In one of the most riveting road racing finishes in recent history, Desiree Linden (then Desiree Davila) nearly became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since 1985. Over the final kilometer of the 2011 race, she found herself dueling sprint-for-sprint with Caroline Kilel of Kenya -- only to lose by a slim two seconds. Linden went on to make two U.S. Olympic marathon teams and crack the top five in Boston (again), Berlin, and New York City. On Sunday, shell race alongside fellow Americans Shalane Flanagan and Amy Cragg in the Olympic marathon in Rio de Janeiro.In short, she has learned from that mental error in Boston five years ago. And now shes not only tenacious; Linden is smarter, too. When youre redlining it for 2 hours 22 minutes 38 seconds or longer, theres plenty to think about. How does she outwit her opponents over the long haul? Heres what she had to say.Start smart, then end with heartThe general rule for the marathon is to run the first 20 miles with your head and the last 10K with your heart. So I plan for everything. The night before a race, Ill hash through all the scenarios and figure out how to respond to almost anything that can happen. The plan is very individual -- whats the best race for me? Dial into that plan for 20 miles, then race the last 10K on guts and grit and inspiration. You can still be smart within that last 10K, but to me, thats the dividing line. First 20 miles in your head; last 10K in your heart.Use that watch early onFor those in the head miles, Im very aware of my watch. I know what Ive been able to do in workouts and what pace Im ready for, so I take splits and think, At some point, this type of mile is way too fast for me. I cant maintain that, lets bring it back. Or, This is too slow and theres a bunch of kickers here so start picking up the pace.?But its all individual on what your workouts indicate youre ready for. So its being logical in that way. What do my workouts say that I am able to do for this marathon, and use that to get to that 20-mile mark.Let your mind wanderIts such a long time to be out there, so at certain points, you just have to kind of let the mind relax because you can overthink it. Paralysis by analysis is absolutely real. So for me, Im always noticing fans signs. That stuffs kind of fun. Also, if youre in a really big marathon, you have to appreciate that -- like in Boston, youre running down the center of Boston. The roads are closed for you to have this running parade. Its an incredible feeling. Theres always a point where I have to smile because its really cool and very rare. Not a lot of sports get to go out in the city and stop traffic.Go through every scenario beforehandIn Boston 2011, I pictured myself winning that race for so long and it was always like I would pull away with three miles to go or something. I never, ever envisioned a sprint finish so I was like, Whoa, this is not what I expected to be experiencing right now and I didnt have a picture for what that would look like. So visualize everything.And visualize what you want, tooFigure out what you want from the race. Whats your motivation? Do you want to get across the finish line and not care what the clock says? Do you want to stop at every mile and drink a beer with a buddy? Whatever youre trying to accomplish, picture yourself doing that. So for your first marathon, visualize that point when you cross finish line and go, Im a marathoner! Picture the crowd and what its going to smell like and sound like and feel like -- and have that moment ready so when you get tired or you start to hurt in the race, you can think about that, Oh yeah, this is why Im doing this.Its also the idea of acting as if you are the thing you want to become. Just act like that every day. Im a marathoner, Im going to do the training because I have this picture in my mind of what its going to be like.Above all, be patientThe marathon all boils down to patience. The first 20, you have to keep yourself in check. Youre going to feel amazing and youre going to want to bank time, but you have to be patient. Its the same in training. Youre not going to be the New York City marathon winner on the first week of training. Or the second week. Or the third. For us, it takes years. But youre going to get better.It truly is a journey. You start, and youre like, The first 10 days are horrible. I dont know why Im doing this. Then you look back 10 days later and youre like, Im in shape! Each week you can look back at your training log, see how far youve come, and realize theres so much more to grow. Its incredible when you look back to day one or the day before the race when youre nervous and like, I dont know how Im going to do. Am I ready for this? Then you cross the line and youre a marathoner. Its kind of cool. NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys For Sale . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. http://www.cheapwholesalejerseysnfl.com/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Cheap Wholesale Jerseys . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Montreal CanadiensOverall: 98 Title track: 50 Ownership: 83 Coaching: 117 Players: 98 Fan relations: 83 Affordability: 113 Stadium experience: 78 Bang for the buck: 93 Change from last year: -44The 24-time Stanley Cup champs enjoyed the best start in their storied history before they imploded last season -- a campaign that ended without a playoff berth for the first time since 2012. Carey Price, the NHLs top goaltender, has recovered from the knee injury that torpedoed his team in 2015-16. But all isnt well in Montreal, where coach Michel Therrien is in fans crosshairs following a blockbuster trade that sent popular defenseman P.K. Subban to Nashville for fellow blueliner Shea Weber.Whats goodA healthy Price makes the Habs a contender, the only reason a team that finished 22nd in the NHL last season has such a respectable title track. And while most pundits think the Predators won the Subban-Weber deal -- at 27, the slick-skating Subban is four years younger than his former Olympic teammate -- Webers take-no-prisoners approach will toughen a team that was too easy to play against last season. The arrival of agitator Andrew Shaw, a tough-checking center who won a Cup with Chicago in 2013, adds additional grit.Whats badDespite the massive overall drop, one thing remains connstant: It still costs a small fortune to attend a game at Centre Bell (113th in affordability).dddddddddddd Just six NHL teams have a higher average ticket price than Montreals $73.67. Still, fans might consider it a bargain just to boo Therrien. The fifth-year coachs inscrutable lineup decisions and prickly demeanor made him unpopular in the mostly French-speaking city even before laffair Subban. Now, hes Public Enemy No. 1, with the Canadiens coaching ranked dead last in the NHL. Clearly, most would rather have seen the man behind the bench moved out instead.Whats newOwner Geoff Molson was hailed as a hero two summers ago, when he overruled general manager Marc Bergevin (according to the Montreal Gazette) and inked Subban to a nine-year contract extension worth $72 million. The deal included a no-trade clause, but Molson didnt stop Bergevin from dealing the flashy defenseman days before it kicked in this July. It was an opportunity for Marc to make our team better, and I think hes done that, Molson said afterward. Well see. Meantime, Molsons standing among the faithful took a massive hit. 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