65 Running Quotes To Motivate & Inspire Your Training

We love running quotes that motivate and inspire our own training. Running is more than just a workout, it’s a mental game as well as a physical one. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a beginner taking those initial steps, running is filled with challenges, triumphs, and highs when we push beyond our limits.

In this article – we outline 65 of our fav running quotes to inspire and entertain others, including words of wisdom from legendary athletes.

Inspirational Running Quotes

These quotes will inspire you to run faster and longer, no matter what your current level or speed…

• “The only way to do it is to do it.” – Nike
• “The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race.” – Unknown
• “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
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” – John Bingham
• “Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible. Nothing unattainable.” – Kara Goucher
• “You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face.” – Gatorade
• “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” – Dean Karnazes
• “Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.” – Oprah Winfrey

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Funny Running Quotes

These humorous quotes about running will bring a smile to your face…

• “I thought they said ‘rum,’ and I said, ‘yes please!’” – Unknown
• “I run because I really like food.” – Unknown
• “Running is a lot like eating chocolate cake. I’m not very good at either, but I still enjoy them both.” – Unknown
• “If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin.” – Unknown
• “I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.” – Ronald Rook
• “I tried running, but I kept spilling my wine.” – Unknown
• “If you’re running with me, be prepared to walk a lot.” – Unknown
• “Why do they call it jogging when no one looks joyful?” – Unknown
• “I run because it’s a good excuse to wear spandex.” – Unknown
• “Run like there’s a hot guy in front of you and a creepy one behind you.” – Unknown

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Motivational Running Quotes

Here are some of our fav motivational quotes about running to help you push that bit further (or simply get out of the door in the first place)…

• “The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank.” – George Sheehan
• “Make each day your masterpiece.” – John Wooden
• “The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.” – Unknown
• “Your feet will lead you to where your heart is.” – Unknown
• “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
• “The run is the reward.” – Unknown
• “It never gets easier, you just get stronger.” – Unknown
• “Run like hell, and get the agony over with.” – Clarence DeMar
• “The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.” – Unknown
• “The body achieves what the mind believes.” – Unknown
• “The marathon is not about the race. It’s about the journey and the commitment to yourself.”
• “Marathons are about tenacity, resolve, and a willingness to push through the pain for a greater goal.”
• “The marathon never ceases to challenge me, but I am stronger than any distance.”
• “Running is not about being better than someone else, it’s about being better than you used to be.”

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Quotes by Famous Runners & Athletes

Here are the best famous running quotes from legendary athletes and professional runners…

• “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” – Jesse Owens
• “I don’t think limits.” – Usain Bolt
• “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – Florence Griffith Joyner
• “Running allows me to set my mind free. Nothing seems impossible. Nothing unattainable.” – Wilma Rudolph
• “Don’t dream of winning. Train for it.” – Mo Farah
• “Success isn’t just about winning; it’s about stepping up and knowing you can do it.” – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
• “You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.” – Frank Shorter
• “Ask yourself: ‘Can I give more?’ The answer is usually: ‘Yes.’” – Paul Tergat
• “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.” – Priscilla Welch
• “Success is not just about winning. It’s about having a passion for something and giving everything you have to make it happen.” – Michael Johnson
• “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Paavo Nurmi
• “The only way to enjoy anything in life is to earn it first.” – Linford Christie
• “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.” – Paula Radcliffe
• “I run because if I didn’t, I’d be a bitch.” – Katherine Switzer
• “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
• “I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way.” – Dean Karnazes
• “Running is real and relatively simple, but it ain’t easy.” – Mark Will-Weber
• “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” – Wilma Rudolph
• “I have the mentality of a winner; I don’t settle for anything but first place.” – Mo Farah
• “Running is a celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment for what you ate.” – Natacha Oceane
• “I always had to keep running, always had to keep moving, otherwise, they would catch up to me.” – Linford Christie
• “There are better starters than me, but I’m a strong finisher.” – Usain Bolt
• “The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.” – Michael Johnson
• “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got this.” – Kelly Holmes
• “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Mo Farah
• “I train to run through the finish line, not to it.” – Linford Christie
• “I told you all I was going to be No. 1, and I did just that.” – Usain Bolt
• “To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.” – Michael Johnson
• “Success is about dedication. You may not be where you want to be or do what you want to do when you’re on the journey, but you’ve got to be willing to have vision and foresight that leads you to an incredible end.” – Kelly Holmes
• “Some days it just flows, and I feel like I’m born to do this, other days it feels like I’m trudging through hell. Every day I make the choice to show up and see what I’ve got, and to try and be better.” – Paula Radcliffe
• “You have to trust the process and enjoy the journey. Progress may be slow, but it’s worth it.” – Natacha Oceane

We hope these quotes will inspire, motivate, and bring a smile to runners and non-runners alike. They’re perfect for self-motivation, mantras before races, or sharing on social media. Tag us on Instagram if you do use any – we’d love to see what you post!

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