T minus 8 and counting! Mid-taper time

So one week from tomorrow morning is the Windermere Marathon. I fly out Sunday afternoon, but went ahead and packed pretty much everything but my race day shoes. I am working 5 days next week, but am bringing so much more running stuff than anything else. Clothes for my mid-week runs for 40° weather, socks, race day clothes, not entirely sure which top I'll wear (leaning towards GTC long sleeve technical shirt, so the exact same thing I wore for NYC), a throwaway top, jogging pants to wear on the bus to the start line, all my GU, vaseline, gloves, hat, windbreaker in case of rain. I'm sure there's more in there - I just hope my shoes fit - otherwise I'll be unpacking and re-packing it into a slightly larger bag. I will be checking this bag - so it had better make it out to Spokane! I'm flying thru Memphis and Salt Lake City (1st time to Utah! Mark down state #42 I think).
Now to backtrack...Runs immediately following the 20 miler were fine. 4.3 and 7.7 on back to back days. Had some slight calf pain after the 7.7 that lingered. Just to be safe - I skipped my 12 that weekend (still played golf though). Felt fine for my two runs this week and expect to be fine for my 9.4 tomorrow. I sure like the taper! Runs seem easy - like this is the coasting part, but I sure know what's ahead. NYC is only 6 months past and is still fresh - the memories of the last 6 miles, trudging along, afraid to stop for any reason while wondering why I was doing that. During NY - I did not have the same memories from my 1st out in San Diego back in 2001.
My mileage these last 7 weeks matches the amount prior to NY exactly - except for the 12 miler I skipped this past weekend. So - that said (0), and how I've been feeling (-2), and the course differences (+4), and the spectators (-5), I expect to be about the same, give or take a minute or two. I doubt I will break 4 hrs, just for the fact that I will rely more on myself to keep going and not have a crowd to pull me along (Who wants to walk when there are Hundreds of people lining the street at that spot?!)...but maybe the river will be pushing me down the valley...hmmm, there's a thought!
More while I am out there!