Ive had the same goal for more than two years now: to qualify for the Boston Marathon. To do so, I have to run the New York City Marathon in less than 3 hours and 35 minutes, or about 8 minutes a mile.Ive attempted this feat three times in the past. Once, the weather had a different plan for me. The second time, after 15 miles, two bathroom breaks and bad pacing deterred my goal, and the third time I got injured six weeks before the race. Needless to say, Im still chasing the unicorn.This time, Im taking you along with me.Im Megan Flood, and Ill be writing a biweekly blog on training for the New York City Marathon. Every other week until November, Ill update you on my progress and explore a training topic, such as diet, gear or mentality. This week, in my inaugural blog, well go over picking a training plan. But first, heres a little bit about my running background:I started running marathons in 2011; I was a freshman in college and I wanted to stay as active as I had been in high school. I had also harbored an eight-year-long goal of running the 2011 NYC marathon. And since then, Ive completed seven full and seven half-marathons. This upcoming race will be my fifth in New York and eighth overall.Needless to say, Im more experienced than your average runner, but my blog will provide tips and suggestions for runners of all levels.***Choosing the correct training plan for me is vital, especially now that I have such a specific time goal in mind. In 2011, all I wanted to do was to finish. I didnt even know if Id run another marathon after that one.Since 2011, Ive used a virtual coaching plan by Adidas call miCoach, and since last year, Ive used the advanced plan of the Hansons Marathon Method.Not everyone has success with the same plan, so its important to choose one based on how much time youll be able to dedicate to your training and how many days a week youd liked to run, cross train (i.e., cycle, elliptical) and rest.The Hansons Method has an easy plan and an advanced plan. I consider myself an average amateur runner, and with my experience, I felt confident in choosing the advanced route. Ive also used it twice before this marathon.It calls for me to run six days a week, with speed and strength work on Tuesdays, rest on Wednesdays, tempo runs on Thursdays, long runs on Sundays and easy days on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. This has been my basic running calendar since last summer. The time and number of miles required each week (from 26 miles to 62 miles per week, built up) make it physically and mentally demanding to stay on track. It definitely isnt for the weakhearted, but I know a lot of people who have successfully qualified for Boston with this plan.Due to a previous injury that Id like to keep at bay during this training cycle, Ive modified the plan: On Mondays, instead of an easy run, Ill go on the stationary bike or elliptical. Ill also start the speed training two weeks later than the plan suggests. Ive been in physical therapy for my injury and consulted with my doctor regarding the modifications. (Its important to discuss training through an injury or plan modifications for an injury with your doctor.)I recommend finding a plan that fits your life like a good pair of shoes. If you feel like youre forcing your training into your life, you will feel less motivated to stay on schedule. A marathon is a daunting distance, no matter if youre looking to cross it off your bucket list or to run your 50th. But it should be fun, so find a plan that matches how often you want to run, how fast you want to run and the types of runs you want to complete. Steve Yzerman Red Wings Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Darren Helm Jersey . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. http://www.redwingshockeyauthentic.com/trevor-daley-jersey/ . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. Curtis Joseph Jersey . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Andreas Athanasiou Jersey . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter was not going to take it easy, not after spending 91 agonizing games sidelined with a broken ankle. Thats not Jeter. At 39 years old, the New York Yankees captain might not have been ready to return to the team at his desired level of play. In his first game this season, Jeter strained his right quadriceps in his third at-bat Thursday. He will miss the weekend series against Minnesota, and New York wont rule out a return to the disabled list. "Its frustrating. I dont know what else you want me to say," Jeter said in a statement Friday. "I worked hard to get to the point of rejoining the team yesterday. Its not how you draw it up, but hopefully Ill be back out there soon and help this team win some games." After just four rehabilitation games, the Yankees pushed up the star shortstops return one day after Brett Gardner and Travis Hafner got hurt Wednesday night. Jeter had been telling the team he was ready to return, and general manager Brian Cashman said reports from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre were positive. So Jeter returned to a huge ovation and beat out an infield hit in his first at-bat. He also scored a run and had an RBI on a groundout that ended in a close play at first. He was pinch hit for in the eighth inning. "The way the game unraveled in his first two at-bats, they were go getem situations, and Dereks going to do everything he can to succeed, and his body said not yet," Cashman said. "Is that because of his age or more so maybe what hes coming back from? ... Its hard to say." Either way, Jeter is out again. An MRI showed a grade one strain. Jeter, of course, was against going straight to the disabled list. The plan is to keep the shortstop out for the three-game series against the Twins, and then he will have four days for the All-Star break to receive further treatment before the Yankees reevaluate. After the break, they start a series at Boston on July 19. "Well have to give it some time and see how he responds," said Cashman, who added that Jeters ankle iss fine.dddddddddddd. Cashman wouldnt blame age as a factor for Jeters latest injury: "I dont want to say its Father Time knocking on his door." But manager Joe Girardi was realistic about how he uses the Yankees career hits leader. "I dont think its a guy that you can run out there 40, 50 days in a row like you used to," Girardi said. "Youre going to have to manage that." In a season full of makeshift lineups because of absent former All-Stars, the Yankees appear to have been snakebit twice. Call it DL 2.0. Jeter joins Mark Teixeira (wrist surgery), outfielder Curtis Granderson (broken pinkie) and catcher Francisco Cervelli (broken hand), who have been hurt and then had setbacks or second injuries. Teixeira returned briefly before season-ending surgery. Cervelli developed a stress reaction and is shut down for now. Granderson, who broke his forearm in his first at-bat in spring training only to be hit again after eight games back, was just cleared Thursday to take dry swings, Cashman said. Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) was due to play seven innings for Class-A Tampa on Friday night, but the game was rained out. He is just 2 for 15 in his rehab assignment with one RBI. Cashman was eager to get his stars back but with all the setbacks and uncertainty, he can expect to explore trades as the July 31 deadline approaches. "When theyre healthy theyre getting plugged in," Cashman said. "And well be willing to sink or swim with them but dont misunderstand that were not going to try to reinforce other aspects when we can, if we can. But we really do look forward to getting those guys back." Either way, Girardi thinks the team, which is 50-42 despite all the injuries, will do just fine. "This group has been pretty good about moving on," he said. NOTE: The Yankees completed a contract with their third first-round draft pick, Aaron Judge, No. 32 overall for $1.8 million. The outfielder out of Fresno State was a compensation pick for losing Nick Swisher to free agency. ' ' '