The course

So here is a link to the Gettysburg Marathon course for the Northern runners; of which I am one. The key (I think) will be to go out slow with consistent 3 and 1's through mile 6. Since it will be a gradual uphill climb through this distance it should not be difficult to hold back and stick with that. My hill practice around Media and the VF Loop and RCSP I'm hoping will give me the strength to maintain pace on run portions up the hill. Then I have a decision to make. Mile 6 to 13 is more or less all downhill. I don't want to go too fast but I wonder if I could skip the walk intervals and just take advantage of gravity. Just walk through water stops. Then pick up 3 and 1's again for the next ten miles - at least - through mile 23. At this point (likely before this point) I'll be tired but the last 3.2 is more or less down hill too. I'm not sure I could run the whole distance given how tired I will be but perhaps I can increase to 4 or 5 and 1's again taking advantage of gravity.

I'm not really looking for a time goal per se. But to finish in any time quicker than my previous three marathons would certainly bode well for my mental state at the end. I'll have to give this more thought. Just under 2 months to go :)