thanks for the advice. so i wound up giving it a stab, going in with the goal of finishing 20 miles. did that, so i set a new personal distance record, but it got pretty painful and slow for the last three miles or so. i definitely understand why so many people run marathons now, its a real blast. the crowds and the other runners are great.
one thing i didnt expect was a hip pain that developed maybe 4-5 miles in, and lasted at least noticeably until the 12 or 13 mile mark. im not sure what to attribute that to, possibly over exertion during hill climbs on my road bike the week before, or over-extending my right leg when i goaltended on ice for the first time in two years 5 days before the marathon? it reappeared today when i did my first road run after the marathon. any thoughts?