I'm with you on the training schedule thingy... I'm not going to complete the distance in 12-14 hours, so I just add time to each of the daily workout sessions they have me doing. The plan I'm doing (on trifuel.com) is more for an intermediate iron distance triathlete. Therefore, I always add time to each workout (if it says run for 2 hours, I run for 15-30 min longer- if bike for 3 hours, I bike for 3/12). I'm not as fast as the training plan thinks I am.

Personally, I'm certainly not going to do a 20 miler before the race. Here's my thinking on that: I've already done 2 marathons, so I know I can go the distance. Also, running that long increases injury potential and I'm not about to risk the last 8 months of training on a training run. I will do a couple 100 mile rides before the race. My race is 11 weeks out, and I'm doing a half iron distance training day this Thursday (1.2 swim, 56 bike, 13.1 run). That will give me a gauge of time over the distance. My longest run will be 3 1/2 hours (that's only about 15 miles, but close enough for me). I figure adrenaline/determination/sheer willpower will get me through the marathon.

What do I know, tho? I've not done this yet, so I'm just a back of the pack experiment at this point.

Denise, what say you?