“You must always realize one thing. In every little village in the world there are great potential champions who only need motivation, development and good exercise evaluation.”
– Arthur Lydiard

All it takes is the right opportunity or the right push.

“I love running cross-country, especially where I live in Northern California….You come up a hill and see two deer going, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ On a track, I feel like a hamster.”
– Robin Williams, film star/comic

Believe it or not, I had to long eared cottontails say the same thing to me 3 weeks ago.

“I was too embarrassed to be another fat guy in new running shoes and sweats, so we’d go out at night with a flashlight…I found out that runners weren’t judgmental.”
– George “Norm” Wendt, actor

Our second “Cheers” quote. Not quite the first show that comes to mind for running quotes!!!

“Running helps me stay on an even keel and in an optimistic frame of mind.”
– Bill Clinton, former President of the United States

…and if you plan your route juuuust right, you’ll be within a sprint of at least 3 McDonald’s!!!

“You can listen to the stream run. You can listen to the birds. Music is my life, but running allows me to appreciate the music of the outdoors.”
– Gail Williams, hornplayer

Another reason to leave the iPod at home. Zone into nature. You’ll be surprised at what it has to say.

“It’s elevating and humbling at the same time. Running along a beach at sunrise with no other footprints in the sand, you realize the vastness of creation, your own insignificant space in the plan, how tiny you really are, your own creatureliness and how much you owe to the supreme body, the God that brought all this beauty and harmony into being.”
– Sister Marion Irvine, 2:51 PR and 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier

This quote is so cool on soooo many levels. 1) A Sister, a Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. 2) I’ve had this same feeling many times running, especially on my prayer runs. 3) Every time I’m on a trial, I feel like I’m the only person on earth that’s ever set foot on that piece of earth.

“In running, if I get tired, I’ll stop; in boxing, if you get tired and stop; you’ll get murdered.”
– Floyd Patterson, former world heavyweight champ prior to running the New York City Marathon

I bet there are some runners who run in some pretty seedy neighborhoods that would tend to disagree.

“I like running because it’s a challenge. If you run hard, there’s the pain – and you’ve got to work your way through the pain. You know, lately it seems all you hear is ‘Don’t overdo it’ and ‘Don’t push yourself.’ Well, I think that’s a lot of bull. If you push the human body, it will respond.”
– Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers general manager, NHL Hall of Famer

“That’s bull.” I love hockey players AND if you disagree, he’s going to bury you in the boards!!! Old time hockey!!!

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”
– Oprah Winfrey

And the best part is, you know it before it happens. You know when you’ve been slacking on your training and your not ready for a race. If you cheat on your training, you’re cheating yourself.

“I always go for a run the morning of the NFL draft. If I can’t go extra long, then I go extra hard. It’s the same the morning of a game. If I let up, then I feel something will go wrong. I don’t know why – it’s kind of silly – but I’ve always felt that way.”
– Bobby Beathard, General Manager, San Diego Chargers, 2:46 PR for the marathon

Ah yes…running superstitions. We all have them. Mine is right shoe first…ALWAYS.