Good health, peace of mind, being outdoors, camaraderie - those are all wonderful things that come to you when running. But for me, the real pull of running - the proverbial icing on the cake - has always been racing.

I believe in gradual experimentation with running shoes.

Aiming for the marathon is a task of sorts which can include terrific highs and lows.

Runners...you're competitive, but you want to have fun, too. You want to enjoy life. And runners really get to do that, I think-after we recover.

I always say if the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results.

My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.

The marathon can humble you.