39 Motivational Running Quotes to Inspire You

Whether you’re using it to summon enough motivation to get out the door for a run or to push yourself through the pain of the final stretch of a race, your mind plays an important role in running. Here are some motivational running quotes that can help you develop your “mind over matter” strength to keep running.

1. “You have to want it, you have to plan for it, you have to fit it into a busy day, you have to be mentally tough, you have to use others to help you. The hard part isn’t getting your body in shape. The hard part is getting your mind in shape.”
–Amby Burfoot, winner, 1968 Boston marathon

2. “Believe you can do it. Think no other way but ‘Yes you can.’ The human body is capable of considerably more physical endurance than most of us realize.”
–Paul Reese, American distance runner

3. “It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.”
–George Sheehan, running author

4. “Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.”
–Hal Higdon, running coach

5. “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

6. “Good physical training is important. But what goes on in your head will determine whether you’ll win or lose, whether you’ll be able to break through a psychological barrier or not – and whether you’ll hold a medal in your hands and smile with satisfaction at the end.”
–Tim Noakes

7. “Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body.”
–Lynn Jennings, American long distance runner

8. “The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.”
–Nike

9. “There are people who have no bodies, only heads. And many athletes have no heads, only bodies. A champion is a man who has trained his body and his mind, who has learned to conquer pain for his own purposes. A great athlete is at peace with himself and at peace with the world; he has fulfilled himself. He envies nobody.”
–Sam Dee, running coach

10. “The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy…It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.”
–Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ

11. “If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”
–Vince Lombardi

12. “The task ahead of you is never greater than the strength within you.”
-Unknown

13. “There is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving.”
–Amby Burfoot

14. “It’s only when the discomfort strikes that one realizes a strong mind is the most powerful weapon of all.”
–Chrissie Wellington, four-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion

15. “Run your race. This applies to everything in life. To me, it means to follow your instincts and live a life you are proud of.”
–Shalane Flanagan, winner of the 2017 New York City Marathon

16. “Some people feel ‘transformed’ from the first day they begin running; others feel that it’s just plain hard work. Most of us realize it is both. I know how great running can feel, but I also know it can feel not so great, even downright awful! It can be fun, but it takes work to have that fun.”
– Grete Waitz, 9-time NYC marathon winner, in her book, World Class

17. “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 marathoner

18. “There is an expression among even the most advanced runners that getting your shoes on is the hardest part of any workout.”
–Kathrine Switzer, women’s marathoning pioneer

19. “Running gives freedom. When you run you can determine your own tempo. You can choose your own course and think whatever you want. Nobody tells you what to do.”
–Nina Kuscik, first official women’s winner of the Boston Marathon, 1972

20. “Mental toughness doesn’t come from reading a book or listening to a motivational speaker, it’s earned just like your physical fitness. Every time you make that tough decision to go run, you’re building mental toughness. In the marathon this is mandatory.”
–Greg Meyer, 1983 Boston Marathon champ

21. “Running teaches us to keep moving forward, one step at a time, especially in the most painful moments.” -Unknown

22. “You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you take that first step and just go for it!”
–Natasha Hastings, American sprinter

23. “The hardest step for a runner is the first one out of the door.”
-Unknown

24. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
–Robert Collier, American author

25. “Running reminds you that even in your weakest moments, you are strong.”
-Unknown

26. “You don’t have to be fast. But you’d better be fearless.”
–Christopher McDougall, author, Born to Run

27. “The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.”
-Unknown

28. The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”
–John Bingham, running writer

29. “Running is not about being better than someone else, it’s about being better than you used to be.”
-Unknown

30. “Running allows you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time.”
–Kristin Armstrong, running writer

31. “I run because it’s my time to be free.”
-Unknown

32. “You don’t have to go fast. You just have to go.”
-Unknown

33. “The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them.”
–Arthur C. Clarke, British writer

34. “Running allows you to embrace the journey and the struggle, not just the destination.”
-Unknown

35. “You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
–Steve Prefontaine, running legend

36. “The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.”
-Unknown

37. “Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”
–Oprah Winfrey

38. “Running releases more than just sweat.”
–Asics

39. “Running teaches us that we are capable of so much more than we think.”
-Unknown

Running is a journey of self-discovery, growth, and perseverance. Motivational running quotes like these can remind us that the challenges we face are not just about our physical strength, but our mental resilience as well. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a beginner runner just getting started, I hope these words inspire you to keep running.

More Motivational Running Quotes

Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.