Show up. This is 90 percent of the battle. But showing up is more than just being there on race day; it's a lifestyle. To be successful, you have to 'show up' every day. To really succeed, you have to show up mentally and emotionally as well as physically.

The marathon offers far more than a physical challenge... More than any other athletic event it favors the thinkers, the planners. The ability to develop and execute a training plan, to monitor and adjust to changing conditions, to set an appropriate pace, and to concentrate for hours on one task, all contribute more to marathon success than leg speed. We find satisfaction in a sport where natural ability won't cover up for ignorance or irrationality.