Five Great Quotes About Running

Running Motivation.

Running is a difficult form of exercise, so it’s no wonder that the people who are running fanatics seem to be a rare breed indeed. These are people who embrace the pain and like the feeling of a body once it’s run three, five, or even ten miles. And in learning about their limits and stretching them, they’ve found pearls of wisdom in some of the quiet and lonely places running can take you. Here are five great quotes about running – and what they might mean.

“I always loved running… it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.”
-Jesse Owens

“Ask yourself: ‘Can I give more?’ The answer is usually: ‘Yes.’”
-Paul Tergat

“Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.”
-Steve Prefontaine

“Run like hell and get the agony over with.”
-Clarence DeMar

“Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic.”
-Tim Noakes

What do the above quotes suggest? That running is about more than the exercise. Yes, the exercise is often painful and is very exhausting, but what makes it worth it is the feeling you have gained for yourself afterwards, when you realize that you wouldn’t have traded the previous hour for anything else in the world – as odd as it sounds.

One bonus quote from the ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes: “Somewhere along the line we seem to have confused comfort with happiness.” Sitting on the couch and refusing to exercise may feel good in the moment – at least, it prevents the discomfort of running – but it ultimately leads to less joy and happiness in our lives as our health deteriorates. Running, on the other hand, doesn’t only keep us in shape, but it keeps our bodies feeling good – at least after the fact!

If you want to know what it’s like to be a runner, check out more of these quotes and you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to dedicate a large part of your life to running. You’ll find that there’s really no way out of choosing which you’d rather have: the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret. If you choose the pain of discipline, you won’t regret it.

Photo Credits: Roberto Berlim

Originally posted 2009-12-15 03:34:32.

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