Ultramarathon Man: Confessions Of An All-Night Runner Quotes
"I needed a sense of purpose and clarity—and, perhaps, adventure."
"Pain and suffering are often the catalysts for life’s most profound lessons."
"Running is about finding your inner peace, and so is a life well lived."
"My legs grew powerful and my body became taut and lean."
"I was mesmerized by the stillness and the silence, totally absorbed in the moment."
"To complete the Western States, you must transform yourself into a human machine."
"I heard the calling, and I went to the light."
"I tried holding my breath until I turned blue...nothing worked."
"I just shuffled along, step by step, barely able to lift my feet."
"My body was on autopilot, and I was just along for the ride."
"I couldn’t ignore the nagging sense that something was missing."
"It was a journey into uncharted waters, and I had no one to consult for directions."
"I’d frequently see the same fellow runners on my route...We’d exchange pleasantries."
"I had grown accustomed to the upscale lifestyle, the bonuses, the hefty options package."
"The resulting ice packs and tubes of Ben-Gay were a small price to pay."
"I screamed louder and louder and louder, but no one outside could tell that I was inside on the verge of blowing apart."
"I was moving fast, that was for sure, but was I moving forward?"
"Pain is the body’s way of ridding itself of weakness."
"If you can’t run, then walk. And if you can’t walk, then crawl. Do what you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up."
"The greatest rewards of high achievement, I had come to believe, were intrinsic."
"The only thing that matters is making that dream come true."
"Everything took on new meaning. My demeanor grew more carefree, as if the important things in life had become clearer."
"Passion had fueled my progress, and I hungered for more."
"Beyond Western States, I didn’t know of any physical challenge more demanding."
"I was forever changed by the Western States experience."
"That announcer at the start of the race had been right: I was forever changed by the Western States experience."
"I wanted to test the limits of human endurance and stretch the limits of self."
"Suffering is the sole origin of consciousness."
"Never are my senses more engaged than when the pain sets in."
"Adventure happens the moment you step out your front door."
"Running great distances is mostly done with your head... and, as Benner taught me twenty-five years ago, your heart."
"The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds."
"Sometimes you've got to go through hell to get to heaven."
"Baby steps, I kept reminding myself, baby steps."
"Running has as much power over me as I have over running."
"Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that."
"Struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living."
"If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, you’re choosing a numb existence."
"Excelling at my craft meant breaking through psychological barriers."
"Running great distances is the one thing I could offer the world."
"My strongest quality is that I never give up."
"Being able to run great distances was the one thing I could offer the world."
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body."
"What better way to spend our Sunday evening; what more fitting conclusion to a glorious weekend."