TCM - 1 week away

I ran the TCM last year. Cold, rainy, and fun. I'm looking forward to this year's marathon too.

Compared to last year, I have these 'negatives' going into the marathon next Sunday:

• I'm 10 pounds heavier
• I didn't adhere to a training plan and don't have many long runs under my belt.

I also have some positives:

• I am 100% injury free
• When well rested, I run strong
• I have a very achievable marathon plan

I plan to have a good taper week this week and I'm sticking with the marathon plan I posted previously: Run the first 20 at a 9:00 pace and then run the last 10K as fast as I can, which is hopefully faster than a 9:00 pace. What I really want to achieve is running a marathon with a negative split. Can I do it? I'll know this time next Sunday.

update - Saturday, 10/3: I ran two miles this morning and 9:00 was not a good pace to hold. I moved a bit smoother at 8:45's and that's likely what I'll run tomorrow.

--Mark

TC Marathon - 18 days away

I'm lightly trained but feeling good. Looking back I see my peak week was 47 miles and my low week was 10 the first week of September (I was on a business trip in Europe). I've switched two days of running to a spinning class so I'm getting some good, but different, exercising in.

I greatly changed my goal from the two marathons I ran last year. Both of those I was planning to average an 8:00 pace. The first one I walked most of the last 10K and I couldn't hold 8's after mile 16 at the TCM but I didn't have to walk. My preliminary plan is to run a 9:00 pace for the first 20 and then pickup the pace the last 10K. I want a negative split and I plan to have fun running it.

I'm running 15 tomorrow and then I suppose nothing longer than 10 or 12 until the TCM.

--Mark