Top 35 Bill Rodgers Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “Always take the long term view and train and race smart, with a bit of caution.”

— Bill Rodgers

2. “To be a consistent winner means preparing not just one day, one month or even one year – but for a lifetime.”

— Bill Rodgers

3. “The marathon can humble you.”

— Bill Rodgers

4. “The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability – consistency, a sane approach, moderation and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.”

— Bill Rodgers

5. “Anybody can be a runner. We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It’s the easiest sport.”

— Bill Rodgers

6. “Having your goal to focus on is key, but don’t let it become more important than your excellence next year and the year after.”

— Bill Rodgers

7. “The starting line of the New York Marathon is kind of like a giant time bomb behind you about to go off. It is the most spectacular start in sport.”

— Bill Rodgers

8. “I often lose motivation, but it’s something I accept as normal.”

— Bill Rodgers

9. “Being a lifelong runner, knowing what running gives me, a variety of factors – that is what motivates me.”

— Bill Rodgers

10. “No one who works a forty hour week will ever beat me.”

— Bill Rodgers

11. “I want to run until I can’t run.”

— Bill Rodgers

12. “If you want to win a race you have to go a little berserk.”

— Bill Rodgers

13. “I believe in gradual experimentation with running shoes.”

— Bill Rodgers

14. “Runners are the ultimate celebration people. Running is just so intense, you’re really experiencing life to the fullest.”

— Bill Rodgers

15. “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to run for 5 or 6 hours.”

— Bill Rodgers

16. “Being a runner means you are now ‘free’ to win and lose and live life to its fullest.”

— Bill Rodgers

17. “Good health, peace of mind, being outdoors, camaraderie – those are all wonderful things that come to you when running. But for me, the real pull of running – the proverbial icing on the cake – has always been racing.”

— Bill Rodgers

18. “I believe you’ll develop speed via strength work which includes hill running, either repeats, or running hilly courses as the Kenyans do on a steady basis.”

— Bill Rodgers

19. “I ran my fastest marathon in the rain.”

— Bill Rodgers

20. “You cannot always run at your best.”

— Bill Rodgers

21. “My biggest weakness as a endurance athlete has been in not drinking enough water after training, thereby racing sometimes while dehydrated.”

— Bill Rodgers

22. “I believe in keeping running simple and, in regard to shoes, that would mean no gimmicks, unnecessary cushioning, etc.”

— Bill Rodgers

23. “A change of pace in terms of your running pace will give you strength psychologically.”

— Bill Rodgers

24. “Don’t feel guilty about driving somewhere nice to run. If people can drive to a park to eat hot dogs, you can drive there to run.”

— Bill Rodgers

25. “My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.”

— Bill Rodgers

26. “Every race is totally different.”

— Bill Rodgers

27. “Every time I bomb out, I have to come back. I have a feeling after a bad race that my next one will be good.”

— Bill Rodgers

28. “My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble.”

— Bill Rodgers

29. “Age 50 is a lot tougher than 40s.”

— Bill Rodgers

30. “I always say if the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results.”

— Bill Rodgers

31. “Hills are terrific for running.”

— Bill Rodgers

32. “Personally, I always felt times aren’t so excellent as are performances.”

— Bill Rodgers

33. “I also feel it usually takes four or five races to hit your best marathon for your body to be accustomed to the training AND the race itself.”

— Bill Rodgers

34. “Aiming for the marathon is a task of sorts which can include terrific highs and lows.”

— Bill Rodgers

35. “The marathon will humble you. But the truth is, sometimes it will do more than humble you. Sometimes it will break your heart.”

— Bill Rodgers