Time to plan for next year........

My running events for the year are complete, it's time to let the body heal and start to plan for next year. Looking back I did do a few races, 4 marathons, 3 50k's and a 1/2 marathon. The day after Murph I was sore, a bit of left foot pain, some left knee and hip pain, right side of the body felt good, mental state was great but overall I was feeling it. This 50k probably took more out of me physically then any other event for the year.

So the question is what do I next year? Do I focus on getting more states? Do I focus on my first 50? Do I do both? Do I figure out a training plan and follow it? Do I add cross training? Do I focus on losing weight? What to do?

As to races, I have signed up for Chippewa and will do Surf the Murph again but what else? I plan (hope) to do the Superior 50 in 2009 but that is predicated on getting in some training, staying healthy and having the family calendar line up with no conflicts as I will need their support to take on Superior.

Right now, I have identified a few races that have captured my interest, I am leaning towards either Clinton Lake or McNaughton Park Trail to take care of Illinois. Clinton Lake is just a 30 miler so it's real doable and is March 28th, perfect for building up to Chippewa, McNaughton would be a 50 and is on April 11th. What I love about McNaughton is that there is basically no time limit for it, you have 34 hours which is what they give the 100 milers and even today I think I can do that. What a great race to take the time limit pressure off for my first 50, I would just go and keep moving, one loop at a time. The problem from a training standpoint is that McNaughton is two weeks ahead of Chippewa, could I recover from it and still do ok at Chippewa? I think so but having never gone that far, I really don't know.

Another race that I am considering is the Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run 50k on February 14th which would take care of Kansas. I am not sure if that will work out with logistics or not but I like the timing as I would have to pretty much keep on training as we head into winter. I like that as I always train best when I have a race pending. There is also the Rockin K Trail Marathon and 50 miler on April 4th which sounds appealing.

See my dilemma, if I chose the Rockin K then Clinton Lake and McNaughton would be out. There are also a couple of races in Kentucky in February and March that look good. Then if I don't do McNaughton as my first 50, which one will I do or do I just target Superior? Ice Age is out, my daughter has a soccer tournament, Kettle Moraine might be problematic as well for soccer and they don't have a 50 miler, it would either be 38 miles or a 100k or I could lose my mind and try their 100 miler. Or do I go after states and try to click off a few marathons? There is the Grand Island Trail Marathon in Michigan, Deadwood in South Dakota, Bohemian Alps 50k in Nebraska, Gnaw Bone 50k/50 miler or Tecumseh Trail in Indiana.

What to do?

All I know is that I love this, the planning that is, as one running year winds down you immediately start planning for next year, now if I could only get as motivated for the training...................