Ultramarathon running is more than just a sport—it’s a journey of resilience, self-discovery, and transformation. Each mile challenges the limits of your body, mind, and spirit, revealing lessons that extend far beyond the trail. For those who embrace the call of the long run, ultramarathons become a way of life, a space where determination meets reflection, and the finish line is just the beginning.
In my new book, Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner, I dive deep into the essence of ultrarunning—the mental battles, the physical triumphs, and the spiritual awakenings that emerge when we push past the ordinary. Along the way, I’ve found inspiration in the moments of struggle and joy, as well as in the wisdom these experiences bring.
Below, I’ve gathered 100 ultramarathon quotes from my book to inspire your journey, whether you’re training for your first ultra, reflecting on a recent race, or simply seeking motivation to tackle your next distance. Let these words remind you of the power within each step—and invite you to explore the full depth of the ultrarunning experience.
100 Quotes From Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner
1-Show up to race day with a full heart, empty of expectations and identification. Leave the starting line with an urgent longing for finding freedom, and allow the finish line to be your liberation.
2-When you run your first marathon, more things seem possible. When you run your first ultramarathon, everything seems possible.
3-Expectations can be a heavy burden on race day. Instead of focusing on how things should be, I’ve learned to accept the situation, adapt to changes, and remain open to intuitive solutions.
4-Ultrarunning can guide you through the paradoxical pathways of emptying into fulfillment. It’s in nothingness where you’ll feel everything. It’s in weakness where you’ll find your true strength.
5-It’s the agonizing pain of the night that brings the magnificent joy of the morning. During a 24-hour ultramarathon, you’ll experience both.
6-Ultrarunners don’t just run with the pain, they expect it, and use the adversities to better themselves.
7-The night hours of an ultramarathon are tough. But as your feet step down on the Earth, your mind drifts up to the sky, and somewhere between the stars, you cross the finish line from the grace in your pace, and that’s just what I did.
8-In the same way the light and darkness transform the day, start and finish lines transform our lives.
9-Ultrarunning can be so much more than moving your feet forward, and it can be just that, moving your feet forward.
10-Ultrarunning has taught me how to handle suffering, I think this is the greatest gift of all.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
11-As you gain experience as a runner, take caution. It’s easy for your current beliefs to get in the way of a greater freedom. Sometimes, adopting a beginner’s mindset is key to mastery.
12-We either run full of ourselves or empty of our limitations. Contemplate this thought deep into your next long run, and you may fill back up with something truly worth running for.
13-The realm of the Divine is right here and now. It’s a sacred presence, an unshackling love that opens us to a new world, already existing, and running through it becomes prayer-like. No longer driven by force and might, but instead, by rhythm and flow. Here, running no longer becomes something you do, but instead, a part of who you are.
14-When you run with your heart, there are no limitations. It’s here where the vastness of the 100-mile race vanishes. The distance dissolves away into the eternal as you move from a place of total perfection.
15-Running a half marathon strengthens the body, running a marathon expands the mind, but running an ultramarathon cleanses the soul.
16-Ultrarunning can guide you down the long internal road to a truer self if you allow it. That’s where the most profound freedom resides. There’s no holding back a runner motivated by this future liberation. It’s an unstoppable force.
17-Without the brightness of the day, how could we ever see our darkest shadow? And without the darkness of night, how could we ever shine so bright? Adversity is the pathway for enduring long distances. It trains us to transform self-doubt into self-confidence and a bad run into the best run of our lives.
18-Give thanks for your strong and enduring legs. A healthy body is not a guarantee; it’s a blessing.
19-One of the most profound aspects of ultrarunning is its contemplative essence. The miles provide so much time to decipher and weave thoughts together. Some insights become life lessons, others crystallize into valuable advice to share, and most contribute to a deep well of earned wisdom to take with you into an ever-evolving world.
20-If you don’t find answers after running 26.2 miles, keep moving forward—there’s a divine intervention waiting 73.8 miles down the road.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
21-When your legs are screaming and every part of you wants to quit, that’s when the real race begins—the race against adversity and self-doubt.
22-There will be times when the long miles make zero sense, and other times all the sense in the world.
23-Ultramarathon running, much like life, is a beautiful struggle, full of demanding obstacles we face to better ourselves.
24-Ultrarunning is tough. At some point, we doubt ourselves, and why wouldn’t we? Our current selves are striving to become a future version that’s still uncertain, and we have no way of knowing what that journey will require.
25-A runner’s stamina results from all the struggles they are willing to overcome inside and outside their running shoes. Never forget that.
26-As the extraordinary becomes ordinary in running, something remarkable happens: the ordinary becomes extraordinary in life. That’s the hidden gift of running 100 miles.
27- Running 200 miles straight isn’t just a physical challenge; it’s a mental conquest. Completing the seemingly impossible task of running 100 miles is an incredible achievement, but lacing up to double that distance will either boggle your mind—or break it. Whichever comes first.
28-Instead of pushing forward, I learned to let go. It was through weakness that I found my true strength. In complete silence, I heard the song of my soul. Through the contemplation of temptation, I discovered an empty kind of fullness, and through the suffering of ultramarathon running, I learned of a full kind of emptiness.
29-My forward motion is diligent, because Your love is forever, in this way, how could I ever give up?
30-You are more enduring than you could ever imagine. But it takes a diligent effort. Only believing today won’t cut it. You need to have faith through the storm.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
31-If running becomes unbearable, it’s likely less about the resistance and more about a lack of purpose.
32-Have diligence on the path to your dreams, and your dreams will have diligence in their path to you.
33-Tough times can feel like the end of the world. But afterward, with a shift in perspective, we see that our struggles are something to appreciate. If we don’t allow our problems to define a self-limiting story, we grow from them. Each painful step then brings us closer to an inner awakening.
34-It’s not the medals from the finish that I appreciate most. It’s the scars from the struggle. Our deepest wounds provide the greatest growth.
35-Adapt what you learn to yourself. This means making any training program or strategy your own. We’re all similar, yet paradoxically, we’re all very different. It’s through these differences that we transcend our limitations. We are like grapes on the same vine, unique plants from the same soil. In other words, we are all human, but we think and act differently. Improving in ultra-distances is both a science and an art, and mastering both is essential.
36-Movement is part of the human experience. When you allow running to naturally integrate into your life, you’ll witness incredible endurance and strength as a result.
37-Our current circumstances do not dictate our future reality. Whether you’re athletic or not, you can grow into a distance runner over time. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently.
38-When running 100 miles, you develop an enormously strong body to endure the physical pain, and at the same time, you develop an enormously strong mind to endure the mental anguish.
39-The path upwards always begins downwards. Running long ultras helps break down the ego, allowing something more profound to enter your life. Suddenly, your running shifts from a corrosive, fight-or-flight state into a harmonious rhythm and flow. When this happens, instead of feeling like you’re fighting your way upstream, you begin to move downstream with ease. Your stride becomes smoother, and you find yourself running longer with less effort.
40-Let running in the rain be your healing, let the sunrise fuel your motivation, and let crossing the finish line mark your transcendence into a new chapter of life.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
41-The physical strength and stamina of your body is an expression of the mental strength and stamina of your mind.
42-Finding peace and happiness while running helps you become more enduring. When you are enjoying your run, it doesn’t matter what mile you are on. Whether the first, tenth, or one-hundredth, if you’ve found peace in your pace, the mileage fades away.
43-Limitations aren’t walls to break down with your body; they’re gates to lower with your mind.Don’t try to smash through barriers to run farther—simply loosen your grip.
44-when things get tough, remember that you don’t have miles to go, you have stress to overcome, and that stress is your path to greater growth.
45-Fear is the internal weight in the gym of your mind. Run away from your fears and your mind becomes fragile. Run towards them, and your mind becomes stronger. And it takes a mightier mind to conquer longer distances.
46-The most powerful tool you have for running long distances is your mind. Master it, and the boundaries of your endurance will disintegrate.
47-pain comes and goes. If you fear it, you are trapped. If you see it as temporary, you are free. This subtle shift in your thinking creates space to increase your endurance.
48-Sometimes, it takes being cold, tired, and weak to find your true strength—because it’s in our emptiness that we find fullness.
49-Running an ultramarathon requires setting a huge goal and having the persistence, diligence, and patience to achieve it. Once you complete an ultramarathon, what can’t you accomplish?
50-if the distance becomes unbearable, instead of focusing solely on the race, focus on your heart. When you run with love, everything once exclusive becomes inclusive. It’s in oneness that distance and time dissolve, and you move from a place of boundless possibilities.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
51-It’s not a distance but a deepening. I don’t force my legs to run longer; I expand my awareness. For me, running an ultramarathon is not about achievement—it’s about transcendence. It’s not a race but a meditation.
52-We go through seasons as runners, and if you hold onto faith through the lows, you will eventually reach new highs. Soon, nothing can stand in your way—not even the 100 miles of dirt between you and the finish line.
53-When running on what feels like an empty tank, give thanks. Gratitude shifts your perspective, allowing you to appreciate what you already have, making you feel whole. Suddenly, your empty tank feels full, and you’ll tackle those last few miles with a level of energy that only arises from a sincere appreciation for life.
54-The finish line of an ultramarathon is not the destination; it’s the vehicle. The true destination is the realization of the Divine.
55-Stay patient…stay humble…and you will stay running.
56-Enjoy training, fall in love with it, and become it. By doing so, you will look forward to running, not to finishing, and that makes all the difference in the world.
57-Stay committed to your running goals, but flexible in your training.
58-Your body doesn’t give up on race, it’s your mind that has the final say.
59-A wandering mind can be a dangerous mind on race day. Yet, with a little direction, it can be the most powerful tool you have.
60-You’re setting sail on a new journey, trekking down a path of unimaginable depths. You leap off the cliff of control, free-falling into the unknown without a parachute. This is the great uncertainty of an ultramarathon.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
61-Sometimes, we must stumble through a valley to develop the drive, determination, and dedication to climb the peak of our dreams.
62-At times, we must travel though the darkness and grapple with our shadows to find meaning in the miles and purpose in our pace.
63-Ultrarunning teaches us to keep moving forward, no matter how broken we feel, trusting that grace will pick up the pieces.
64-courage leads us into pain, while love transcends us out—a decision we make with every stride.
65-When will you feel ready to run – longer distance? You won’t. It requires a leap of faith. Signing up for a longer race is a jump into the unknown.
66-Is the sky the limit? No, not even close. Ultrarunners race in the sky; the only barriers that exist are those created in the mind.
67-To endure the great suffering of an ultramarathon, one must uncover an even greater meaning in the miles.
68-it’s the agonizing pain of the night that brings the magnificent joy of the morning. In a 24-hour ultramarathon, don’t worry—you’ll experience both.
69-It’s through great suffering that I’ve found great love. For this, I am forever grateful for the pain. It was in the darkness where I found the light. When I let go of pride, my humility grew. It took immense suffering to align with infinite joy.
70-Running long distances doesn’t necessarily get rid of your demons as much as it provides the courage to face them. Because on the other side of your darkest fears lies the light of your infinite power. That power is love.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
71-As you run longer and fatigue sets in, you become vulnerable, exposed. But by releasing the chains of the past, you free yourself from unnecessary burdens. Each act of forgiveness lightens your load. It’s here where judgment turns into acceptance, self-doubt transforms into self-love, and running transforms into flying.
72-The resistance from the distance will empty you, but running with love refills you, making you whole again. This is the natural way to refuel.
73-Running from the heart brings about a life-altering paradigm shift. You discover that emptiness is a kind of wholeness, and in letting go, you fall higher with each step. This is the paradox of ultramarathon running: you let go to hold on, and you find strength in your weakness.
74-Human beings are built to endure great suffering on the path to discovering even greater love.
75-The distance may seem extraordinary, but remember, you have an extraordinary heart.
76-Running an ultramarathon wouldn’t be a great achievement without adversity to overcome. Battling the elements is part of the struggle. Many people can’t grasp the idea of covering such a vast distance. If you run ultramarathons, you are a mental giant, period.
77-to surpass the ordinary, you must follow an extreme approach with extraordinary effort, as every running goal you aspire to awaits right on the other side of average.
78-4-The night hours of a 24-ultramarathon are a real test. Your race can become ugly in a hurry. If you don’t continuously move forward, you lose a whole lot of time from unnecessary comforts. Instead, it’s about finding comfort in being uncomfortable. Light in the darkness. Love in your suffering.
79-The emergence of mind and movement reveals a transcendent synergy in the relentless pursuit of ultra-distances. Ultrarunning confronts obstacles and elemental forces head-on. It is not just a physical feat but an epic journey of self-discovery and resilience. It’s a demanding path, but from my experience, it’s certainly one worth taking.
80-Running an ultramarathon with sincere intention offers a chance to strengthen the physical body, sharpen the mind, and expand the spiritual heart. You are traveling deep into the unknown, both outwardly and inwardly. There’s a lot of growth to be gained from such a courageous journey.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
81-What else is there to do besides face adversity? Staying idle is a dangerous choice. Wake up, roll up your sleeves, and go slay a dragon. It’s the most honest path there is.
82-An ultramarathon is a road less traveled, not because it is undiscoverable, but because it is long and grueling.
83- Running is the vehicle, and the destination is the place in your heart pulling you forward.
84-Running naked into the present moment, I’m neither above nor below the mind. Yesterday feels like a decade away as I lose myself into the boundless space of infinity, free-falling into the journey of 100 miles.
85- The deeper we venture inward, the farther we can run outward. This revelation lies at the core of our endurance—the truth we endlessly seek yet rarely perceive.
86-When running an ultramarathon, the first 50 miles I rely on my body and run on the trail. The next 40 miles I rely on my head and run in the mind. The last 10 miles I rely on my heart and run in the sky.
87-If you’re looking for pain and misery while running, you’ll find it, and if you’re looking for joy and happiness while running, you’ll find it. Remember the saying: energy flows where attention goes.
88-When you are out running those endless miles, and gazing up into the endless sky, if you fall in love with the endless journey, then your endurance will have no end.
89- What’s it like to run an ultramarathon? Walk out your door and start running. Go as far away from home as you possibly can—until you’re chafed, nauseated, heat-exhausted, sleep-deprived, and utterly broken. And when you reach the point where every part of your mind and body screams that you can’t run another step… turn around and run home.
90-On race day we run in a space between what’s comfortable and what we really want. Expect to be uncomfortable, but also, expect the finish line to change your life.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
91-When you fall in love with running, you fall in love with struggle. And when you fall in love with struggle, you fall in love with life.
92-One day, you become an experienced runner who made extraordinary progress, and it hits you. You realize every one of your goals was not reached by crossing one finish line at a time, but by overcoming one struggle at a time. What a humbling experience ultrarunning can be.
93- I never knew I couldn’t run a 200 mile ultramarathon, and that’s precisely why I was able to run a 200 mile ultramarathon.
94-During the 100 mile journey, you’ll face dark moments. Your inner fears and doubts will surface, and your shadows will emerge from forgotten places.
95-When you let go…you lose control, and you learn to be okay with that. It’s here where you run with faith, love, and hope as opposed to control, pride, and fear. This is the exact opposite of suffering. This is how you transcend pain deep into an ultramarathon.
96-When you accept the suffering, you can transcend the pain. Do this and every mile becomes a miracle.
97-The moment I forget I’m running is the moment my soul takes the wheel. I don’t know where I’m headed, but I know it’s a beautiful destination.
98- How long you can run is proportionate to how long you can suffer. If you’ve overcome great struggles in your life…then you have the mindset to run extraordinarily long distances, and you may not even know it.
99-When you’ve been running for 70 miles straight and find yourself suffering greatly, let each uncomfortable step be a prayer of gratitude. The pain reminds us we are alive.
100- Struggles come and go like the waves of a coastal shore. But when you run with your heart, instead of the break knocking you down, it will lift you up and guide you forward. The flow will feel like the current of a river, transcending your suffering into love. This is a very bright kind of darkness, and suddenly, finding peace in pain becomes very possible.
Grab your copy of Inside the Mind of an Ultramarathon Runner HERE
