I’ve been in international competition, and now I know what the big boys can do. You don’t go out and just run. There’s an offense and a defense.
STEVE PREFONTAINEI’ve been in international competition, and now I know what the big boys can do. You don’t go out and just run. There’s an offense and a defense.
STEVE PREFONTAINESome people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, ‘I’ve never seen anyone run like that before.’ It’s more than just a race, it’s a style. It’s doing something better than anyone else. It’s being creative.
STEVE PREFONTAINEEvery once in a while I think, ‘What am I doing out here running, busting myself up? Life could be so much easier. The other guys are out having fun, doing other things, why not me?’
STEVE PREFONTAINETo give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
STEVE PREFONTAINERunning gives me confidence.
STEVE PREFONTAINEHaving a true faith is the most difficult thing in the world. Many will try to take it from you.
STEVE PREFONTAINEWhat I like most about track is the feeling I get after a good run.
STEVE PREFONTAINEA race is a work of art.
STEVE PREFONTAINENobody likes tainted victories.
STEVE PREFONTAINEA lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more.
STEVE PREFONTAINEDon’t be afraid to give up the good for the great.
STEVE PREFONTAINEYou cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.
STEVE PREFONTAINEKids made fun of me because I was a slow learner, because I was hyperactive, because of a lot of things. Running gave me confidence.
STEVE PREFONTAINEDon’t let fatigue make a coward of you.
STEVE PREFONTAINEI run to see who has the most guts.
STEVE PREFONTAINEIf he’s having a good day and running the right race, nobody can beat Frank Shorter at 10,000 meters, nobody except me.
STEVE PREFONTAINE