How do you KNOW that you are ready to race a marathon?  And not just run it, but race it in your dream goal finishing time? In this episode you’ll learn… The SEVEN key signs that will tell you if you are ready The most important factors of successful marathon training How to know for sure that you’ve done enough If you are training for a marathon, now is the time that you are really starting to feel it.  The miles have been piling up, the long runs are getting longer, and race day is getting closer and closer. You’ve been keeping your head down and getting the work done and trying not to worry too much about the 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers that you will be racing soon. But no matter how confident you are in yourself and in your training, there’s a little voice inside your head that is always asking, am I ready?  Have I done enough? Okay, for some of us, that voice isn’t so little!  So how can you tell if you're ready for  the marathon in a few weeks?  And how do you know if the finishing goal that you’ve been dreaming about is realistic or not? I mean, we all dream of running faster or farther than we ever have before.  But we can’t truly know that we’re capable until we do it.  Or can we? In today’s bonus episode Run to the Top, I’m going to reveal the 7 signs that say you're finally ready to crush your marathon goal.  This is exactly what you’ll need to know if you are a first-time marathoner, or if you’re running your hundredth.  But, I’m also talking to those of you out there who keep trying and trying and just missing that elusive dream goal time.  Have you finally done enough this time? Most first-time marathoners are just happy to be able to finish a marathon, but once you have that first one behind you, almost everyone wants to know if it can be done faster. The quick answer to the question is no one knows!  You can be the most highly trained elite marathoner in the world and if you get a terrible day, you might not make it to the finish line.  That's just the harsh reality and sometimes heartbreak of the marathon.  You train for months on end and it ends up being a crap shoot on just one single day. But let's assume that weather is not a major factor (and that’s a BIG IF).  How do you know that you've done enough to prepare yourself for what you think you can accomplish?   For anything but your very first marathon where you are simply trying to finish, goal marathon pace should feel a step harder than easy. The more experienced you are at the marathon, the more you can push the effort level.  If you've had a good build-up, the goal pace should be something that felt pretty hard the first few weeks, more manageable in the middle, and good (but still a little scary) toward the end of your cycle. But there’s more to it than that. There are actually seven major signs that you are ready to race the marathon. Consistency Matters More Than Perfection The first thing to do is look back at your training log.  How consistent were you with your mileage and fitting in your runs?  Consistency is hands down, without a question, the single most important aspect of good training.  Running stable mileage without big gaps in training or big swings in mileage is key to being well prepared.  Your runs don't all have to be Instagram-worthy, but just showing up day after day is what matters most. If you were grading your runs like you were in school, I’d like to see the vast majority of them in the B range.  If you are always turning in A+ performances, your training is either far too easy for your fitness, or--and this one happens far more often--you are working way too hard and are risking injury or leaving your best work in training. When training for a marathon, good enough really is good enough. Solid Long Runs The second thing I look at as a coach is your long runs.  Did you get all or most of them in?  Did the majority of them go well or were you strapped to the struggle bus the whole time?   Simply running long at a slow pace doe