Updated June 08, 2015.
Keep some of these motivational quotes in mind if you need a little inspiration. Although these quotes weren't originally about running, their meanings definitely can apply to the sport and get you motivated.
- "Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
-Joshua J. Marine
- "More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin."
-Unknown Author
- "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
-Sir Edmund Hillary
- "It's easier to go down a hill than up it but the view is much better at the top."
-Henry Ward Beecher
More: Quotes About Running Hills
- "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
-T. S. Eliot
- "The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital."
-Joe Paterno
- "Running is special. We've all done it: well, poorly, focused, in fear, being pursued, toward a goal. It's just elemental. Running is like fire."
-Rob Delaney
- "Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you."
-William James - "There are no shortcuts. Be patient and look long-term. It's a foolish idea that if you do a little more, faster, then you'll get better than the rest. It ignores the fact that you must train at your optimal level, not your maximum level. Consistency is the secret to improvement and success. You have to keep training when others lose interest."
-Robert de Castella, 1983 World Marathon Champion
- "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
-Jim Ryun
- "Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."
-Dean Karnazes, ultra-marathoner and author
- "There is no time to think about how much I hurt; there is only time to run."
-Ben Logsdon
- "Those who do something and fail are infinitetly better then those who try to do nothing and succeed."
-Lloyd Jones
- "No matter what the level of ability, you have more potential than you can develop in a lifetime."
-James T. McCay
- "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose."
-Dr. Seuss
- “One foot in front of the other. Repeat as often as necessary to finish.”
-Haruki Marukami - "Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good and then work hard to get better."
-Paul Coffey
- "The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move."
-John Wooden
More Motivational Running Quotes ->