Pinning on a Number

Pinning on a number is bold. It says, yes, I am a runner. It speaks to the idea of getting out there, putting ourselves out there, and the glory of the try. The simple act, pin through fabric, through paper, clasp, repeat — sometimes in life we get to choose our own labels.

Kristin Armstrong, "Putting Pin to Paper"

In Running...

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.

Fred Lebow 

Road Blocks?

If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Michael Jordan 

Never give up!

Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.

Dean Karnazes 

Transforming, run by run

In running, every step you make and every push forward changes you - it transforms you into a different person. Every single run adds something to you and then it also takes something away. You are not the same person you have been at the starting line and by the time you come to the finish your inner self has been reinvented and reimagined.

"The Zen of Runnng: The Path to Completeness", meanrat.com 

Advice for Beginners

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, four-time winner of the Boston Marathon 

Don't Think About the Miles

I don't think about the miles that are coming down the road, I don't think about the mile I'm on right now, I don't think about the miles I've already covered. I think about what I'm doing right now, just being lost in the moment.

Ryan Hall, U.S. Olympic marathoner 

The Reason we Run

The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other, but to be with each other.

Christopher McDougall, Born to Run

New Beginnings

Running has taught me, perhaps more than anything else, that there's no reason to fear starting lines...or other new beginnings.

Amby Burfoot

Hill Workputs

Hill workouts are kind of like doing singing scales or repeated high notes - I hate it, but if I do easy stuff all the time, I won't improve.

Lisette Oropesa, Soprano, The Metropolitan Opera 

I Run Because

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, co-founder of The Home Depot 

Why I Run

When people ask me why I run, I tell them, there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenaline when you start, and the feeling when you cross that finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got.

Courtney Parsons

Only One Runner

The most important thing I learned [from running] is that there is only one runner in this race, and that is me.

George Sheehan

What Training is Really For

That's what our training is for, we practice not panicking, we practice breathing, we practice looking directly at the thing that scares us until we stop flinching, we practice overriding our Can't.

Kristin Armstrong

Doing Something for Yourself

Doing something for yourself like running, and using it to test yourself, will only make you feel better about your career or your family role.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Best Therapy is Running

Running is the best therapy I've ever had. We burn, we push, we sweat, we suffocate and we see that we are stronger and more refined for our pain. The awareness of this strength gives us the confidence we need to go home, shower, and face the rest of our day, our week, our year.

Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers

No Failure In Running

I have learned that there is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving.

Amby Burfoot

All you need

Other than a good pair of shoes, all you need to run is a strong mind that's able to push you when you're about to give up. And not giving up allows you to see quick results early on, which only helps your state of mind. It's a fantastic positive-feedback loop.

Sam VeuCasovic

Acknowledge your Victories

Acknowledge all of your small victories. They will eventually add up to something great.

Kara Goucher

Continue with help from your spirit

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.

Timothy Noakes, author of Lore of Running