What to run next?

I am a person that needs deadlines.  Goals.  If I’m going to accomplish something I need a clear-cut objective and commitment.  For example, I did not once turn a college or grad school paper or assignment in after the stated due date, and within the stated page length.  If you tell me to meet you at 5pm, I will be there at 5pm.  Not 5pm-ish or 5:30pm.  5pm.  This can be problematic when I’m invited to a party that “starts” at 8, but really doesn’t start till at least 10:30.  Why not just say 10:30?!  However, if you want 20 cupcakes baked for that party, I will bake 20 cupcakes (actually I’ll bake 21 and eat the extra, 22 if S wants one) and bring them on time.

I find it hard to do things without clear parameters.  It drives me crazy if someone tells me they will be doing something in the afternoon.  Which part of the afternoon?  12:01?  2:15?  3:53?  4:27?  Worse is, “I’ll get there when I get there” (mom, I’m talking to you).  I really can’t stand when someone tells me to get something done “when it’s done.”  Or “get here when you get here.”  (Of course none of this applies to vacation time.  I don’t care when or what you do as long as there is a beach involved.)

So you can imagine my frustration with not having a new running goal in mind yet.  Since I ran a half-marathon earlier this month, I have just been running to run.  Ok, yeah, I like running for its own sake.  Love it, in fact.  BUT I can only run just to run for so long.  Without a goal I don’t know how much or how far to run.  This leads to either way too much running and getting injured for no good reason, or to not running enough and losing all the fitness I’ve built up to that point.  Neither is a fun thing. It’s also really easy to roll back over when you don’t have a stated reason to go.  Sure, fitness/health/well-being are all fantastic reasons.  Takes more than that to get me out of a warm bed to head out into a dark, cold morning.

Now I’m looking for a goal for the spring season.  Since Boston went ahead and filled up in 8 hours (!) I have to think a little harder.  Hmm…but what?  Maybe I need to be clearer about what I’m looking for.  What would I ask someone else with the same conundrum….

What race distance do you have in mind?  I love the idea of a full marathon, but I also have been enjoying all the shorter distances lately, especially the half marathon.  And it’s getting colder outside and the days shorter.  Maybe another half in the spring and then a full (NYC!) next fall?

When?  A full would probably have to be later in the spring, as I’ll be out of town and not likely to train for three weeks in January.  A shorter race could be as early as March.

How about the race place?  Destination vs. closer to home.  Destination means going somewhere new and/or getting to visit friends or family I don’t see often enough.  Close to home means less travel hassle and easier to fit into the schedule.  Probably have to be a US race, so crossing an ocean is out, and Alaska (too cold) and Hawaii (see about the ocean thing) are likely off the list too, though parts of Canada or Mexico could be cool and do-able.

So I’m looking for a marathon or shorter race, somewhere in North America below the tundra, sometime in the spring.  Ok, a quick search of marathonguide.com shows that there are roughly one trillion possibilities.  (I exaggerate, but not by that much.)

Ok, plan B in my search:  Advice?!

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