On a serious note. Follow the training plan.

Make practicle adjustments to the plan as life and priorities require

Do not worry about the highs or lows of training. Do not make it more complicated than it has to be.

On race day, trust in the training. Expect to finish the first time, and do not worry about the clock.

First off... you are on a good start.  I have used Hal Higdon's training before and have had good results.  I have completed 2 marathons - still have some work to go, but...each one gets better.

Some tips I have found - some of them come from others and Hal Higdon

1)  On one of your long runs - do everything like you will during the race.  Put everything out the night before.  If possible, try to time it with food and use the same fluids and gels that you will during the race. 

2)  Piggybacking on that last one - know what the course will provide.... Will it provide gels?  Where are the fluid stations?  If the things provided are not going to work for you, bring stuff with you.

3)  I would check out the course ahead of time.  Know where the hills are and where things might give you trouble.  If possible, run part of the course.  The more familiar you are with the course, the less stress there will be race day.

4)  Give yourself more time than you think for getting to the race.  Personally, my 2 - I have shown up at 5:30 for a 7:30 race start.  It gives me time to stretch, be ready and have time to make sure I have everything.  Unless you know the race and parking, etc... It will allow you to avoid issues.

5)  Get enough sleep the night before and realistically..... Have fun!  Enjoy the run, take it easy and if you are feeling good at the 20 mile mark - pick up the pace.

I am sure there are more, but it is late and I cannot think.  I hope I did not skip around too much.

Good luck!

Glad you committed, you have been thinking about it for a while.  Here is a quote I like. "There will be days that you don't know if you can run a marathon...but there will be a life time of knowing that yu have.  Marathons are all different, but each time you cross that finish line, you hunger for the next one...it's a great feeling of accomplishment!   Good luck

Was that 1:55 on a flat course?  Tradition is to double that and add 15 minutes. Given that it's your first and there are some hills, starting at 9:45 to 10:00 pace might be a good way to go.  Remember, the halfway point of the marathon is at 20 miles.  So start easy, and give yourself at least 10 - 12 miles to get used to the idea.  Going out too fast will kill your legs later.  Your first goal, of course, is to finish, and let the time take care of itself.  (I hope I didn't throw too many cliches in there.)

So yes, mile 15 has a hill.  But if it were at mile 2 or 3, you would take little notice.  The rise is maybe 125 feet over that mile - not really that much.  Try to add hill repeats to one of your workouts, every 7 to 10 days.  That should help.

The parking situation is pretty good, if I remember, with some municipal lots/garages open.  I parked on the street maybe 5 or 6 blocks from the start, beacause I wanted to go back to my room after my relay leg.  (So I could shower and change and get back for the finish.)

Len

As a first-time marathoner, I intentionally pushed the distance of the two longest runs a bit, because I wanted to experience what the Wall might feel like. So I ran 20 instead of 19, and 21.7 instead of 20. Why 21.7? That's exactly 7 laps around the Rose Bowl, which is the flattest ground anywhere near my house. (The marathon course was also quite flat). As luck would have it, I did not hit the Wall in either of those long runs, and the 21.7 mi gave me a little more confidence that I could complete 26.2. This was the only race I've ever done where I did not run the full distance in training.

Getting there Friday would be good because it gives you a stress-free Saturday.  I drove up Friday afternoon and left late Sunday afternoon.  I also have a runner friend who lives a few miles away with her husband (sometimes on Active as Dutch Omi). She's the one who talked me into running the relay. (She tried to get me up there again this year but it didn't work out.)  I know there is a nice, walkable "outdoor mall" in the middle of town.  Also you're right on Lake Champlain if you like boating or want to take a lake cruise.  The race website also has a "area & spectator guide" section which includes "things to do".  It honestly seems more like a town you would like to live in than a tourist destination.

Len