I'm a pretty useless self-publicist, so I didn't even bother entering the Asics contest (I was shunned last year anyway). The begging process is awful IMHO. However, I could certainly do with some help. So hope I'm not too late for a fairly short pitch.
I'm male, 51 years old, married with two children (6 and 4) and a pekingese dog (7). I'm self-employed, although this is increasingly more like self-unemployed, so I have reasonable flexibility with my training schedule for the foreseeable future. I'm studying for a degree part-time with the OU. I started running to fill a void when I stopped drinking alcohol, shortly after my son was born. One of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm determined to be a positive role-model for my kids, and to be able to keep up with them as they get even more active!
I have confirmed places in the 2013 Brighton and London Marathons. All being well, I plan to run Brighton and then defer London to 2014 (they made me wait five years for acceptance, so one more won't hurt). I ran the Shakespeare marathon in 2009 in 4:38 and Milton Keynes in 2012 in (cough) 4:38. It's fair to say, my Asics category would have been “on a plateau”!
This might make my running appear unambitious, but this isn't the truth of it. I really would like to achieve a GFA time in the long term. Stop giggling at the back! This summer I brought my 10k race time down from 54:51 to 49:55, and broke the two-hour barrier for the half-marathon (01:54:58). I have a thread I started earlier this year which gives more background on my idea for a five year plan. I'm a regular poster of high quality posts and insights 
and have never harmed small animals (at least, not intentionally).
I am training to achieve a sub-4:00 marathon in the Spring, though I realise that I likely have an outside chance of achieving it. Regardless, I want to knock a serious lump off my previous marathon times. If I run 4:38 again, I will actually cry. Fact.
I'm starting my “official” marathon preparation from today, and today is a rest day I'm loosely following the P&D up to 55 mile schedule to start with to see how things go on. I feel that the longer runs and tempo work might suit me better than shorter interval workouts that I have used while following other programs, though I reserve the right to change my mind. I could do with some help on adapting the schedules when necessary, otherwise I tend to make things up as I go along. It's fair to say I could also do with additional “encouragement” to pay more attention to core work and nutrition. “More” meaning more than none.
I'm waffling now.... so to summarise.... I want your help, please.
