Amby Burfoot quotes:

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Courage is crossing a starting line.

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

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

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.

Don't judge your running by your speed.

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

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