1. "Of all the races, there is no better stage for heroism than a marathon."
-George Sheehan
2. "It is difficult to train for a marathon; but it is even more difficult to not be able to train for a marathon."
-Aaron Douglas Trimble
3. "You're running on guts. On fumes. Your muscles twitch. You throw up. You're delirious. But you keep running because there's no way out of this hell you're in, because there's no way you're not crossing the finish line. It's a misery that non-runners don't understand."
-Martine Costello
4. "Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when the awareness comes, it is excruciating."
-John Farrington
5. "The marathon is like a bullfight. There are two ways to kill a bull, for instance. There is the easy way, for one. But all the great matadors end up either dead or mauled because for them killing the bull is not nearly as important as how they kill the bull. They always approach the bull at the greatest risk to themselves, and I admire that. In the marathon, likewise, there are two ways to win. There's the easy way if all you care about is winning. You hang back and risk nothing. Then kick and try to nip the leaders at the end. Or you can push, challenge the others, make it an exciting race, risking everything. Maybe you lose, but as for me, I'd rather run a gutsy race, pushing all the way and lose, then run a conservative, easy race only for a win."
-Alberto Salazar
6. "Aiming for the marathon is a task of sorts which can include terrific highs and lows."
-Bill Rodgers
7. "The marathon's about being in contention over the last 10K. That's when it's about what you have in your core. You have run all the strength, all the superficial fitness out of yourself, and it really comes down to what's left inside you. To be able to draw deep and pull something out of yourself is one of the most tremendous things about the marathon."
-Rob de Castella
8. "The marathon is not really about the marathon, it's about the shared struggle. And it's not only the marathon, but the training."
-Bill Buffum
9."No marathon gets easier later. The half way point only marks the end of the beginning."
-Joe Henderson
10."Concentrate on small segments of your race at a time. For example, rather than obsessing about the distance that remains, simply complete the next mile in good form...try another, then another, until the race is done."
-Jerry Lynch
