Marathon running has been used as a metaphor for everything from presidential campaigns to battles with cancer. Now Michele Bredice Craemer of Upton has written a marathon-themed children's book with the message: Life may not always be just ducky, but with a positive attitude and support, you can make it to the finish line.

Her self-published book, "Pellie Runs a Marathon" (Power Pack Productions, 2003), sprang from the journals Craemer kept wile running five marathons, three in Boston, the others in New York and Washington, D.C. Her original plan was to write a coffee-table book on lessons learned while running. But when her two sons, now 3 and 4, arrived, her literary aspirations switched to the younger set.

Part, "Make Way for Ducklings" and part "The Little Engine That Could," Craemer's book traces a plucky duck's journey from start to finish in rhyme -- for example:  Miles 14 and 15, Pellie looks to the crowd; as she puffs and puffs, they all cheer out loud." Sometimes Pellie has to slow down to catch her breath and when the going gets really tough, she has to engage in positive self-talk.

"I wanted to show kids that if you have a goal or a challenge, it's OK to slow down or even take a little detour as long as you don't quit. You need to keep running and dig down deep inside and tell yourself you can do it," said Craemer.

In addition to her marathon training, Craemer drew on her experience as a parent and from her work presenting programs on stress management for corporations and parenting organizations. A little marketing savvy helped too. Craemer who wears Saucony shoes when she runs, called the Peabody company and asked if it would sponsor Pellie, who wears Saucony sneakers in the book. The company agreed, giving Craemer the extra funding she needed to produce a hardcover, full-color story. 

Craemer, who is now at work on a story about a black Labrador retriever who enters triathlons, will read from "Pellie runs a Marathon" at Borders in Shrewsbury this Thursday at 10 a.m.