It can be difficult to determine a good marathon training schedule and then stick to it. I know all too well the temptations that can lead us astray. It's that temptation to eat that entire chocolate cake in one sitting. And then there's the all-too-powerful temptation to spend a whole Saturday in your bed, only getting up when you have to go to the bathroom.

Since I am now the voice of experience, I can give you some tips on what you SHOULDN'T do so that you'll successfully stick with your schedule. It's very important to remember a few things after you've determined your marathon training schedule.

- Running your butt off for a few minutes will not substitute jogging for 30 minutes. You have to do all the jogging you've got planned on your schedule.

- Get creative and involve your family when you can't find the motivation to run every weekend for three months. Here's what I did. My husband dangled a snickers bar out the window of the car while he drove three feet in front of me.

- When you break in your jogging shoes for the marathon, that means putting them on and running with them. Please put away the meat mallet now.

- Don't choose Jack Daniels or Captain Morgan as a 'running partner'-- get a real human.

- When I say 'stick with your marathon training schedule,' I don't mean taping the paper to your butt.

- When you're jogging back home and have three miles to go, don't resort to hitchhiking.

- It is neither advisable, nor sanitary to take a small nap in the ditch off the side of the road.

Need more motivation to stick with your running training schedule? Just picture the horrified faces of all the other competitors when you beat them to the finish line. Visualize them crying, howling, and roaring as you use false modesty although all the while you're thinking, "No autographs please, just gaze upon the champion!" Good Luck with your marathon!