I'm not sure of what those goals are but I wouldn't throw them in the trash just yet. I know there are some much better runners/racers on this board but a quick look at your log shows no track work. When I was trying to hit those hard to reach numbers it included some damn tough track workouts. They sucked but they got my legs ready for the high turnover needed. It also helped in confidence and running when hurting. Spaniel helped me on this one and that's where the results started to show. I know I'll be busting 400s, 800's and ladders this spring getting ready for Boston but it will drop your shorter distances in a serious way.

I think your base is there so go hit the track. 

 I've never been to the track but the plan I followed had a month or so of speed work that I did but none of it was all that tough.

 

I think I need a coach lol. Someone that pushes me. 

Not to be an ass but I wanted to add my perspective. You need to hit the track. Fartleks and tempos on the road are great but is those lung searing leg aching track workouts that do it for me. One won't sub for the other. I mean they hurt too. At least for me. Running the mile back home after a good track workout was a survival drill. 

Also, I would agree on a "coach" or someone to give you some good workouts and then hold you accountable. Spaniel gave me some great workouts and it was fun to compare notes on long runs after I tried and died using them. It hurt and it made me better.

I'm hoping the good runners will weigh in soon as I am feeling on the edge of my ability to help here.

Not to be an ass but I wanted to add my perspective. You need to hit the track. Fartleks and tempos on the road are great but is those lung searing leg aching track workouts that do it for me. One won't sub for the other. I mean they hurt too. At least for me. Running the mile back home after a good track workout was a survival drill. 

 

Also, I would agree on a "coach" or someone to give you some good workouts and then hold you accountable. Spaniel gave me some great workouts and it was fun to compare notes on long runs after I tried and died using them. It hurt and it made me better.

 

I'm hoping the good runners will weigh in soon as I am feeling on the edge of my ability to help here.

 Oh I agree. Doing speed work on the road is not the same as on a track (though I've never ran on one) Too many distractions and it's really hard to focus on the workout when you're trying to make sure you don't get hit by a car etc.

Ok, well then. Here's what I see. I see an athlete that has hit peak for the first time in her life. She has now gone stale for the first time and she thinks she will never get that groove back. You're fine. You just have to start the cycle again and go back to base phase. 

If you want to hit those goals, just go back to square one. Base, peak, rinse repeat. It's boring. And you will always have those nagging woulda coulda thoughts. You have an entire base phase to ponder what you can tweak. You also have a ton of resources to fall back on. You'll be fine. But reassessing goals right now is a bit premature. You gotta see what the next period of training gives you first.

Ok, well then. Here's what I see. I see an athlete that has hit peak for the first time in her life. She has now gone stale for the first time and she thinks she will never get that groove back. You're fine. You just have to start the cycle again and go back to base phase. 

 

If you want to hit those goals, just go back to square one. Base, peak, rinse repeat. It's boring. And you will always have those nagging woulda coulda thoughts. You have an entire base phase to ponder what you can tweak. You also have a ton of resources to fall back on. You'll be fine. But reassessing goals right now is a bit premature. You gotta see what the next period of training gives you first.

 The thing is I'm not feeling stale what so ever! If anything I'm feeling stronger with each passing week. I seriously think if I had another month maybe month and a half to train (jan marathon) that I could seriously lower my marathon PR. I was talking to Ken and he reminded me that I had very good reasons for  not racing the last 2 half marathons this month.  I wanna wake up the next day feeling the race, not fighting the urge to run long or do doubles!

I was in a slump from Mid May 2010 to mid September 2011 ... I was floundering at anything I tried

Then I completely changed my idealogy and I feel like a new man!  I was so focussed on training for the next race and all the races were long - Marathon is the shortest race I have done since April 2010.  I stopped training to be a better runner - Just was training for races.  When you are training to be a better runner - You can be patient, you are just doing what ever is best for you in the long run.

During this time I also started doing different things - I started trying to run long trail runs 1x a week.  To do lots of hills 1x a week.  Although I still run a lot of miles, I am worried about how I am going to recover from my last workout, so I hit my next workout really well.

My point is try something totally different than you are used to.

Ok, well then. Here's what I see. I see an athlete that has hit peak for the first time in her life. She has now gone stale for the first time and she thinks she will never get that groove back. You're fine. You just have to start the cycle again and go back to base phase. 

Thanks for the humor and chuckle ladies, I needed that.  Regarding your lofty goals, no need to throw them out the window.  Running is really a trial and error process.  As Willamona said, you have to go back to the base cycle and go through the next cycle tweaking what you learned from the last one. 

I've had to do that for the past few years.  I really wanted to be around 2:40 for the marathon.  I was close in October with a 2:41 but it took me a few years to get there.  There were two failures, two achilles flare ups, two hamstring tweaks and this crap (torn lower ab and ilipsoas bursitis) I have going on now.  There are peaks and valleys that come along with running and training.  Believe me, it seems that there are more valleys than peaks but when you do finally accomplish what you've set out to do, all that crap that's been in your way just doesn't seem to matter.

Now back to your situation.  You have a good base, you are talented and have much more room to improve.  You say you don't have the "speed" component.  The real truth is that you do.  Much of your training is in your easy to long run pace range.  You dabbled with intervals, occassional "hill" runs or fartlek or tempo efforts.  You know the components of what you need to do for LONG distances but you just have to restructure for the shorter distances.  Building strength through hill runs and general base mileage is great but you do need to get that turnover in there and LEARN how to push into that pain threshold as was discussed in the 5k pain thread here.

I wanted to get intervals in the last training cycle for the marathon but the prior mentioned crap above kept me from doing that.  Instead, I hit one hard workout and one long run each week.  The hard workout rotated between progression, tempo or fartlek runs, with progression runs being one of my favorites.  With these workouts I squeaked out a 16:25 5k.  No real speed work just strength and endurance runs.

In your base period, one of the best things you can do is start incorporate strides at the end of the run.  You should be doing these at least 3 x a week.  Of course if you have a fartlek, tempo, interval session planned, it's always good to do a good warm-up and do a few strides before your workout too.  Doing these regular turn into good speed training and supplement the real interval training that it takes to get that edge.