My long-term goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. That needs to be a few years off seeing as I let myself get out of shape over the past year and seeing as the qualifying time for my age group is unrealistic for me (even when I am in shape) at 3:10. So.... I'm focused on the 2011 Boston Marathon when I'll be able to run in the 35-39 age group with a qualifying time of 3:15 (about 7:25/mile pace which would be significantly more attainable than the 7:15/mile pace required now). That means that I'd have to run my Boston qualifier (BQ) sometime after late September 2009, which gives me two years from now to get into marathon shape. I'm more or less in need of a two-year couch-to-BQ plan. Any ideas?

Last year when I was in shape I ran a 5:29 in a 1-mile track race, and a 20:20 5K road race, and a 1:41 half-marathon (first time that I ever ran over 12 miles). I averaged maybe 4 days a week with hill workouts, tempo runs, and long runs topping out at 13.4 miles following the half-marathon. Due to plantar fasciitis and certain life events I stopped running the end of November. I kind of started up again in the spring but have been averaging maybe once a week. I know that I have potential; I just need a good plan. Thoughts?

http://This message has been edited by streak790 (edited Sep-14-2007).