I told Coach, ‘You know, I realize we’ve been working hard for this, but the medal almost doesn’t matter anymore because I feel like you all have elevated me in such a way that I never could have duplicated that.’ The reinforcement of the journey is so valuable, not just the prize or medal hanging around your neck. And we had such a special time pursuing that together.

More quotes by Deena Kastor

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"A goal is just an awesome way to force growth on yourself."

- Deena Kastor

Personal Growth

"What I needed in the moment was a family vacation."

- Deena Kastor

Inspiration

"Marathons are extraordinarily difficult, but if you’ve got the training under your belt, and if you can run smart, the races take care of themselves. When you have the enthusiasm and the passion, you end up figuring how to excel."

- Deena Kastor

Motivation

"As athletes, we have ups and downs. Unfortunately, you can't pick the days they come on."

- Deena Kastor

Resilience

"The beauty of running is its simplicity; the beauty of runners is that we all have a similar drive to improve. We are either trying to run a personal best, or toeing the line for the first time, which will snowball into a future of trying to run personal bests."

- Deena Kastor

Growth

More Achievement Quotes

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"The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking."

- Mia Hamm

Achievement

"Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision."

- Muhammad Ali

Achievement

"A bodybuilder is a sculptor who carries with him his own material."

- Serge Nubret

Achievement

"Big battles bring sweet victories."

- Unknown

Achievement

"Champions keep playing until they get it right."

- Billie Jean King

Achievement