It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination. We have a better chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else. We can enjoy every moment of movement, as long as where we are is as good as where we'd like to be. That's not to say that you need to be satisfied forever with where you are today. But you need to honor what you've accomplished, rather than thinking of what's left to be done (p. 159).

I didn't train all that time just to come here and get it over with as fast as I can

I'm not saying running could solve all of the world's problems, but I think it would be a good start.

Marathons are about tenacity as much as talent.

Every day gives you an opportunity to improve. With every run, you can try to be better. Not just a better runner, but a better person.

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.

We run to undo the damage we've done to body and spirit. We run to find some part of ourselves yet undiscovered.