Early Morning Run

I've been finding it hard to get into the groove of marathon training over the last couple of weeks.  I have cut down on the cranberry muffins, but have yet to inversely increase the number of miles I'm running each week, which I will have to do fairly soon if I'm to hit the start line of the marathon in October with any degree of confidence.
For one thing, I still have some soreness/stiffness in my lower back.  I first injured my back training for,  and completing, the NYC marathon in November 2009 - one particular challenge of amputee runners is that we place a lot of strain on that part of our bodies.  After New York, I found a good chiropractor who did some manipulation and showed me some good stretches to strengthen my core muscles in that area.  They have definitely helped, but I'm supposed to do them three times a day, and I will admit to having pretty much skipped them over the last few months.    Stretching for the suggested 20 minutes in one session is something I have little patience for, but I have come to realise how important it is for staying in good shape, especially as I age and body becomes less elastic, so I will have to get this back into my daily routine.
Reason number two:  I feel like I have less energy, but I'm hoping that when I get stuck into training I'll consciously start improving my diet and sleep pattern to keep up with the demands of training.  I was also diagnosed with a vitamin B12 deficiency earlier this year, so I'll have to make sure I'm disciplined about taking my daily vitamin tab (B12 deficiency can lead to reduced energy levels).
Third reason - it's so hot out these days!  It reached about 93 deg F (33 C) today, with high humidity, and I'm definitely more of a cold weather runner.  Training for the London marathon surrounded by snow earlier this year was more my kind of thing!
One way round the heat is the early morning run, and today I did actually make it out of bed by 7.00 am (I'm definitely NOT an early morning person) for a quick 3.5 mile run in Central Park.  It was still warm, but once my body had properly woken up, it was enjoyable being outside and exercising amongst all the other early birds, and then coming back for a shower, knowing the workout is done for the day.  If the hot weather persists, I'll try to fit more of these runs into my routine.