Amby Burfoot Quotes

I always tell beginning runners: Train your brain first. It's much more important than your heart or legs.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint; pace yourself accordingly.

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

You have to want it, you have to plan for it, you have to fit it into a busy day, you have to be mentally tough, you have to use others to help you. The hard part isn't getting your body in shape. The hard part is getting your mind in shape.

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

In running, it doesn't matter how fast or slow you are relative to anyone else. You set your own pace and you measure your own progress. You can't lose this race because you're not running against anyone else. You're only running against yourself, and as long as you are running, you are winning.

The most powerful lesson you can learn in running? You're capable of much more than you think.

If you train your mind for running, everything else will be easy.

Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.

It's not about speed and gold medals. It's about refusing to be stopped.

I have learned that there is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving. It's not about speed. And gold medals. It's about refusing to be stopped. you might find that one particular direction proves difficult, but there are many directions on a compass. Infinite, in fact. As long as you keep searching, you'll find your winning way.

To get to the finish line, you'll have to try lots of different paths.

As runners, we all go through many transitions-- transitions that closely mimic the larger changes we experience in a lifetime. First, we try to run faster. Then we try to run harder. Then we learn to accept ourselves and our limitations, and at last, we can appreciate the true joy and meaning of running.

Why run? I run because I am an animal. I run because it is part of my genetic wiring. I run because millions of years of evolution have left me programmed to run. And finally, I run because there’s no better way to see the sun rise and set... What the years have shown me is that running clarifies the thinking process as well as purifies the body. I think best - most broadly and most fully - when I am running.

Winning is not about headlines and hardware [medals]. It's only about attitude. A winner is a person who goes out today and every day and attempts to be the best runner and best person he can be. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.

That's the beauty of starting lines: Until you begin a new venture, you never know what awaits you.

As we run, we become.

The true but rare runner's high is a zone that we enter when everything seems to click perfectly, when time stands still, and when we can run almost without effort.

We have all learned everything we know physically—from walking to running a marathon—by trial and error, so there's no reason to become our own worst enemies when we suffer a setback. From time to time everyone falls short of their goals. It's an illusion to believe that champions succeed because they do everything perfectly. You can be certain that every archer who hits the bull's-eye has also missed the bull's-eye a thousand times while learning the skill.

Success does not come to the most righteous and rigorously disciplined but to those who continue running.

Too many people have refused to begin running or have quickly dropped out of running programs because they 'have no talent for it.' Ridiculous. Talent has nothing to do with it. The only thing that matters is mental discipline.

I run because I enjoy it — not always, but most of the time. I run because I have always run — not trained, but run. What do I get? Joy and pain. Good health and injuries. Exhilaration and despair. A feeling of accomplishment and a feeling of waste. The sunrise and the sunset.

Set a goal and a program for yourself, and everything else will follow. Guaranteed.

I like to say, and I truly believe, that every run brings new experiences. You just don't know what they might be until you actually do the run. That's one of my major reasons for pushing out the front door as often as I do-the adventure of it all.

I've never known a runner who had as much patience as he needed.

It's wrong to believe that you need a certain physical body type to run. All body types can run. It's not about your legs, muscles, or cellulite. It's not about the physical side of things. If you train your brain, your body will follow. It's that simple. The hard part isn't getting your body in shape. The hard part is getting your mind in shape.

Courage is crossing a starting line.

It's what runners do. We keep on keeping on

Here’s my mantra: ‘Every mile is a gift.’

It's not about how fast you go. It's not about how far you go. It's a process.

Motivation is a skill. It can be learned and practiced.

In the longest run of all, your life, you're going to be a winner.

Don't judge your running by your speed.

Running is ultimately a personal experience. It is a revival of the spirit, a private oasis for the thirsty mind. Yet, its healing power only increases in the presence of others. Run together and the oasis grows cooler and more satisfying.

Don't compare yourself with anyone else. The world is full of runners, so you'll probably see one every time you circle the block or your favorite park. Some will be thinner than you, some smoother-striding, some faster. But don't let this get you down. There's only one runner who really counts: you. Running is your activity. Make it work for you, and don't worry about anyone else.

I've always liked hills. I see a challenge, a goal, and I feel instantly galvanized to achieve that goal.

Running removes us briefly from the fragmentation and depersonalization of the digital world

Don't get discouraged. As far as I'm concerned, a positive attitude is the most important attribute any runner can have. You'll need it often. Every runner has bad days, every runner has occasional injuries, and every runner eventually slows down (take it from someone who has slowed down a lot). But as long as you maintain a positive attitude, you'll find ways to overcome the obstacles and continue running. After all, running offers countless rewards. It's simply up to you to find the ones that have the most meaning for you.

Best wishes for a great marathon. Be sure to savor it. The first marathon is something special. Run long and healthy.

Once upon a time, about 20 years ago, runners believed they didn't have to do anything but run

This wasn’t just an attack against the Boston Marathon... It was an attack against the American public and our democratic use of the streets. We have used our public roadways for annual parades, protest marches, presidential inaugurations, marathons, and all manner of other events. The roads belong to us, and their use represents an important part of our free and democratic tradition.

Everyone stumbles at one time or another. It's the human condition

You don't need any skill to run.......Every 3-year old knows how to run