Cross country running is a tough sport. It might be hard to find the inspiration and the will to keep going when things get tough, which is why everyone could use a little pick-me-up from time to time. Cross country running quotes can be exactly what you need.
Quotes can help remind you why you started running in the first place. Without them, things can get a bit overwhelming since reaching the finish line is not an easy task. Snow, hail, sleet, rain, ice, going over hills, through woodland and open country areas — enduring cross country running takes everything you have, and then some.
If you’re looking for some extra motivation, words by famous and experienced runners, or if you simply want to know more about this extraordinary sport and athletes who compete in it, keep reading. This list of quotes has you covered.
Cross Country Running Quotes That Will Make You Fall in Love With the Sport
Inspiring Cross Country Running Quotes
#1. “Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did, and it worked.” — Nelson Mandela
#2. “We told our guys to hold on for 30 minutes of agony for 12 months of glory. That’s the essence of cross country.” — John McDonnell
#3. “When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting.” — Doris Brown Heritage
#4. “Running cross country is the closest man will ever get to flying.” — Joseph Vanderstelt
#5. “Cross Country: No half times, no time outs, no substitutions. It must be the only true sport.” — Chuck Norris
#6. “Every step you take is one step closer to the finish line.” — Clyde Tubick
#7. “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.” — John Bingham
#8. “In many ways, a race is analogous to life itself. Once it is over, it cannot be re-created. All that is left are impressions in the heart, and in the mind.” — Chris Lear
#9. “We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves…The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable.” — Sir Roger Bannister
Cross Country Running Quotes About Starting Out
#10. “I run cross country because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.” — Arthur Blank
#11. “Cross country was something that started off as a punishment from my father for low grades. I guess he didn’t realize it would take off so well. It gave me something to do with my free time and it taught me to be accountable.” — A.J. Ellison
#12. “Cross country running is kind of like coffee. The first time you drink it you might not like it. It’s bitter and leaves a bad taste in your mouth but you kind of like the way it makes you feel. However, after a few times, it starts to taste better and then all of a sudden you’re hooked and it’s the new best part of waking up.” — Amy Hastings Cragg
#13. “The start of cross country is like riding a horse, but in the middle of a buffalo stampede. It’s a thrill if you keep up, but one slip and you’re nothing but hoof prints.” — Ed Eyestone
#14. “Cross country running should be a lifelong activity. Approach it patiently and intelligently, and it will reward you for a long, long time.” — Michael Sargent
#15. “You don’t have to be great to start running, but you have to start to be great.” — Unknown
#16. “Cross country running has taught me, perhaps more than anything else, that there’s no reason to fear starting lines…or other new beginnings.” — Amby Burfoot
Powerful Cross Country Running Quotes
#17. “A lot of people don’t realize that about 98 percent of the running I put in is anything but glamorous: 2 percent joyful participation, 98 percent dedication! It’s a tough formula. Getting out in the forest in the biting cold and the flattening heat, and putting in kilometer after kilometer.” — Rob de Castella
#18. “Cross country: All it takes is all you got.” — Unknown
#19. “Cross country running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.” — Oprah Winfrey
#20. “If cross country was easy, it would be called track. Real athletes run miles, not yards.” — Unknown
#21. “The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. But you must handle the pain with strategy…It is not age; nor is it a diet. It is the will to succeed.” — Jacqueline Gareau
#22. “Cross Country — It’s not how fast you run, but how long you run fast.” — Unknown
#23. “Embrace the mud. The dirt. The grit.” — Nike
#24. “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle. And cross country is the biggest battle you’ll ever face.” — Unknown
In Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for some inspiration, something to lift you up when you’re thinking about giving up, or some powerful stories about starting out, cross country running quotes are the way to go. These quotes are full of optimism, determination, and strength, and hopefully, after reading them you will be, too.
