8 Amazing Quotes to Find Your Running Motivation

How to find your running motivation? Running can be a very painful experience, demanding a lot of determination and effort. You can be a seasoned runner or someone who’s just started, it doesn’t matter. Everyone meets some bumps along the road and will need to be motivated to get past them.

Whenever you are feeling a bit down and find it hard to get up on your feet, remember this amazing quotes and you’ll find your running motivation in no time:

1. “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

This quote is pretty much self-explanatory. Everything has a beginning.

2. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ~ Larry Elder

Define your goal and be specific about it. “I’m going to start running“ ain’t gonna cut it.

It can be finishing a marathon or running a certain distance. It can be adding one extra minute of running every week…you decide. Make long-term goals and small term goals and write them down and review them. Tell your close ones about them so that they may support you.

Make sure you record your runs on a log. Write down distances, times, time of day, weather or whatever else you may find of importance. In this way you will be able to observe your progress and learn from your mistakes. And imagine how good you’ll feel about yourself 6 months from now after looking at the logs of your first run.

Set up your battle plan and stick to it. Get the proper equipment. You’re at war! With yourself and with nature.

3. “To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.” ~ Eva Young

Don’t talk yourself into saying you’ll start later. This kind of thinking will take you down the road to never doing anything. Set a deadline; add a sense of urgency to it. Don’t think! just go out and do it and you’ll find your running motivation.

4. “Little by little one walks far” Peruvian Proverb

Start small. Pushing too hard on your first runs can lead to injury. Take it easy at first. Start by running for 10 minutes at first. That should be pretty easy right? Add an extra minute every day until you reach half an hour. Then keep going like this. Up you pace little by little. Run a bit faster every day. You’ll be surprised to see your slow but sure progress.

5. “My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.” ~ John Bryant

Most of us have a busy schedule and are pressed by time. If you really don’t have time for a complete workout, even a quick run is better to postpone running for the next day. However, if this happens too often, think about what is more important to you and prioritize your tasks. Your time is precious. Learn how to manage it.

6. “I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself.” ~ Mikhail Baryshnikov

Don’t compare yourself with others. Run for you and you alone. If you’re restarting after a break, you will have a hard time getting back into shape. You may have run a marathon of 2-3 hours a few years ago but it doesn’t matter anymore. You’ll have to completely start over. Don’t compare your present results to those of a few years ago, compare yourself to how you were a few moths in the past.

7. “Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” ~ Albert Camus

Use the buddy system. Recruit a friend or join a local running club. You’ll be less likely to bail on you run when someone’s waiting and relying on you. You can also join online communities. Talk to them, ask for advice, share experiences on staying motivated. And don’t forget about our “best friends”, because a pet may enjoy the workout, just as much as you and will make your running experience a lot more fun.

8. “Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting.” ~ Veikko Karvonen

Ok, this isn’t exactly the most motivational quote on this list but, truth is, a marathon or a race will certainly motivate you. It doesn’t have to be a 10 kilometers marathon from the get-go. Whenever you feel up to it, start with something you’re comfortable with. If you keep your logs, you should know your abilities.

Always remember that the hardest thing to do is to start doing it…so just start running and you will find your running motivation on the way.