If you’re trying to establish a running habit, you may be looking for some motivation to stick with it. Get inspired with these running quotes from professional runners and other famous people.
1. “The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability – consistency, a sane approach, moderation and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.”
-Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston Marathons
2. “If we had a drug that did what exercise did, it would be the biggest revolution ever and would be promoted all over the world. And all you have to do is go out for a run.”
– Greg Wells, Ph.D.
3. “Running is kind of like coffee. The first time you drink it you might not like it. It’s bitter and leaves a bad taste in your mouth but you kind of like the way it makes you feel. However, after a few times, it starts to taste better and then all of a sudden you’re hooked and it’s the new best part of waking up.”
– Amy Hastings Cragg, U.S. Olympic marathoner
4. “It’s important to know that at the end of the day it’s not the medals you remember. What you remember is the process — what you learn about yourself by challenging yourself, the experiences you share with other people, the honesty the training demands — those are things nobody can take away from you whether you finish twelfth or you’re an Olympic Champion.”
– Silken Laumann, Canadian Olympian
5. “If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”
–Nora Roberts
6. “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, who ran the first sub-4:00 mile
7. “If you believe you can change – if you make it a habit – the change becomes real.”
–Charles Duhigg, in The Power of Habit
8. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”
–Martin Luther King, Jr.
9. “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
10. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
– Jim Ryun, first high school athlete to run a sub-4:00 mile
11. “Setting goals gives your life meaning. The feeling of setting a goal, working hard, and then achieving it is the best.”
-Sarah Jamieson, Australian Olympic runner
12. “Running has always been a relief and a sanctuary—something that makes me feel good, both physically and mentally. For me it’s not so much about the health benefits. Those are great, but I believe that the best thing about running is the joy it brings to life.”
-Kara Goucher, U.S. Olympic distance runner
13. “A lot of people say they love running because of how they feel afterward. Not me. Well, I love that, too, but it’s also so much fun while I’m out there.”
-Dick Beardsley, American distance running legend
14. “It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination. We have a better chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else.”
-John Bingham, running author
15. “The benefits and opportunities of running are available to anyone. You don’t have to be born a natural athlete, and you don’t have to be uniquely gifted. A life-shaping experience is there for the taking, waiting right outside your door.”
-Donald Buraglio, in The Running Life: Wisdom and Observations from a Lifetime of Running
16. “One run can change your day, many runs can change your life.”
-Unknown
17. “Set big goals and learn to love the work that get you to them.”
–Des Linden, winner, 2018 Boston Marathon
18. “Doing something for yourself like running, and using it to test yourself, will only make you feel better about your career and family role.”
–Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner, 1984 women’s Olympic marathon
More Running Quotes:
Running Quotes for Beginner Runners
