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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.