The Marathon Runner's Worn-Out Training Manual

Every morning at 5:15, Maria Chen laces up her running shoes in her small apartment in Portland, Oregon. On her kitchen counter sits a dog-eared copy of her training plan — pages soft from handling, margins filled with her handwritten notes. She has followed this plan for eleven months, preparing for her first marathon. Some mornings, the rain hammers the windows and every part of her wants to stay in bed.…