Check out the best Steve Prefontaine that reflect his competitive spirit, unwavering confidence, and deep passion for pushing limits.

Steve Prefontaine was an American long-distance runner whose fearless racing style and bold personality made him a legend in the world of track and field.

Born in Coos Bay, Oregon in 1951, “Pre” rose to national fame during his time at the University of Oregon, where he set multiple American records at every distance from 2,000 to 10,000 meters.

Prefontaine believed that running was not just about speed but about guts, perseverance, and giving everything you have.

His gutsy performances, fearless attitude, and outspoken nature earned him a loyal following and inspired generations of runners and athletes across the globe.

Tragically, his life was cut short at just 24 in a car accident, but his legacy lives on through the Prefontaine Classic, an annual track event in his honor.

Prefontaine’s story is not just about running, it is about pushing yout limits and giving everything you have got, no matter the odds.

Here are the most famous Steve Prefontaine quotes that will remind you that success comes with effort, resilience, and the willingness to challenge yourself.

Top 10 Steve Prefontaine Quotes 

1. “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

   
   

2. “Don’t let fatigue make a coward out of you.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

3. “It’s not who’s the best – it’s who can take the most pain.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

4. “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

5. “Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

6. “The best pace is a suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

7. “I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn’t.” — Steve Prefontaine
8. “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

9. “A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame someone else.” — Steve Prefontaine

   

10. “I’m going to work so that it’s a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it.” — Steve Prefontaine

Famous Quotes By Steve Prefontaine

1. “What I want is to be number one.” — Steve Prefontaine
2. “If anybody wants to beat me, let them run a world record.” — Steve Prefontaine
3. “What I like most about track is the feeling I get after a good run.” — Steve Prefontaine
4. “You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.” — Steve Prefontaine
5. “What kind of crazy nut would spend two or three hours a day just running?” — Steve Prefontaine
6. “If you can’t win your race, make sure the guy ahead of you breaks the record.” — Steve Prefontaine
7. “Having a true faith is the most difficult thing in the world. Many will try to take it from you.” — Steve Prefontaine
8. “I can endure more pain than anyone you’ve met. That’s why I win, because I can endure more pain.” — Steve Prefontaine
9. “You said I was weak. You said I couldn’t do it. Thank you. You gave me everything I needed to prove you wrong.” — Steve Prefontaine
10. “A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they’re capable of understanding.” — Steve Prefontaine

Best Steve Prefontaine Quotes 

1. “Running gives me confidence.” — Steve Prefontaine
2. “Nobody likes tainted victories.” — Steve Prefontaine
3. “No one will ever win a 5,000-meter by running an easy two miles. Not against me.” — Steve Prefontaine
4. “I don’t just go out there and run. I like to give people watching something exciting.” — Steve Prefontaine
5. “Did you ever run behind a slow pack? You get a trailing wind and a lot of body odor.” — Steve Prefontaine
6. “It’s hard to run a mile when you’re not a miler and to kick when you’ve led all the way.” — Steve Prefontaine
7. “Something inside of me just said ‘Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,’ and I just took off.” — Steve Prefontaine
8. “I have a positive mental attitude, and I think I’m divine, but I also think it takes a heck of a lot of blood, sweat and tears.” — Steve Prefontaine
9. “Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run.” — Steve Prefontaine
10. “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 Prefontaine
11. “A 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 Prefontaine
12. “Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.” — Steve Prefontaine
13. “Every 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 Prefontaine
14. “No matter how hard you train, Somebody will train harder. No matter how hard you run, Somebody will run harder. No matter how hard you want it, Somebody will want it more, I am Somebody.” — Steve Prefontaine
15. “You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.” — Steve Prefontaine

Conclusion

What are your favorite Steve Prefontaine quotes and sayings (with images) listed above? If there is a quote that we’ve missed then let us know in the comments section below.

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