A coach gives instructions, an athlete tries to finish the "Authentic" marathon, and a reader seeks to find the traces of a lost magazine. Three individuals converse on their way to the Kallimarmaro, and within forty-two chapters, they attempt to inspire one another.

"Because the distance of the marathon is not just from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, but, primarily, the journey of distance within us." Focus on technique and the swift movement of your arms. Run low and efficiently. Each stride should propel you forward. The challenging kilometers are the 16th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, 26th, 28th, and 31st.

Remember that the five kilometers, from the 20th to the 25th, are the hardest part of the course in terms of overall ascent, as it gains 89 meters in total. Stay calm, even if your pace slows down considerably. At the station, at the end of the kilometer, it's a chance for a few sips of water, even if it's cold or raining. Grab an energy gel if you haven't taken one in the last seven and a half kilometers.

"Whatever happens today, I will finish," I tell myself as I hold the right side of the road. The marathon is a continuous act of stubbornness. You persist against your anxiety, the fatigue that comes at some point, and the psychology that isn't always as you want it. You persist against the time that counts without considering anything, against the pain that disrupts your flow, against the pace you want to mark and lock in. In the end, you even persist against your weakness to continue to be stubborn.