Bill Parrott '88 has run four marathons.

Cinderella learned her lesson at midnight, when her coach turned into
a pumpkin.

Bill Parrott learned his lesson at the 20-mile marker, when he turned
into a salt lick.

It was then he realized running a marathon isn't exactly a fairy tale.

"I didn't drink any water until mile 13 or 14," says Parrott of his first marathon experience, in 1991. "My cotton shirt weighed a ton, my strength was sapped, and I was so dehydrated that the Gatorade someone gave me at mile 22 didn't matter. I felt the salt on my skin and the cotton in my mouth, and I wasn't a pretty sight."

Parrott, who's training for the New York City Marathon in November, suggests drinking water every mile. He recommends getting new running shoes for training, wearing lightweight gear, finding a partner, keeping a log and avoiding the Atkins diet.

That's all well and good, but let's face it, if you've never run a marathon, then new shoes, cool attire and a boatload of bow-tie pasta won't do any good unless you train.

Training should start four or five months before the big day. Parrott's typical week includes a speed workout on a track, two 10- or 15-mile runs, each followed by a recovery day running only a few miles at a slower pace, and three days running about six miles. Only occasionally does he do hauls of more than 20 miles.

"Just take it a mile at a time," he says. "Stay on pace, stay focused and keep your legs moving. That pretty much brings you home."