Pam, Thanks for sharing this and for the encouragement. You've done so well, and it gives me hope. Btw, I think both Steamtown and Philly have the reputation for being fast, so it will be interesting to hear your perpective after running them both in the same season.

Ya know when I did Philly in 2005, I would of never considered it a fast course. Most people Perceive fast as easy when it comes to race `course's. Chicago, is considered a fast course. But look how easily the hot weather this year slowed many many runners down. If I didn't have the miles under my belt Steamtown and Lehigh Valley Marathon would of been much slower. I don't think that the term "fast course" is really the correct term to be used. I spent alot of energy during the first 8 miles of Steamtown keeping my pace slower, instead of kicking it during alot of the down hill part (had to make sure that not only could I run 26.2 but that I could deal with the hills at mile 23 &24. What I guess I'm trying to say it's all what your trained for!! IF your running lots of miles and are used to running up and down hills, well then a marathon with up and down hills wil be easy. If your used to nothing but flat lands, well then that marathon would be a much slower one. MTA: Steamtown and Philly are almost complete opposites. Steamtown is a smaller race, much more enjoyable due to crowd and atmosphere and the course ISN"T an out and back which I hate. Where Philly is crowded, the atmosphere is so so and the course is an out and back which I really didn't enjoy the first time. It will be interesting to see how my race turns out this year!