A strange, but delicious way to break down a run

One of my favorite stories I heard from another runner (a marathon champion infact) was the explanation of how to break down a race.
Seeing him a night prior to a marathon event, I asked him if he had any good pointers for a "so-called-runner" like myself, as I put it to him. First thing he asked caught me off guard a little bit. "Do you eat pie?"
It was really hard not to laugh. So hard, that I actually broke out laughing before I said, well, that depends on what kind of pie we're talking about! All I could think was why would this guy ask me if I like pie??
He responded, "Just answer the question." I guess he was being fairly serious. I told him yes and he went on to say, what ever kind of pie you like best, think about it right now. Think about how you eat that pie. He went on to ask, have you ever taken a pie whole and tried to eat it without a fork?
I was starting to regret asking for tips. I told him I'd never tried that.
He tells me that you cut a pie usually into eight pieces. When you cut it down, you take out a piece, put on a plate and you still won't eat that piece whole (at least you'd hope not). Using a fork, you break off a small piece of that portion of the pie. You still break it down even more by putting it in your mouth and chewing that very small piece of the pie to the point you can swallow it so it digests easier. The point he had I guess, was: Don't ever try to swallow the entire pie at once.
He told me how to break down a race, explaining that each mile is like a slice of the pie. Even then, you still have to complete that mile to get to the next, then the next and so on until the finish line. Stride by stride, step by step, each breath you take all very important to your initial goal: 26.2, 13.1 miles, or whatever you're working to finish.
He said to break down the race to the smallest of portions as possible MENTALLY, in order to finish the entire race PHYSICALLY. When you get past the first mile, he said to tell myself "Alright one mile down, one to go....two miles down, one to go." It makes your body think, ok, one more mile won't be so bad. Eventually, you're to the finish line, maybe sore and tired, but mentally strong knowing you accomplished your goal.
So next time you eat your favorite pie, compare it to your marathon running. I do every time I eat pie now. I think about what this crazy marathon champion taught me about how to break down a run so it doesn't seem so bad afterall. Plus, it was a humorous way to think about it, that might even put a smile on your face like it did for me.
So many, including myself when I first started to train, look at the big picture of things. We look at the total miles we must go that day and approximately how long it's going to take to get that done. Others think "Oh wow, he's going 13 miles...that's like running from here to Crookston!" That guy's got to go 26 miles?? That'd be like running from here to Grand Forks!
No matter how far you run or how it's done on your part, the main thing is you DO IT! There might be points you want to give up. You'll want to throw in the towel and quit. The stronger you can get your mindset prior to the race, the better off you're going to be in the long run.
I was asked recently how I can train so much without getting discouraged. My way and purpose of running is different than yours. My purpose is to honor a friend that lost his life for you and I serving the United States in the Army National Guard. How could I get discouraged thinking about what he did for me? How he selflessly lost his life for something bigger than himself. I am driven to keep his name alive and run for all of the fallen soldiers. I wanted to give up during a full marathon I ran in Fargo back in 2008. At mile 18 I thought my time was up, it was time to quit. I layed in someone's yard who's kids got me some water and gatorade to help hydrate me while I stretched. Have someone pinch your calf muscles and hamstrings as hard as they can with their index finger and thumb, maybe even step on your legs for a while. That was what my legs felt like at that point. I had never felt that kind of pain before in my life. But as I slowly departed that house after grabbing the flag from the kid who held it high in the air while I stretched, I remembered why I was running. I wasn't discouraged anymore and my thought of quitting was lifted. I knew I'd make it no matter how much pain I'd sustain doing it.
When you're in training or the actual marathon event, don't ever look at the current situation...you might not move forward and do what you never thought possible. Take it one piece at a time (or should I say, one "bite" at a time) and you'll make it to that finish line!
Work hard, train hard...stay warm, stay hydtrated and stay consistent!
Good luck in your training this winter and spring!