now what!?

thanks everyone for your comments!! it's so awesome to get feedback -- i will be sure to check out everyone's site who posted here . . .

in response to the iPod question - it's fine, now. but i've had this problem twice now where after running 2-3 hours with it, it freezes completely and then finally stops as if the battery is gone -- but there's NO WAY it's really gone, because i fully charged it beforehand (both times) and the little 'battery icon' wasn't even halfway used up! then, both times, it 'woke up' after a little charging. so maybe it IS battery issues - but if so, then the battery life certainly isn't what apple cracks it up to be.

complaints aside, i still love my tempermental machine. a lot.

ok. so i ran a marathon. but . . . now what?

here's the plan i've come up with for now . . . but it's subject to change!

recovery: i plan on taking the 4 weeks in a 'reverse taper', without much speedwork or super-long runs. i'm thinking something like:

this week (i'll call it week 0): run or walk (depending on how things feel) 30 minutes thursday, saturday, and sunday (today will be the last day of total rest)

week 1 of reverse taper: total 20 miles, split into five runs of 3, 3, 4, 4, and 6 miles

week 2 of reverse taper: total 27 miles, split into 5, 3, 5, 5, 9. maybe one day of easy-ish intervals

week 3 of reverse taper: total 32 miles, split into 6, 4, 5, 5, and 12 (i love my 12 mile weekend group runs and i can't wait to get back there!).

then, i'll do some specific 5K training (haven't picked out a 5K though, yet!)

and THEN, i want to train for a fall marathon, probably philadelphia. and someday, maybe not this time around, i would like to qualify for boston.

i can't help it. i like goals. they make life interesting.