– Line up in view of starting line. Lookout for anyone with a music playing device, especially if larger than an iPod nano. These participants are in it for the long haul. They will also likely drop their player right at the start.
– Run a sustainable-without-throwing-up pace for the first mile.
– Mile 2: Tell the doubt in your head to be quiet.
– Mile 3: That person 50 yards in front of you needs to be chased down. (insert motivation here)
– last tenth: This is the medieval, charging the battlefield stretch. Close those final 500+ yards as hard as you can.

Good luck.