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You maintained a nice relationship with your fave treadmill at the gym over the long winter months. The steady rhythm of a three to four-day a week cardio routine kept your baseline fitness pretty strong. Now that spring has sprung, get out of your comfort zone and take it to the streets. There’s plenty of time to target a fall 2009 race and ramp up your weekly mileage. So set the bar high . . . marathon madness, an organic high!!

What, where, when, how? In no particular order, read on . . .

Commit to what you can reasonably achieve given your base – a half marathon (13.1 miles), growing more in popularity than any other distance, or, if you prefer to take big bites, a full marathon (26.2 miles). Be smart about your training and be forewarned there is a dizzying array of information out there on how to race your first or best full or half. Over 13 million hits from a “marathon training” web search plus all the training bible books means you can spend way too many hours obsessing instead of running. Focus! There are miles to log, a nutritional overhaul that’s probably overdue, and great gear to check out. And you need time to find the best deal for flight and room accommodations once you’ve committed to the perfect race . . . that happens to be on the other side of the country!

There are nearly as many strategies for running as there are opportunities to lace up and race. Assess your goal – to finish, cross the finish line with your best friend, score a PR (personal record), place well in your age category, win big – to refine your search for the right plan. Both running magazines I subscribe to have great info: www.runnersworld.com and www.runningtimes.com. Peruse archived articles since contributing authors, all with a rich base of experience, provide detailed training programs. If you’re self-motivated, determine how much time and intensity you are willing to commit – frequency, duration and type of sessions – and put a stake in the ground.

If you need a little more accountability, consider Training Peaks interactive web-based training plans: trainingpeaks. For a small investment, their software generates charts and graphs that provide great data on your progress. You will also receive detailed workout reminders via e-mail. You can opt for guidance on nutrition and receive meal plans that take the guesswork out of what provides a fuel advantage. My best nutritional advice? Shoot for a variety of nutrient dense whole foods that align with your sense of hunger and satiety and you’ll be fine.

More inspired by the power of the pack? Join your local running club, or if you live in or near a metropolitan area, specialty retail stores such as Fleet Feet Sports may sponsor racing teams for novice through elite runners. Not only can you partner-up for long training runs, you can dip into a deep well of training expertise. Check out the racks for the latest tech gear designed to keep your body blister and chafe-free whatever the weather and distance. Get fitted for a pair of sneakers that suit your gait pattern and break them in well before you hit the start line. Invest in several pair of good socks. Play around on your long runs with what combination of clothing feels and functions best. On race day, don’t deviate from what you know works. Avoid overdressing, unless you’re wearing a top layer you don’t mind tossing to the crowd. And write your name boldly and indelibly on your shirt as it gives spectators a reason to cheer specifically for you – a BIG boost once you hit midrace. Finally, if you’re prone to skin irritation, invest in BODYGLIDE Anti-Chafe Balm or good old Vaseline. And apply to sensitive areas liberally!

Need something bigger than yourself to get you through the grueling hours you’ll be spending on the road, prior to and during the event? Tap into a higher source by running for a cause. Set aside time to plan your fundraising strategy. For the big picture: www.running.about.com/od/charityrunninggroups. The Leukemia & Lymphoma’s Team in Training provides an amazing training program: www.teamintraining.org and you can feel good about fundraising for a charity with a well-defined mission.

Or, if you’ve committed to a particular race, scan their website or contact race organizers for details on what charities are sponsoring teams. Bigger races, such as the history-rich Boston Marathon run on April 20 this year, make it easy: bostonmarathon

You have the training plan, you have the gear, now where to go for the best experience? Depends on the season and how far you’re willing to travel. A great resource on specific events, www.active.com/running/marathonmania, gives tons of information on events near and far. Plus if you create a MyActive account on the site, you can register on-line for any race you’re interested in complete with links.

Here’s a sampler of favorites, spring and fall . . .

Spring Races: Boston Marathon, Boston, MA, for the more serious athlete as it requires you qualify by having run a previous marathon within a certain time based on age and sex. If you’re a music lover, consider the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN where every mile has at least one band blasting and it’s not limited to country! Do it up big for an entire sunshiny weekend at the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in Lake Buena Vista, FL. If you are all about breath-taking scenery, enter the Big Sur International Marathon in Big Sur, CA, but be prepared for spectacularly rolling hills along the Pacific. A little quirky? Go to Cincinnati, OH for the Flying Pig Marathon – big fun, well-organized and you can do a half marathon or go the full distance. One of the things that make the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, VT a great choice is the small field of runners – 3600. Grab your best friend and run as a team. Consider yourself a wild child? Embrace it – wilderness, wildlife, and a sun that barely sets are what the Mayor’s Marathon in Anchorage, AK is all about. If you run with a pack, consider the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Indianapolis, IN. It is the largest half-marathon in the US and if you have 3-5 runners, you can enter the Team Challenge and vie for commemorative awards, including one for the best name, performance be damned!

Fall Races: Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL – speaking from experience as I’ve done it twice – the crowd support and Chinatown costumes keep you from feeling your feet even hit the ground before mile 20. Nike Women’s Marathon in San Fran, CA awards all finishers, even men who run, a Tiffany necklace . . . need I say more? Marine Corps Marathon, Arlington, VA winds it’s way around historical monuments where you can’t help but feel the richness of our country. ING New York City Marathon, New York, NY is for those of us who like drama and intensity. It’s the biggest race in the country and like a good wine flight, gives a taste of all five boroughs that leaves you wanting more – just not by foot! The Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon, Las Vegas, NV offers the opportunity to do either a half or full but be ready for a super early start – 6 am – when many casinos diehards are wrapping up their night. And although it’s not technically a fall race since it is in January, the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, TX, is mostly downhill for those looking to set a PR.

Foodies take note . . .

Eat well the night before and drink lots of fluids of the non-alcohol and caffeine variety. Many races offer a pre-race carb-heavy meal for participants where you can mix and mingle with like-minded souls. The spaghetti and iceberg lettuce salad with bottled dressing might not be great but the camaraderie will be. A cup of coffee the day of, as long as it’s a part of your normal routine, can boost performance and the use of fat as fuel. Oranges, bananas, oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter on whole wheat toast all rise to the top for day-of-the-race breakfast choices. Don’t get funky – your pre-race food should consist of things you know you tolerate well! As for what you consume during the race, you should have worked this out during your training runs . . . or you may land in multiple porta-john lines. Sports nutritionists recommend taking in carbohydrates between 30 and 60 minutes into the race, depending on the intensity of your pace. The ideal, according to Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Food Guide for Marathoners, is to consume 100–250 calories per hour after the first hour. That equates to 1–2 ½ sports gels or 15 to 40 ounces of sports drink per hour. Stations along the route often supply everything you need – check beforehand. Otherwise stick a few Fig Newtons in your pocket. Kind spectators may hand out fruit, candy, lemonade . . . I’ve even been offered a beer. Yes, I declined. The red Twizzlers and blue Sport Beans jelly beans, however, were impossible to pass up.

Peak performers take note . . .

Jeff Galloway, an Olympic runner and founder of the Galloway Marathon Training Program, advises don’t worry if you don’t sleep the night before your race. It’s more important that you have gotten sufficient rest in the week leading up to it. You’ll have plenty of energy to see you through. Accept nervousness because once you get moving, most of it vanishes. Crack a joke to yourself or someone near to banish self-deprecating thoughts when they threaten to derail you. Pace yourself, which includes holding back in the beginning so you have something left when you need it most. Early in the race, my personal strategy is to be inspired by what I see, especially the 70-year-old man who is carrying excess lbs. and the 15-year-old girl with the weird stride, who both blow by me. By mid-race, I pick people, one at a time, running close to my pace and slightly ahead. I play catch up and then muster what it takes to pass. When fatigue really takes over, I envision someone I love and dedicate the pain in the mile to their well-being. Nearing delirium brings out my best. And before I know it, it’s time to pick someone else. In the final mile, with every foot strike I chant, “I am strong . . . I am breathing . . . I can do this.” Every shout of “GO SUSAN,” from an encouraging sideliner reading the big letters splashed across my chest makes me go for it.

And, so, my friend, will you!