Running Motivation: 23 Mile-Tested Stories to Help You in 2023

Looking for some running motivation to help you run your best this year?

You know...

• Set big running goals
• Chase PRs
• Run longer than you ever have before
• Sign up for a race that's on your bucket list

If you're not sure you're ready to move up, run faster, or take on an epic race distance, dig into these 23 stories for some running motivation to help you go the distance this year.

Want to know what it's like to just have fun running... every time you lace up your running shoes?

You don't even have to show up to a race, if you run like Matt Drol. 

Meet the Banana Runner. 

If you've ever wondered what drives some runners to put such a spin on their running, here's a little insight into how it all started. 

Need a running schedule to help you stay in shape and get ready for a race?

Big goals are more manageable when you break them down into smaller more manageable milestones. 

Here's how WeeViews co-founder David Moore recommends tackling big running goals one step at a time.

Can you be a multi-sport athlete and still be a great runner?

You’ve probably heard the common phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” 

Most people view this sentiment as a warning against trying to do too much or spread ourselves too thin.

Fortunately, you CAN run, bike, climb and chase more adventures if you do it right, says WeeViews ambassador Lucie Hanes.

Ever wonder what puts someone on the path to long distance running?

It's not always high school and college sports. Most runners don't follow a straight line that goes from running 5K fun runs to marathons and ultras.

When John Calabrese slipped on a pair of running shoes to deal with one of those pivotal life challenges, everything changed...

Ready to start running? 

Before you lace up your shoes, take a minute to think about WHY you're doing it. 

For Brandom Mccormick, running was a secondary goal to help him get ahead.

But it turned out a lot different than he expected...

What's it take to run 100 miles?

Just ask 63-year-old ultrarunner Davy Crockett.

Show up to run 100 miles, and he's one of the old guys at the starting line.

• He's finished the distance 107 times and has a massive belt-buckle collection to prove it.
• The most recent...a 14th-place finish at Across the Years 100 in Arizona, where runners chased down 2021 and rang in 2022 at the finish line.

But it wasn't always like this for Davy. In fact, he used to be overweight and out of shape...

Ever thought about taking the ol’ neighborhood loop to the next level?

Ultrarunner, XTERRA champion, and physical therapist Sergio Florian did. 

Instead of putting another race on the docket, he headed out his front door to run the entire perimeter of O'ahu in Hawaii...all 135 miles...to remind you anything is possible.

Here's what happened... 

Ever wonder how to balance taking care of kids while chasing big running goals?

Just ask Morgan Boland. This mother runner shows you how it's done.

In our interview with Morgan (mom of three), you'll get...

• Insight into just how hard it is to balance running and motherhood, while keeping everybody happy
• Tips for managing big running goals when you have kids
• How to balance running, parenting, and self-care
• Benefits of being a mother runner
• Advice for moms trying to do it all (including running)
• And more!

How do you start running?

Type that one into Google and you’ll find that, like pretty much every big question out there, there’s a short answer and a long answer. 

• The short: Lace up your shoes and start running. That's it. The most important part of starting something new is, well, actually getting started. 
• The long: While the first few steps are often the hardest, they’re still only the beginning. A lot goes into turning those steps into a lasting relationship with running.

Here's some advice from 8 running coaches to help you get started...

How do you run ultras?

“It’s like riding a roller coaster,” says ultrarunner Sheri Gewelke.

“You know it’s going to get a little crazy."

"You have to tell yourself, once you get on you’re not getting off. And once it starts, it’s gone. You sort of have to have that mentality to run ultras.” 

Thinking about stepping up to the starting line of your first ultra?

Here's some advice from a teacher and ultrarunner...

What’s it take to build confidence and become a better runner?

You could say Aaron Clineman got an early start on this. 

But not in the conventional way like:

• Team sports
• Cross country
• Fun runs, or...
• Working with a coach

Instead, his training ground to build confidence started on day one…born to parents addicted to drugs and alcohol.

His one goal: SURVIVE.

He had to figure it out the HARD way, but running ultimately saved his life. 

Here's what happened...

Want to run, lift, race and compete? “Hybrid-athlete” Corinna Coffin shows you how. 

And there's ONE thing she does that makes a big difference...

Ready to build strength and endurance to go the distance?

What if there was a way to run Ohio's Mohican 100-Mile Ultramarathon...and WIN?

You know...crush all the miles, stay on top of nutrition and hydration, run through fatigue, maybe even battle self-doubt, and FINISH first.

Every ultrarunner knows it takes months of training and a never-quit mindset to go the distance.

But what if there was a secret sauce to winning a race like the Mohican 100?

The former "fat kid" turned ultrarunner Jeremy Pope wanted to find out. 

Here's what happened... 

Got a favorite fitness app to track your runs, rides & workouts?

You know...Strava, Garmin, Nike, and many others.

Last year health & fitness apps were download an estimated 2.48 billion times, according to tech-industry data.

Click, swipe and tap, and a fitness app gives you: 

• Personal performance data
• A boost of motivation, and...
• Easy access to a community of runners, bikers, and other athletes chasing similar goals

Pretty cool, right?

Meet the guy who makes it all work: SweatWorks founder Mo Iqbal

Need a boost of motivation? Want to start running, but not sure where to start? 

Californa-based runner and triathlete Omar Posadas will show you how to brighten up your running routine.

He's on a mission to make you laugh, smile, and keep going.

Asics running shoes helped Clayton Young run a 2:16 marathon in Chicago.

But it wasn't pretty (more about that in just a sec.)

He racked up a long list of wins and PRs as a runner for Brigham Young University and then signed with Asics as a pro runner.

Want to know how to go from running laps in the 5th grade to becoming a sponsored athlete and Olympic hopeful?

This is Clayton Young's story... 

If you want to know what it means to “run happy”, just look over at Quin Jenson.

No one epitomizes the classic Brooks tagline quite like Quin. 

It’s not because he works 100 times harder or runs astronomically faster than anyone else out there...

Quin sure puts in the time it takes to grow more and more as a runner with each passing day, but his real charm lies in his unrelenting optimism through it all. 

What if you could get an up-close look at UTMB?

You know...Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc...the epic 106-mile ultramarathon that circumnavigates Mont Blanc in the French Alps.

WeeViews member Casey Koza made the trip there with Will Walmsley to cheer on ultrarunning legend (and Will's twin brother) Jim Walmsley from start to finish.

Here's what happened... 

Take a look at FKT (fastest known time) records, and you'll see a lot of men on the leaderboard.

Women Who FKT founder Marta Fisher is on a mission to change that. 

Here's how... 

What’s the marathon world record?

Chances are pretty good you’ve compared your 26.2-mile finish or goal-time to elite athletes.

OK, so you’re probably not trying to compete with elite marathon runners.

But taking a look at the fastest marathon times in the world gives you:

• A glimpse of what’s possible
• A boost of motivation
• A reminder that improvement is a never-ending process

Something amazing happened at the BMW Berlin Marathon last year that has the running community buzzing…

Need a little reminder there are no limits? Check out Eliud Kipchoge's new world record...

Run 100 miles. Even the most experienced runners will tell you it's hard. 

• You train for months to go the distance.
• You practice all the right things (nutrition, hydration, long runs, night runs, hills...)
• And you test out your gear (hydration pack, shoes, lights, watch, socks...etc.)

But there's still no guarantee all your efforts will get you to the finish line trying to run 100 miles.

What if your attempt to run 100 miles ends with a DNF and some epic vomiting?

Here's what you need to know... 

How do you measure your progress as a runner? 

Do you count miles, paces, calories, or days? How about mailboxes? 

Learn about Suzanne Swanson's unique running strategy that ultimately saved her life. 

Here's what happened...

Want to run The Rut mountain race in Big Sky, Montana? 

You'll need to be prepared to run, hike, climb, scramble...maybe even suffer.

• Runner David Holland did all of those things, but he still wasn't sure if he could finish.
• But when he unexpectedly got his hands on a good-luck rock, everything changed.

Here's what happened... 

• Know a runner with an amazing story to tell? 
• Want advice on running, training, racing and recovery?
• Looking for an insider's opinion on running shoes and gear?

Share your best ideas with us for The Rundown in 2023.