In this article, the author offers a summary of the major research assignment she has developed for HIST 100, as well as the successes and struggles she has had along the way. The project requires students to experience research as a difficult process that demands their patience, perseverance, and assiduousness. Group work in class clearly plays to students' strengths and helps ease the way. The faint of heart may struggle, particularly at the end of the semester, but the vast majority have come out ahead. One freshman has summarized her experience this way, which is representative of most: "When the research proposal was first assigned, I thought it would be easy and would not take long at all. To my surprise, it was much harder than I had originally thought." Teaching research to Generation Y in this fashion has made the author into a track coach who is trying to convert sprinters into marathoners. Running a research marathon--even one that lasts just seven to eight weeks--ultimately boosts students' capacities for problem-solving and critical thinking. At times, students run uphill for long stretches, and feel like the downhill path is nowhere to be seen. Others run "very" slowly the whole way, and save their energy for the final stretch. A precious few maintain a steady pace, and arrive at the finish line with minimal soreness. Generation Y students are by nature expert sprinters in many parts of their lives, and have been rewarded for their ability to go fast, and produce results quickly. It's time they learn to slow down. (Contains 21 notes.)