13 Inspiring Quotes Every Runner Can Use

by Emily Giometti on August 5, 2015

You’ve trained hard for months. You’ve sacrificed unhealthy habits to reach your goals. You’ve pushed yourself to new limits in preparation for race day.

While your body may be in prime form to meet your personal race goals, a strong mental outlook is just as crucial for success when the inevitable tough moments arise.

One for every mile, here are 13 gems of motivational glory from some of the greatest thought leaders of all-time:

Mile 1

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Mile 2

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mile 3

“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” – Victor Kiam

Mile 4

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” – Ayn Rand

Mile 5

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

Mile 6

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” – Walter Elliot

Mile 7

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer

Mile 8

“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.” – Diane Sawyer

Mile 9

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” – H.G. Wells

Mile 10

“One finds limits by pushing them.” – Herbert Simon

Mile 11

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

Mile 12

“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu