Alan Sillitoe

“Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness, and self-reliance.”

“I discovered that it is necessary to remove one's boots when wading across a river.”

“The last mile is the longest. Not because of distance, but because of desire.”

“I run to escape the feeling of responsibility. I run to feel free.”

“I run to escape, not toward anything, but away from.”

“I learned that the worst thing that can happen to you is to succeed before you are ready.”

“Running is the classical protest against the interrupted present.”

“When you get to mile 20, that's when the race really begins.”

“The real purpose of running isn't to win a race. It's to test the limits of human potential and to push back the barriers of what we think is possible.”

“The run itself is the great healer. Not the distance, not the speed, but the act of running itself.”

“The greatest thing about running is you can worry about absolutely nothing else when you're running. Nothing.”

“I've learned that the only way to truly know yourself is through the act of running.”

“I run because it's the only time I feel like I'm not running away from something.”

“I run for the same reason I breathe. It's not something I think about; it's something I must do.”

“I've learned that the marathon is a symbol. It's about pushing yourself to the limit and beyond.”

“I've learned that finishing a marathon isn't just physical. It's a state of mind where nothing is impossible.”

“The marathon is a charismatic event. It has a mystique.”

“The body does not want you to do this. As you run, there's a magical thing that happens in the mind. You start believing different things about yourself.”

“I run because if I didn't, I'd go mad. It's not about the distance or the time. It's about the person I become.”