What's next?

That's the big question. It's been 14 days since the marathon and I have not touched my running shoes since. Yet my recovery has been the most active ever, with a five-month-old energetic puppy that needs to be walked three times a day.

I've been hesitant about deciding on my races for the next six months for a few reasons, and they have little to do with running.

A. The puppy requires a lot of attention which is simply a priority at the moment and requires a time and energy commitment

B. A partner who is training for Ironman Canada, scheduled for late August, on top of working full-time

C. My commitments as a volunteer for VISUALS, a group of visual artists in Squamish, which consists of coordinating publicity and marketing as well as coordinating two exhibitions, both held in the June/July/August period; time to paint as I am participating in three exhibitions this summer, and one in winter.

D. The arrival of two great friends from Australia - one arrives on July 1 and will live with us for two months while training for numerous triathlons, and his partner joins us in mid-August. Tim and our friends will race Ironman Canada, while Luka and I will be cheering them on

E. On top of that, and this should actually be listed as my No. 1 goal, is my work on completing a book that I have been writing and rewriting for 18 months now.

So, while I can and will make the time to train for races, I am wondering if I am able to make the mental and physical commitment required to run a marathon PB this year. The one I'd most like to do because I loved the race last year is the Victoria Marathon.

However that race is held on the same day as the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii which if all goes according to plan Tim will qualify for. That would mean we would be in Hawaii instead of Vancouver Island on the weekend of the Victoria Marathon. But we won't know for sure until the end of August.

Perhaps the answer is to pick another marathon earlier or later this year, or to simply focus on racing 10k's and half marathons in the next six months. I am hoping the answer will come to me soon. I'll definitely go for my first run in two weeks tomorrow - nice and easy.