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Steve Prefontaine Quotes

Powerful Steve Prefontaine for Daily Growth

Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.

- Steve Prefontaine

Me, Going, May, Beat

For me, running against the Poles and Czechs would be like running against high school kids. And I hate all this gung-ho, run-for-the-red-white-and-blue attitude that the AAU spouts. If that's important to some people, fine, more power to 'em. But, damn it, I wish they'd leave me alone to do what I want to do - run against the best.

- Steve Prefontaine

Run, Some, Against, School Kids

If I lose forcing the pace all the way, well, at least I can live with myself. But if it's a slow pace, and I get beaten by a kicker who leaches off the front, then I'll always wonder, 'What if...?'

- Steve Prefontaine

I Can, Get, Least, Forcing

When people go to a track meet, they're looking for something, a world record, something that hasn't been done before. You get all this magnetic energy, people focusing on one thing at the same time. I really get excited about it. It makes me want to compete even more. It makes it all worthwhile, all the hours of hard work.

- Steve Prefontaine

Compete, Been, Before, World Record

If anybody wants to beat me, let them run a world record.

- Steve Prefontaine

World, Record, Anybody, World Record

You probably choose x-country because you were too small to play football.

- Steve Prefontaine

Small, Play, Too, Play Football

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

Doing, Here, Other, Why Not

If you can make money with your talents, why not?

- Steve Prefontaine

Money, Why, Your, Why Not

Some 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 Prefontaine

Doing, Some, Before, Paints

Did you ever run behind a slow pack? You get a trailing wind and a lot of body odor.

- Steve Prefontaine

Run, Behind, Odor, Wind

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

Big, Been, Offense, International

American athletes, especially distance runners, are at a big disadvantage against the rest of the world. We're expected to live by all the rules, like not being able to coach, but still train and make our own living.

- Steve Prefontaine

Distance, Big, Against, Runners

Something inside of me just said 'Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,' and I just took off.

- Steve Prefontaine

Wait, Want, Took, Hey

I used to say, 'Hey, man, what kind of a stupid question is that?' to a newspaperman asking me heavy things right after a race when I'm still in an emotional state. Now I at least try to answer.

- Steve Prefontaine

Stupid, Asking, Least, Hey

Kids 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 Prefontaine

Confidence, Made, Lot, Learner

My philosophy is that I'm an artist. I perform an art not with a paint brush or a camera. I perform with bodily movement. Instead of exhibiting my art in a museum or a book or on canvas, I exhibit my art in front of the multitudes.

- Steve Prefontaine

Art, Canvas, Brush, Exhibit

People say I should be running for a gold medal for the old red, white and blue and all that bull, but it's not gonna be that way.

- Steve Prefontaine

Old, Say, Gonna, Gold Medal

Why shouldn't I do what I want to do... I'm an American citizen.

- Steve Prefontaine

Want, Why, Citizen, American Citizen

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

Always, Over, Given, Self-Satisfaction

The AAU doesn't care about the athletes; why should I care about them?

- Steve Prefontaine

Why, Should, About, I Care

World records at 19. I don't want that. Later, yes. And when it comes, I'll learn to live with it, but it won't be my first love.

- Steve Prefontaine

Love, Learn, Records, World Records

Coos Bay is a sports-minded town. You had to be an athlete to be somebody.

- Steve Prefontaine

Athlete, Town, Had, Bay

I like to be able to go out to dinner once in a while. I like to be able to drive my MG up the McKenzie River on a weekday afternoon. I like to be able to pay my bills on time.

- Steve Prefontaine

Go, Like, Pay, Bills

If I want to go to Europe and get thrashed by the Europeans, that's my business. Every race I lose I learn from and get tougher.

- Steve Prefontaine

Business, Learn, Race, Europe

This is my last year at Oregon, and it means a lot to me. The people have been great to me up there, so if I have to run three races to win the Pac-8 title, I'll do it. Oh, sure, I'll probably be tired, but the people shouting will carry me across the finish line.

- Steve Prefontaine

Year, Been, Last Year, Finish Line

If the Olympics come around, and I'm in shape, then I'll compete. But I won't be representing the United States; I'll be representing myself.

- Steve Prefontaine

Compete, United States, Representing

I knew I had to show everybody that I could excel at something. But I didn't know what.

- Steve Prefontaine

Knew, Everybody, Could, Excel

Nobody likes tainted victories.

- Steve Prefontaine

Nobody, Victories, Likes, Tainted

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

Work, Race, Going, Guts

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

Race, More, Fastest, Guts

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