Someone asked what it takes to become a great runner:
1. STUPIDITY. Smart runners know how to pace; they don't go out too fast; they realize the race is far and they have to concerve their strength for the final kick. They know their limitations and what they can do and what they can't do. Stupid runners race out as if they were running a hundred meter dash. They can't figure out that the race is far. They just run!
2. OTHER-WORLDLY. Most people know that we are each just a tiny speck of humanity in a sea of billions of people. We know our insignificance. Great runners don't. They put pie-eyed dreams in their heads like changing the world through running or inspiring generations of runners by their hard effort. Impossible dreams.
3. LIFELESS. Life is full of girl/boy friends, video games, movies, letsrun.com, going out, fun things. Great runners don't do any of those things because they are socially outcasts. They spend all their time running. They run multiple workouts every day. Instead of going with friends to the movies, they go running. The only time they are around other people if when they run with him/her.