Blogger Fail ... but let the marathon training begin

Well ... I know ... I stopped writing in here for much too long.   I'm having an adventure crisis though as we can't decide what to do next!  The world is, quite simply, too rich with adventure possibility.
On our must-do list at the moment we have: scuba diving live-aboard in the Galapagos, diving trip to Little Cayman, get our ice diving cert. somewhere and also, pre-Galapagos & Little Cayman, get our nitrox cert.  Clearly our adventure planning has really taken a focus on scuba diving!

Beyond scuba diving, my running continues.  In fact, I have registered for my first ever marathon at the Ottawa Race Weekend in May, 2014!  Eek.  I had a training plan in mind that would put me at this point in about 3 years from now ... but, like most other things that I feel challenged to do (someone said I wouldn't run a marathon 1 year and change ago and that was when and why I started running in the first place), I've grabbed this one by the horns and jumped right in.  

This has created an interesting reduction in fear that I was experiencing for the 30km Around The Bay Road Race that I am also registered for in March, 2014.  This race has been creating anxiety since I registered months and months ago.  The tales of the final hill have created many a nightmare.   But now, with a 42.2 in the plans, the 30k has moved into a happier part of my mind.  I wonder if this could be a fear-management strategy - always register for something scarier!!!

Anyway, my reason for starting this train of thought was to ask how people manage to run 5 times a week AND cross train?  I do know the answer though - scheduling - but I felt like asking it anyway!

Another thought, I can see this blog becoming a mush of adventure travel and running training which might break the #1 rule of blogging - stick to one topic.  But then, what if my ultimate goal for running training is to be able to comfortably complete marathons in amazing tropical destinations.   I think I answered my own question - new goal identified.

And last but not least ... I have a new goal to always look better in finishing photos than this one from my first 1/2 marathon this spring!  I don't know why I am sharing it, but it is the best pic I have from that race.

(& I am working on sorting through the 100GB of photos we have from Kili and will eventually post a link and a lessons learnt post on here ... I am sorry for the delay)