Now that Chicago is over, I looking at my options for redemption. If I were properly trained, I would have probably tried the Dallas White Rock Marathon in early December, but I think I need to start a new training cycle. I did a 24-week plan for Chicago, but I think I want to do an 18-week plan this time around. I think the shorter plan will help me with my motivation, although I think I’m pretty motiviated after Chicago.

If I give myself 1-2 weeks to recover, an 18- week plan will take me towards the end of February. I don’t want to have to spend a lot of money traveling, so I think my current options are:

• The Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth on Feb 23, 2008 - This one is local so no traveling would be involved.
• The Austin Marathon on Feb 17, 2008. Austin is within driving distance and I could probably get away with just having to spring for 1 night at a hotel.
• The A1A Ft. Lauderdale Marathon on Feb 17, 2008. I telecommute for my company which is in Ft. Lauderdale and I’m back there every other month or so. I could actually time one of my trips to coincide with the marathon and thus not have to pay any travel expenses.

I’m actually having a hard time deciding which one to run. The good thing is that I can actually wait until the end of the year since the fees don’t go up until then and it is unlikely the marathons would fill. Each of these have pros and cons. Some of the factors I’m looking at are:

The Cowtown and Austin seem to be quite hilly. I’m trying to find out which, if any, will have pace groups as I think that will be important to me unless I eventually find a way to properly pace myself without any help. The Cowtown and A1A are definitely small marathons that seem to have around 600-700 runners.

The weather should be within my ideal range at all 3 marathons.

I’ll keep doing my due dilligence, but I would certainly appreciate feedback from anyone that has run one of these 3 marathons in the past.