Grue - if you can keep on putting in 50-mile weeks until you're ready to get "serious" again, you will be in great shape. I agree with everyone that sometimes your mind is calling out for a break, even if your body is feeling fit. Also agree about the seasonal impact - we're right at the least amount of daylight of the year. It affects you, and brighter days are just about to begin!
JB - Like you, I ran my first HM, then did Higdon Intermediate for my first Marathon. I think it's a great plan, just remember the goal is to get to the starting line healthy. Lots of long, slower runs will have you ready to run your fastest on raceday.
Sports_fan - hang in there. If you're sore, then just ease back a little. Either cut out one of your runs each week, or dial back a little until you're not hurting.
9 miles @ 9:29 pace. Bounced between zone 2 and 3 with portions in zone 4. I think all of the miles were within +/- 5 secs of the pace except for one 9:50 and one 9:10 mile. Really didn't feel like running and the legs were sore. Fortunately a 9 miler feels like what a 3 mile run used to. Should have run this slower, but I wanted to get it done. Way overdressed for the occasion and the humidity had to be near 100% with mist in the air.
I have a picture of your wearing a tuxedo. And I love the part about a 9-miler feeling like 3 used to. Even if you didn't have a great run, what a great way to feel.
Sho Nuff - amazing job on the 5K. You need to sign up for a real race, just to see how fast you could really be. That is fantastic.
Tri-man - sounds like a great plan for 2012. You are going to clean up on the hardware.
I didn't want to run this morning, but forced myself out the door. And, like always, I'm so glad I did. I'm in a sweet spot right now - almost four weeks post-marathon, I still have most of my marathon fitness, but my legs are now feeling totally recovered and super fresh from all the low mileage recovery weeks I've been running. I did 5 miles, and just kept going faster throughout, as I get warmed up and felt like I wasn't laboring - mile splits went 8:35, 8:06, 7:41, 7:33, 6:46 (big finish). Could you call that a tempo run? If not, what do I do to turn that into a tempo run -- make it a little longer, run another mile or so at the fastest speed and then cool down, or what?