Let your running lead you to your diet. Bill Rodgers, Olympic marathoner
If you're starting out or trying to get to the next level, surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and energized - people who inspire you to achieve your best every day. When you do this, you can't lose. Anthony Famiglietti, two-time Olympian in the steeplechase and two-time national 5-K champion
Always take the long term view and train and race smart, with a bit of caution. Bill Rodgers
Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, "I've never seen anyone run like that before." It's more than just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative. Bill Rodgers
You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face. Gatorade
Your training partners are key to your success, and friendships based on your runs together are strong.
Bill Rodgers
What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the day gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate.
John Bingham, running writer and speaker
To improve your form, you need to teach yourself how to relax. Because your hands and forearms control relaxation, focus on your hands to reduce tension during a run.
Ned Frederick, biomechanist at Exeter Reserch, Inc.
People begin running for any number of motives, but we stick to it for one basic reason-to find out who we really are. George Sheehan, M.D.
There is no time to think about how much I hurt; there is only time to run. Ben Logsdon
The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.
Sir Roger Bannister, First athlete to run the mile in less than four minutes
I love controlling a race, chewing up an opponent. Let's get down and dirty. Let's fight it out. It's raw, animalistic, with no one to rely on but yourself. There's no better feeling than that.
Adam Goucher, Winner 1999 US Nationals 5000 title
Everyone in life is looking for a certain rush. Racing is where I get mine. John Trautmann
It's the road signs, 'Beware of lions.' Kip Lagat, Kenyan distance runner, during the Sydney Olympics, explaining why his country produces so many great runners
Tell the truth and run. Anonymous, Yugoslav Proverb
Most mistakes in a race are made in the first two minutes, perhaps in the very first minute.
Jack Daniels, Exercise Physiologist and Coach
I ran and ran every day, and I acquired a sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never, give up, no matter what else happened. Wilma Rudolph, US track star
When the guy says go, you start to suffer—or you might as well not be out there. It's a small piece of your life, make it hurt. Aaron Cox, Winner of US Mountain Biking Championship
When the guy says go, you start to suffer—or you might as well not be out there. It's a small piece of your life, make it hurt. Aaron Cox, Winner of US Mountain Biking Championship
I run because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought. Arthur Blank, American businessman and a co-founder of Home Depot
Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.
Michael Johnson, American sprinter and Olympic gold medal winner
To know you are one with what you are doing, to know that you are a complete athlete, begins with believing you are a runner. George Sheehan
If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run. John Bingham, running writer and speaker
When people ask me why I run, I tell them, there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenalin when you start, and the feeling when you cross that finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got.
Courtney Parsons
Everyone who has run knows that its most important value is in removing tension and allowing a release from whatever other cares the day may bring. President Jimmy Carter
What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the day gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate. John Bingham, running writer and speaker
Running long and hard is an ideal antidepressant, since it's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Also, there are those hours of clearheadedness that follow a long run. Monte Davis, runner
We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable. Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile
Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about.
PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behavior.
Tony Robbins, American self-help author and motivational speaker
The training is constant. You just have to stick with it and you'll be successful. I use running to stay healthy and burn off the day's stress. Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, NASA Astronaut
Training for shorter race distances makes the body use more fast-twitch muscle fibers and leads to better leg strength, cardiovascular fitness, and ultimately, faster times at all distances. Sean Coster, a running coach, exercise physiologist for the Nike Sports center, and cofounder of Run Portland
I tape my list of goals, both large and small, above my bed so I see them when I wake up. This holds me accountable. Chris Solinsky, Elite runner from Portland, Oregon
Find a new trail, a different town, a place you've never been before to run.
Jason Karp, Ph.D., coach and exercise physiologist
The body gets really good at doing what you ask it to do. Once you have a mastery or proficiency in a routine, you'll no longer experience new gains in fitness. You've got to add different elements of stress.
Terrence Mahon, Coach of Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor, and others at the Mammoth Track Club
Do not underestimate the intimacy of running, and the people with whom you share your miles.
Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog, Runner's World.com
Keeping my eye on today is about all I'm capable of. And today, I think I'll go for a run.
John Bingham, "Back to the Future," Runner's World
We run because it makes us feel like winners, no matter how slow or how fast we go.
Florence Griffith Joyner and John Hanc, Running for Dummies
Life is short. Running makes it seem longer. Baron Hansen, Danish architect
You finished a marathon and you believe, 'If I can do this, I can do anything.'
Grete Waitz and Gloria Averbuch, Run Your First Marathon
Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.
Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
Often, the enjoyment is the training before and the memory after.
Doug Kurtis, former race director for the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon
Once you are a runner, it's always there in the back of your head. Bill Rodgers
Love yourself, for who and what you are; protect your dream and develop your talent to the fullest extent.
Joan Benoit Samuelson
Time doesn't stand still, and you don't stand still. Things change within yourself, within your life, and within your sport. Priscilla Welch, British marathon runner
You should not be flying down the home straight. Most of your efforts should have been put forth earlier.
John Treacy, Silver medalist in the 1984 Olympic marathon
As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are. Joan Benoit Samuelson
Tears streamed down my face as I crossed the finish line. I was a new person, a runner.
Thomas King
The true runner is a very fortunate person. He has found something in him that is just perfect.
George Sheehan
As we run, we become. Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
It should make us proud to know we are part of a running lineage that stretches back from the original Olympic Games in 776 BC to this very moment.
Michael Sandrock, Author and runner
Great is the victory, but the friendship of all is greater.
Emil Zatopek, Olympic gold medalist in 5 km, 10 km, and marathon
I run almost every day and love it. I need to stay lean for my sport, and I tend to build bulk and muscle easily. Running helps me stay stringy. Apolo Ohno, Olympic speed skater
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Confucius
Act like a horse. Be dumb. Just run. Jumbo Elliot, Track and Field Coach
I don't know how the creative process works, but it always seems, as I'm running...that thoughts start coming in; sentences start coming in. Robert A. Caro, biographer
I don't train to beat another runner. We are out there together, competing with the marathon, and I train to run the marathon as fast as I can. Juma Ikangaa, Marathon runner from Tanzania
The thinking must be done first, before training begins.
Peter Coe, Father of Olympic Gold Medalist Sebastian Coe
I've always liked hills. I see a challenge, a goal, and I feel instantly galvanized to achieve the goal.
Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it you feel that you can do anything.
Anonymous
Those long runs cleanse my system, physically and mentally. Joan Benoit Samuelson
The distance race is a struggle that results in self-discovery. It is an adventure involving the limits of the self.
Paul Weiss
I do recommend running as a cure-all. It's the magic ingredient and an important physical release. It has helped me look and feel better. Dr. Drew Pinsky, Addiction Specialist and TV Host
I don't believe in restricting calories, I believe in burning them. Chanamalla Samagond, Indian National Champion at 800m and 1,500m
Running should be a lifelong activity. Approach it patiently and intelligently, and it will reward you for a long, long time. Michael Sargent
Keep varying the program. Your body will tell you what to do. Joan Benoit
When you run, you log on to yourself. You flip through the pages of your being. Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration
Run into peace. Meister Eckhart, 14th-Century Philosopher
It is the illusion that we can go no faster that holds us back. Kenny Moore, American athlete and journalist
When you have the enthusiasm and passion, you end up figuring how to excel. Deena Kastor
The expression 'misery loves company' is meant for winter running. As I'm lying in bed on dark, cold mornings, it's a lot harder to talk myself out of getting up when I know I'm accountable to other people.
Jason Lehmkuhle, of Team USA Minnesota, runner-up at 2008 U.S. Half-Marathon Championships
You feel good while you're running and you feel even better when you're finished.
Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon
Running was a practical and mystical discipline. It was a way of melding the inner and outer realms.
David Hobler, runner
When you run in the morning, you gain time in a sense. It's like stretching 24 hours into 25. You may need to sleep less and get up earlier, but if you can get by that, running early seems to expand the day.
Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon
The ability to make a man go beyond the point at which he thinks he is going to die. Franz Stampfl on what coaches need
I race in order to dig deep within myself and see what I'm really made of. Maggie, Runner from Idaho
It doesn't help to visualize a perfect race. It's better to play out bad situations in your mind and figure out a way out of them so you'll be ready. Bernard Lagat, 2008 National Champion at 1500 meters and 5000 meters
Ultimately, the best runners are the ones who are willing to work very hard but who have a little bit of a lazy streak in them. Benji Durden, Coach
Commitment to the body machine. It was as critical as the commitment to the goal itself. Richard Christian Matheson, "Third Wind"
Success does not come to the most righteous and rigorously disciplined but to those who continue running.
Amby Burfoot
The body loves variety. The body is the same as the seasons: It likes change. Priscilla Welch, British marathon runner
Each afternoon I would run my demons hard until I left them heaving by the roadside. Christopher Solomon
I think there is no better way to invite a human being to view their body differently than by inviting them to be an athlete, by revering one's body as an instrument rather than just an ornament. It's a really great way to reorient how you see your body so you can see it as this incredible, awe-inspiring machine that you need to fuel well in order for it to function. Alanis Morissette, Singer/Actress
Free your mind, and your feet will follow. Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration
Our sport becomes not just what we do but an integral symbol—on all levels—of who we are. Gloria Averbuch
In addition to the safety factor, we run together for companionship, and to remind each other how important a part of our lives this activity is. Gordon Bloch, author
My philosophy on running is, I don't dwell on it, I do it. Joan Samuelson
I ran to be free; I ran to avoid pain; I ran to feel pain; I ran out of love and hate and anger and joy.
Dagny Scott, Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running
At first an ordeal and then an accomplishment, the daily run becomes a staple, like bread, or wine, a fine marriage, or air. It is also a free pass to friendship. Benjamin Cheever, Strides
Experienced runners learn to respect the changing needs of their bodies. That's the wisdom that comes with time, and - for good or bad - with age. Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon
Consistency requires discipline. Force yourself out the door.
Bob Glover and Shelly–Lynn Florence Glover, The Competitive Runner's Handbook
When we understand the privilege of what it means to be an athlete, we are in touch with, and rejoice in, our physical, mental, and emotional strengths and our endless possibilities. Gloria Averbuch
That is why athletes are important, why records are important. Because they demonstrate the scope of human possibility, which is unlimited. The inconceivable is conceived, and then it is accomplished.
Brian Ganville, "The Olympian"
When they're out there running, for that little slice of time, they're not free, but they have a little bit of mental release. Laura Bowman, who is in charge of a running club for prisoners
I pull on my extra long shorts, tie up my New Balance 991s, run past the barricades and blast walls that surround the compound where I live, and slip into Baghdad's anarchic streets.
New York Times Correspondent Dexter Filkins in Runner's World
At age forty-three, when I found myself standing in my garage in a new pair of running shoes, I knew that it was my moment of truth. Behind me lay forty years of bad decisions and broken promises.
John Bingham, The Courage to Start
It has been said that the love of the chase is an inherent delight in man-a relic of an instinctive passion.
Charles Darwin
Running is a kind of investment in yourself. The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration, Kevin Nelson
Marathons are about tenacity as much as talent. John "the Penguin" Bingham
On a good day, it all blends. I feel a part of a private universe where everything comes together and feels great. Matthew Shafner, lawyer
Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion. Gail W. Kislevitz, writer
Nothing hurts more, but is so rewarding at the same time. Runner Sandy Zanchi on the Marathon
I know I can run a marathon, ironically something I couldn't do in my younger years. This aging thing isn't so bad after all. Jim Miller
As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are. Joan Benoit Samuelson, Olympic marathon gold-medal winner
When you have the enthusiasm and the passion, you end up figuring how to excel. Deena Kastor, U.S. Olympic Marathoner
I can't imagine living and not running. Paula Radcliffe
Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running. Sarah Condor
We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort. Jesse Owens
Anything is possible, but you have to believe and you have to fight. Lance Armstrong
This is what really matters: running. This is where I know where I am. Steve Jones, former marathon world record holder
Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them?a desire, a dream, a vision. Muhammad Ali
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill
I used to run to school, 10k every day. Haile Gebrselassie
I run with my head, my heart and my guts, because physically, I don't think I've got a great deal of talent or ability. I started at the bottom and worked up. Steve Jones, former marathon world record holder
Running changed my life and brought it into balance. I now feel as though my entire essence, body, and soul is centered. Donna Isaacson, Casting director
I didn't want to run Boston to prove anything. I just fell in love with the marathon.
Roberta Gibb on running the Boston Marathon
For me, running is a lifestyle and an art. I'm more interested in the magic of it than the mechanics.
Lorraine Moller, Olympic marathon bronze-medalist
When the runner's high does set in, usually around three or four miles, my body flows into a smooth rhythm and my mind is no longer conscious of how far or how long I've run or how much farther to go.
Matthew Shafner, Lawyer and marathoner
Do quality workouts year-round, including during the winter. You're less likely to get injured because you won't hurry the training process, and you'll race better because you build fitness on a solid foundation.
Brad Hudson, elite coach
It's the athlete's job to learn to do the hard things easily. John Jerome, The Sweet Spot in Time
Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they be executed. Ralph Waldo Emerson
When you've trained as best you can and you know your competition has done the same, nothing really matters but your mental strength and your belief. Florence Griffith Joyner
If one has determination, then things will get done. Chinese Proverb
They say you can't run away from your troubles. I say that you can. John Bingham, The Courage to Start
This is not about instant gratification. You have to work hard for it, sweat for it, give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings. Lauren Fessenden, marathoner
A change of pace in terms of your running pace will give you strength psychologically. Bill Rodgers
Commitment to the body machine. It was as critical as the commitment to the goal itself.
Richard Christian Matheson, "Third Wind"
Encourage kids to enjoy running and play in athletics. Don't force them to run too much competition.
Arthur Lydiard, New Zealand runner and coach
I really don't believe in fear. I believe in putting in the work. Deena Kastor
It is very difficult to train for a marathon; but it is even more difficult to not be able to train for a marathon.
Aaron Douglas Trimble, Runner
Recognize your victories. Joan Benoit Samuelson
Nothing's better than the wind to your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends beside you. Aaron Douglas Trimble, Runner
From the moment I ran through the tunnel into the Olympic stadium I knew that the Olympics wasn't everything I wanted but it was everything I needed. Meaning that I had dreamt of winning for so long but by losing I would develop a whole lot of character and my running career would have a lot different direction compared to if I had won. Ryan Hall on his 2008 Olympic Marathon performance
To be a consistent winner means preparing not just one day, one month, or even one year—but for a lifetime.
Bill Rodgers
The more I thought about what I get to do, the less I realized I had to do. It was just a shift, just a new perspective, just a new and more grateful method for labeling the things in my life. Think about it—if you stopped yourself every single time you were about to say, "I have to" and changed it to "I get to," it might change your entire experience. Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog, runnersworld.com
There are few instincts more natural than the body in full motion as it races across a field or through the trees.
Neal Bascomb, The Perfect Mile
Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself. John Bingham, "Tools and Rules," Runner's World
In the 30 years I've been a runner I've run more than 150,000 miles. Still, some of the hardest steps I take are those first few getting out the door for daily runs. Bill Rodgers' Lifetime Running Plan
Racing entails risk. The most common mistake in addition to overtraining is racing too much too soon.
Tom Fleming
A road race is the closest thing to a party I can think of. Bill Rodgers, Bill Rodgers' Lifetime Running Plan
No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences. George Sheehan
I really look forward to a hearty long slow run. You feel good while you're doing it, and get to feel good about yourself all day long after you're done. Jennifer Van Allen, Special Projects Editor, Runner's World
I don't know how the creative process works, but it always seems, as I'm running...that thoughts start coming in; sentences start coming in. Robert A. Caro, biographer
Music is my life, but running allows me to appreciate the music of the outdoors. Gail Williams, Hornplayer
The only secret is that it is consistent, often monotonous, boring, hard work. And it's tiring.
Robert de Castella, World champion marathon runner
Whatever the pace, run softly, run tall. Joe Henderson, Running 101
We train through the winter in deep snow and ice. Our slogan is "Pain is good, more pain is even better."
Matt Carpenter, Mountain Runner
When we run, we are already so exposed, often nearly naked in our shorts and T-shirts, huffing and puffing, purified by the effort. Briefly removed from the defenses and secrets we maintain in so much of our lives, we feel less need to hide our private thoughts, loves, fears, and stresses. We share. Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
You train best where you are the happiest. Frank Shorter, American distance runner and Olympic gold-medalist
We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.
Jesse Owens, American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist
Spirit has fifty times the strength and staying power of brawn and muscle. Anonymous
Fitness is like the blade of a knife; you want to sharpen it without ruining the blade. Sally Jenkins, The Washington Post
It is amazing how much you can progress week after week, month after month, year after year if you allow for gradual training increases. Bob Glover, The Runner's Handbook
Nonrunners cannot see how they can afford the time to run every day. But runners cannot imagine getting through a single day without it. Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration
Everything changed the day I understood that if I was to become a runner, I would have to run with the body I had. John Bingham, The Courage to Start
Running is "focusing" for me. In my profession we might talk about it as body prayer; a sort of emptying of the mind. That's probably why I prefer running in the wilds rather than in the city.
Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church, New York City
There are as many ways to be successful as a distance runner as there are athletes. You have to develop a training schedule of your own. Craig Virgin, American distance runner
The essential thing in life is not so much conquering as fighting well. Baron De Coubertin, Founder of the Modern Olympic Games
If you can train your mind for running, everything else will be easy. Amby Burfoot
I pretty much know how to train, but I need to pay more attention to smaller details, like recovering better, and to the signs my body gives, whether it's fatigued or ready for more mileage on a given week.
Deena Kastor, American record holder in the marathon (2:19:36)
I always run alone, away from phones and stress. Running is a major part of my life because it keeps me sane. Michael Roux, Jr., Executive Chef, Le Gavroche, London
There is nothing quite so gentle, deep, and irrational as our running—and nothing quite so savage, and so wild. Bernd Heinrich, Why We Run: A Natural History
The desire to run comes from deep within us—from the unconscious, the instinctive, the intuitive George Sheehan
We may train or peak for a certain race, but running is a lifetime sport. Alberto Salazar
Running is elementary. It is elegant in its simplicity. John Bingham, The Courage to Start
The key ingredient, in my opinion, to successful mental training is what I refer to as a "warrior attitude."
Bob Glover and Shelly-Lynn Florence Glover, The Competitive Runner's Handbook
Even after all these years, running continues to amaze me. Mostly in its ability to clarify - to make things OK and bring you back down to earth, even when things are insane. Especially when things are insane.
Mark Remy, Executive Editor, runnersworld.com
Have a dream, make a plan, go for it. You'll get there, I promise.
Zoe Koplowitz, Achilles Track Club member with multiple sclerosis
Good things come slow—especially in distance running. Bill Dillinger, Oregon coach
Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-reliance. Independence is the outstanding characteristic of a runner. He learns the harsh reality of his physical and spiritual limitations when he runs. He learns that personal commitment, sacrifice and determination are his only means to betterment. Runners get promoted only through self-conquest. Noel Coward, English playwright, composer, and actor
I focused on reminding myself I was running my race and not trying to keep pace with somebody. It's about your journey—not everybody else's journey Jennifer Beals, actress, on her first road race
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