Austin Marathon - 8 days and counting

I did not do any exercise yesterday, decided to just rest the leg all day. This morning I returned to the YMCA, did a similar routine on the elliptical as day before yesterday, finished with almost zero pain or discomfort. My main hope is that the cardio part of it and the way I'm positioning my legs to simulate hill climbing, especially in my quadriceps, is actually going to help me in Austin because you basically climb from mile 8 to mile 18. Were I doing my normal training right now, I would be on totally flat ground (the only "hill" within miles of me is a bridge in Kemah about 10 miles away that goes over the bay, and it's only about a 1/4 mile climb). The proof in the pudding will be next Sunday when I actually start running. I purchased some additional ball-of-foot padding for my running shoes and have been walking around in those to make sure they soften the blow, and I can tell a huge difference in the cushioning just when I walk.