Steve Prefontaine Quotes

Steve Prefontaine Biography
Type: Athlete
Nationality: American
Born: January 25, 1951
Died: May 30, 1975

Steve Roland "Pre" Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975) was an American middle and long-distance runner. Prefontaine once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2,000 meters to the 10,000 meters. Prefontaine died at the age of 24 in a car accident.

Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, and Bill Rodgers generated considerable media coverage which helped inspire the 1970s "running boom". Prefontaine was often known for his mustache and his long locks of hair that parted as he ran.

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

How does a kid from Coos Bay, with one leg longer than the other win races?
Steve Prefontaine

I run to see who has the most guts.
Steve Prefontaine

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

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

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

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
Steve Prefontaine

What I want is to be number one.
Steve Prefontaine

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