Since there is so much downhill in the first half of the course should I try to run faster than my usual pace in order to “bank” time?

Many excellent runners have answered this question by advising you to run an even split for both halves of the race. They strongly advise against trying to bank time. Although there is a lot of downhill at Steamtown, especially during the first eight miles, there are several challenging uphills in the final three miles. Going out too fast in the early part of the course will put tremendous strain on your quad muscles and will use up the energy you will need to tackle the tough uphills.