Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting out, everyone can use a little motivation to keep going. Check out these running quotes for some inspiration to help you get through your next run.
There’s something about a good quote that inspire us to keep going. When we’re feeling low, or doubting ourselves, a simple phrase can give us the motivation to keep on keeping on.
And what better way to get motivated for a run than by reading some inspirational running quotes? We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite running quotes to get you pumped up for your next run.
I was born to be
I was born to be a runner. I simply love to run. It’s almost like the faster I go, the easier it becomes.
Running is the greatest
Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.
I've failed over and
I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
Of all the sports
Of all the sports I’ve tried, some have come and gone but running has always been there for me. It’s the simplest of things to do: shove your trainers on and just go.
It's no fun to
It’s no fun to sit down and talk about what exercise has to do with life… go drip that sweat, run until we’re fatigued, to where the mind can’t ponder the past or the future, well, then you’ve got something… It’s fun to feel healthy, and it’s fun to feel good.
Achievements
All great achievements require time.
Running is great for
Running is great for your body. It will increase your energy levels and helps you to clear your mind.
I'll be happy if
I’ll be happy if running and I can grow old together.
Happy hour
What is the purpose of any one workout? Enjoyment? Improvement? Coach said so? Whatever, the hour you run often is the best hour of the day.
Race it
You didn’t beat me. You merely finished in front of me.
Inner strength
Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the spectre of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough
It's not so much
It’s not so much that I began to run, but that I continued.
Feel good factor
Different people have different reasons for racing, but one is simply the incentive to get out and run, increase mileage and feel good.
Potential
The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life.
Why race?
Why race? The need to be tested, perhaps; the need to take risks; and the chance to be number one.
Older
No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life’s most rewarding experiences.
Goals
The more I run, the more I want to run, and the more I live a life conditioned and influenced and fashioned by my running. And the more I run, the more certain I am that I am heading for my real goal: to become the person I am.
Racing
My times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged: each race a drama, each race a challenge, each race stretching me in one way or another, and each race telling me more about myself and others.
Private time
Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion.
Sweat it off
You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.
Finisher
It doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.
In running, it doesn't
In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.
Fanatic
The runner must be a fanatic for hard work and enthusiastic enough to enjoy it.
Escape
Racing is an escape from society. From symbols of status, and self-perception. A chance to just be. For everyone to just be, with each other.
Keep going
Experience has taught me how important it is to just keep going, focusing on running fast and relaxed. Eventually pain passes and the flow returns. It’s part of racing
Courage and endurance
Success rests in having the courage and endurance, and above all, the will to become the person you are
Listen
Listen to your body. Do not be a blind and deaf tenant.
On the line
When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting.
Running is a road
Running is a road to self-awareness and reliance-you can push yourself to extremes and learn the harsh reality of your physical and mental limitations or coast quietly down a solitary path watching the earth spin beneath your feet.
Body limits
When you think that you are done, you’re only 40% into what your body’s capable of doing. That’s just the limit that we put on ourselves.
Celebration
For me, races are the celebration of my training.
Runners itch
There is an itch in runners.
Running a marathon is
Running a marathon is not a question of whether it will be painful, but when it will be painful. It does help to have a sense of humor, but I’m also respectful of the race.
We can't all be
We can’t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.
If the sun comes
If the sun comes up, I have a chance.
I go running when
I go running when I have to. When the ice cream truck is doing sixty.
Catch you
After all, if you run far enough, no one can catch you.
Exercise is so amazing
Exercise is so amazing from the inside out. I feel so alive and have so much energy.
It makes me feel
It makes me feel like I can conquer anything that comes at me. I’m never tapped out. I’m never tired around my two kids. I owe a lot of that to running.
You can alter mood
You can alter mood by running.
When you run, the
When you run, the road belongs to you.
Your body is made
Your body is made to move so move it.
Once you're beat mentally,
Once you’re beat mentally, you might as well not even go to the starting line.
Running is therapy anyone
Running is therapy anyone can afford.
Only those who risk
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
Something happens to me
Something happens to me when I run. People think it’s crazy when I say it. All of my ideas come in when I run. That is my time where it’s just me, where I get to create.
Most people run a
Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.
You cannot propel yourself
You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.
Be so good they
Be so good they can’t ignore you.
Most guts
A lot of people run a race to see who’s the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts.
I woke up on
I woke up on my birthday and said, ‘I want to run 10 miles.’ I just wanted to see if I could run double-digit mileage.
Quality is much better
Quality is much better than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.
Two joggers passed, shoes
Two joggers passed, shoes cheerfully slapping against the pavement.
Remember, the feeling you
Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running.
Whoever established the high
Whoever established the high road and how high it should be should be fired.
It's amazing how the
It’s amazing how the same pace in practice can feel so much harder than on race day. Stay confident. Trust the process.
I don't run to
I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.
I am a running
I am a running joke. Waking up at 4:30 am and jogging anywhere from 11 to 23 miles has been nothing short of horrifying.
I love running cross
I love running cross country. On a track, I feel like a hamster.
I've learned that it's
I’ve learned that it’s what you do with the miles, rather than how many you’ve run
It started to become
It started to become what I looked forward to most; it was the only time I got to be in my own head.
Those who never run
Those who never run long distance or meditate in their lifetimes, miss out on the best free drugs the planet has to offer.
I like trails more
I like trails more than roads. I’ve jumped over my share of rattlesnakes. I’ve seen mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, hawks.
Long distance running is
Long distance running is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical.
If you want to
If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.
It's an acquired skill,
It’s an acquired skill, being able to discuss your love life, children, and friends, all while you’re running! But we have mastered it.
Ask yourself: Can I
Ask yourself: Can I give more? The answer is usually: Yes.
When it's pouring rain
When it’s pouring rain and you’re bowling along through the wet, there’s satisfaction in knowing you’re out there and the others aren’t.
Life equals running and
Life equals running and when we stop running maybe that’s how we’ll know life is finally finished.
There are clubs you
There are clubs you can’t belong to, neighbors you can’t live in, schools you can’t get into, but the roads are always open.
Running is the classical
Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness, and self-reliance.
I believe that the
I believe that the Good Lord gave us a finite number of heartbeats and I’m damned if I’m going to use up mine running up and down a street.
Someone who is busier
Someone who is busier than you is running right now.
Running has been my
Running has been my main form of exercise. I’ve been running five or six days a week. I love it.
Run! Life's too short
Run! Life’s too short to walk. Unless you don’t know where you’re running to, then move very slowly.
Exercise is like meditation
Exercise is like meditation for me. And I’m giving myself that time . . . I cannot live without it now. When you have such a good workout, it clears everything up mentally, physically, and you just have a better day.
Don't dream of winning,
Don’t dream of winning, train for it!
My doctor told me
My doctor told me that jogging could add years to my life. I think he was right. I feel ten years older already.
I love running but
I love running but I think you have to find a work out routine that really speaks to you beyond trying to get goals for your body. For me, running, I need it as much for my head and to clear my head as I do for keeping in shape.
There's not one body
There’s not one body type that equates to success. Accept the body you have and be the best you can be with it.
Running is a form
Running is a form of practiced stoicism. It means teaching your brain and body to be biochemically comfortable in a state of disrepair.
Running is the movement
Running is the movement of a free human being. It doesn’t demand any special premises or machines. You only need to put on your shoes and get going. Let the blood circulate. Then everything becomes much clearer.
If you can't fly
If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.
Running is my alone
Running is my alone time. I have people around me all the time, all day. The only time I have alone is when I’m running, or when I’m at church. Running’s easier to fit in.
If you've never had
If you’ve never had a bad day running, you’re probably doing something wrong. If you’ve never had a good day running, you’re definitely doing something wrong.
Strength does not come
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
Running is in my
Running is in my blood – the adrenaline flows before the races, the love/hate of butterflies in your stomach.
Don't just doodle
[Working out] really did make me feel better and kind of saved me. It gave me a bit of sanity . . . I’m serious about my exercise. I don’t just doodle around. I see people at the gym talking on their cell phones. If they think their bodies are really going to change . . . I mean, you’ve got to put in the effort!
You would run much
You would run much slower if you were dragging something behind you, like a knapsack or a sheriff.
I love the way
I love the way that it makes my body feel and it’s just my time for myself where I can get out there and think and let my mind go.
Just keep moving. Someone
Just keep moving. Someone said this to me a long time ago. It’s a Buddhist saying, I think: ‘There is no wasted effort.’
Nothing, not even pain,
Nothing, not even pain, lasts forever. If I can just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I will eventually get to the end.
There is something magical
There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.
I like what it
I like what it does for my mind. If I’ve had a bad day, if I’m feeling stressed out, if I’m feeling overwhelmed – it takes it all away. It’s my antidote for everything. If I feel any sort of emotional upheaval, I go for a jog and I feel better.
If I continue to
If I continue to set goals and accomplish those goals, that means I’m doing something right.
Don't fear moving slowly
Don’t fear moving slowly forward…fear standing still.
If you are losing
If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.
Running has always been
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.
Running became the one
Running became the one event in my daily life that I looked forward to. Books and movies paled in comparison to the refuge of my feet slapping patiently in the fresh morning air
Never underestimate the power
Never underestimate the power that one good workout can have on your mind. Keeping the dream alive is half the battle.
Running allows me to
Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible. Nothing unattainable.
Running is the quickest
Running is the quickest endorphin hit I can get. I like to do it really early in the morning, before everyone gets up. It gives me a clear head and sort of resets the clock. It’s like, ‘OK, I got that out of the way. Now I can deal with people.’
Run often. Run long.
Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.
Everyone in life is
Everyone in life is looking for a certain rush. Racing is where I get mine.
Don't be afraid to
Don’t be afraid to fail. It’s not the end of the world and in many ways it’s the first step toward learning something better and getting better at it.
The miracle isn't that
The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.
My feeling is that
My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.
If you run, you
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.
It was being a
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.
As every runner knows,
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.
No marathon gets easier
No marathon gets easier later. The halfway point only marks the end of the beginning.
Children run everywhere for
Children run everywhere for a reason – it’s fun. Grown-ups can forget that sometimes.
Go fast enough to
Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see.
I am 100 percent
I am 100 percent convinced that working out is part of what makes me so happy.
Unless you puke, faint,
Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!
Just running the streets
Just running the streets was absolutely everything and more than I possibly expected.
I run every day.
I run every day. It’s like medicine.
The pain of running
The pain of running relieves the pain of living.
There are times when
There are times when I feel lazy and just want to stay in bed all day, but I know that working out is the best way to get those endorphins going, which will make me feel better emotionally and physically.
When I'm working 16-hour
When I’m working 16-hour days and I can’t work out, I get angry very easily. It’s because I’m missing all those good endorphins. For me, exercise equals happiness.
Pand and suffering
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
Clouds in the sky
The thoughts that occur to me while I’m running are like clouds in the sky. Clouds of all different sizes. They come and they go, while the sky remains the same sky always. The clouds are mere guests in the sky that pass away and vanish, leaving behind the sky.
Nostalgic silence
All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anybody else says.
If we had a
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.
The only failure is
The only failure is not to try.
The best runner leaves
The best runner leaves no tracks.
There are many challenges
There are many challenges to long-distance running, but one of the greatest is the question of where to put one’s house keys.
I never listen to
I never listen to music when I run – I listen to the beat of my heart. I like to feel the blood pumping in my veins. If I’m running for a long time, I take my hydration pack. I like to disappear up a mountain or into the woods and come back two hours later.
If it doesn't challenge
If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.
The trouble with jogging
The trouble with jogging is that, by the time you realize you’re not in shape for it, it’s too far to walk back.
Pain
It’s at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys.
It gave me a
It gave me a natural endorphin high, but it also helped me sleep, so it was perfect. It’s easy to understand how people replace addiction with exercise.
Another life
If you want to run, then run a mile. If you want to experience another life, run a marathon.
The experience
If you want to win something run 100 meters. If you want to experience something run a marathon.
Running is the basis
Running is the basis of all the training that I do…it’s like an escape.
Dream
A runner must run with dreams in his heart.
Natural high
Runners don’t do drugs, they make their own … naturally.
You must do the
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Life changing
When you cross the finish line, no matter how slow or fast, it will change your life forever.
Every marathon I ran,
Every marathon I ran, I knew I had a faster one in me.
Confidence in training
Be confident in the work you did to prepare for the race. Take a look back at your training logs to remind yourself that you’ve done everything possible to prepare. The race is the fun part where you get to see the hard work pay off. Enjoy it.
Relax
Fast running isn’t forced. You have to relax and let the run come out of you.
Success
We all know that if you run, you are pretty much choosing a life of success because of it
I feel like when
I feel like when I am running, it not only helps change me physically, it also improves my state of mind.
Magic in misery
There is magic in misery. Just ask any runner.
Simplicity
The beauty of running is its simplicity; the beauty of runners is that we all have a similar drive to improve. We are either trying to run a personal best, or toeing the line for the first time, which will snowball into a future of trying to run personal bests.
Running therapy
Some seek the comfort of their therapist’s office, other head to the corner pub and dive into a pint, but I chose running as my therapy.
Beyond the confort zone
Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not demanding more from yourself – expanding and learning as you go – you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip.
Crawl if you must
Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up
Inner peace
Running is about finding your inner peace, and so is a life well lived.
Fading footprints
I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go.
I started running to
I started running to escape the memories that drinking couldn’t cover up
One foot forward
How to run an ultramarathon ? Puff out your chest, put one foot in front of the other, and don’t stop till you cross the finish line.
Coming back to running
Coming back to running after a few weeks off is really tough. It’s humbling. Nothing wrong with a large dose of humility.
Running is a lot
Running is a lot like life. Only 10 percent of it is exciting. 90 percent of it is slog and drudge.
Don't tell
I would never tell anybody I ran an 8-hour marathon
Engage the struggle
I disagree. I look at struggle as an opportunity to grow. True struggle happens when you can sense what is not working for you and you’re willing to take the appropriate action to correct the situation. Those who accomplish change are willing to engage the struggle.
Guts
Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts
No pain no gain
Run like hell and get the agony over with.
The man who moves
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Love running
You ran to eat and to avoid being eaten; you ran to find a mate and impress her, and with her you ran off to start a new life together. You had to love running, or you wouldn’t live to love anything else…We were born to run; we were born because we run
I always run without
I always run without music. Being disconnected is what I’m addicted to more than anything. There aren’t many places where you can be without your phone and computer. I’ve started to crave and enjoy that time alone.
Companionship
The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other,… but to be with each other.
Good times
We run when we’re scared, we run when we’re ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.
In the spirit of running
The Hopis consider running a form of prayer; they offer every step as a sacrifice to a loved one, and in return ask the Great Spirit to match their strength with some of his own.
Born to run
If you don’t think you were born to run you’re not only denying history. You’re denying who you are.
If you don't have
If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.
Just run
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running
99 problems
If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.
Blame game
Blaming the running injury epidemic on big, bad Nike seems too easy – but that’s okay, because it’s largely their fault.
Trail away
Don’t fight the trail, take what it gives you. If you have a choice between one step or two between rocks, take three.
Nothing lifts me out
Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my treadmill. It never fails. To us, exercise is nothing short of a miracle.
This is the hardest
This is the hardest thing I’ve ever put my body through, but for me, running is a mental game. I’ve learned that if I can convince myself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other, then I can run as far as I want to.
Running is something you
Running is something you can do and be alone in your thoughts, and I like that.
Jogging is very beneficial.
Jogging is very beneficial. It’s good for your legs and your feet. It’s also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed.
Focus
My thoughts before a big race are usually pretty simple. I tell myself: “Get out of the blocks, run your race, stay relaxed. If you run your race, you’ll win… channel your energy. Focus.
Determined
Second place is not a defeat. It is a stimulation to get better. It makes you even more determined
Speed kills
It is true that speed kills. In distance running, it kills anyone who does not have it.
I really love going
I really love going places without a map. When I went running in Paris, I headed for a monument or a statue that I could see off in the distance. To get back where I started, I simply used the GPS on my phone.
Overcoming obstacles
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
To me, sweat is
To me, sweat is workout bliss.
Try harder
The thing about Pre is that he ran as hard as he could every race, and if you were going to beat him, you were going to have to run harder than he did.
I choose the things
I choose the things that I want to do, and they all revolve around one thing: food. Even my running has to do with food. I run to stay in shape so I can eat what I want.
For me, working out
For me, working out is a form of therapy, its cathartic for me, it’s a good stress reliever. I know that when I go to the gym I am taking care of myself and I know I’ll feel so much better afterwards.
Running is alone time
Running is alone time that lets my brain unspool the tangles that build up over days
Believe
God has given me the ability. The rest is up to me. Believe. Believe. Believe.
Don't race
Your goal is simple: Finish. Experience your first race, don’t race it.
Preperation
To be a consistent winner means preparing not just one day, one month, or even one year — but for a lifetime.
Tiger
The long run puts the tiger in the cat.
Be bold
My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble.
The marathon can humble
The marathon can humble you.
Proverbial Icing on the
Good health, peace of mind, being outdoors, camaraderie: those are all wonderful things that come to you when running. But for me, the real pull of running—the proverbial icing on the cake—has always been racing.
Lose motivation
I often lose motivation, but it’s something I accept as normal.
All out
You can’t flirt with the track, you must marry it.
Up the pace
A change of pace in terms of your running pace will give you strength psychologically
Fair weather runners
There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.
Slow wins
Good things come slow, especially in distance running.
Not about winning
The real purpose of running isn’t to win a race. It’s to test the limits of the human heart.
If you have a
If you have a body, you are an athlete.
No limits
Never limit where running can take you. I mean that geographically, spiritually, and of course, physically
Things that hurt, instruct.
Things that hurt, instruct.
We are all runners
I often hear someone say I’m not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner.
Step one to running
Step one to running a marathon: You run. There is no step two.
Learning
We must wake up to the fact that athletics is not, nor ever can be perfected; there will always be more to learn.
I'm not telling you
I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy… I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.
We are what we
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Never give up
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.
Running is kind of
Running is kind of like a 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.
Mindfulness
If you train your mind for running, everything else will be easy.
As we run, we
As we run, we become.
Nerves
I’m always nervous. If I wasn’t nervous, it would be weird. I get the same feeling at all the big races. It’s part of the routine, and I accept it. It means I’m there and I’m ready.
Don't be a jogger,
Don’t be a jogger, they’re the one’s who find dead bodies.
Hard work
Some people train knowing they’re not working as hard as other people. I can’t fathom how they think.
I'm all about breaking
I’m all about breaking mental boundaries, and training for a marathon falls right into the Jedi mind-training I need.
Cowards
I had as many doubts as anyone else. Standing on the starting line, we’re all cowards.
There's a great empowerment
There’s a great empowerment that I get from running, not only from the endorphins . . . Being a runner, to me, has made being depressed impossible. If ever I’m going through something emotional and just go outside for a run, you can rest assured that I’ll come back with clarity and empowerment.
Overtaking
It’s rude to count people as you pass them. Out loud.
I remember looking at
I remember looking at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and thinking, ‘What have I signed up for here?’ It’s one of those things where you’re like, ‘Okay, here we go!’ Your corral starts off and you start running, and I guess the adrenaline kind of gets you going, and you’re literally off to the races; you’re fine.
Hero
You are truly your own hero in running. It is up to you to have the responsibility and self-discipline to get the job done.
In the groove
A run begins the moment you forget you are running
Duke it out
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.
Challenges
I love the marathon … It’s a challenge, and if you don’t like challenges, something is wrong with your life.