

And here we are today.

With my goal race about 119 days away (as of August 10, 2013), I'm trying to figure out how to put all I have worked on together into a sensible marathon training plan. Along the way, I will run a half-marathon in November (thanks for the jokes and support by the way; I am seriously considering the tutu idea. If you can't beat them...) to test my progress and then, the marathon. Wow, I can't believe I've made it this far.

Basically, I have the intermediate half training plan I just finished and a beginner's full marathon training plan I'm supposed to begin at the end of September. The marathon training plan is a bit soft in terms of mileage (operative word: beginner) so I would be pulling back if I start it from the beginning. The Half plan has more mileage at the start and overlaps almost exactly with the full plan at the end (following me so far?). So what to do? I thought you'd never ask.

Do the half plan again. This time focusing on distance instead of speed. If I start right now, it will line up with the Diva's Half exactly (yay), from then on I can ride the full marathon plan all the way to Florida. I would be starting on week 8 of the plan, which has a 15 mile long run, so it lines up perfectly. I think. Will it work? Well, it better because that's my plan and I'm sticking to it. For now...