Thanks Dark Horse.  Call me crazy, but I love this stuff.  What I lack in talent I make up for in enthusiasm...lol  I know what you're saying though and I appreciate it.

Marathons demand respect, you absolutely must respect the distance.  That's why I've been so meticulous this time around, trying to get it right.  I will say this is the best I've been prepared for one of these things, now I just need to run a good race.

I've got times I'll be happy with, a BQ would be awesome, but something less won't be the end of the world.  Like you said, my first goal is to have fun...

Hey Mike, nice run the other day.  A crazed unicyclist, eh? lol  Take a look at "strides" or "striders" as a way to ease into speedwork.  Usually at the tail end of a run, ease into a quicker pace, hold it for a 100 yards, then ease out of it.  Recover fully before you do the next one.  They're a great way to work in some quicker stuff with minimal risk of getting hurt.