--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We runners talk about having fun but I…" description: "\"We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and endurance, we take care, we exercise caution, we w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg" --- # We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody… ![“We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and endurance, we take care, we exercise caution, we watch our diets and monitor our pace. We are ascetics who talk, unconvincingly, of the bracing enjoyment of self-abuse.” quote by Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg) > “We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and endurance, we take care, we exercise caution, we watch our diets and monitor our pace. We are ascetics who talk, unconvincingly, of the bracing enjoyment of self-abuse.” [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Runners claim enjoyment while emphasizing hardship, revealing a paradox between pleasure and self‑imposed suffering. **In simple terms:** Runners say it's fun but focus on pain. Key Takeaway Acknowledge both joy and discipline. Themes sports self‑discipline paradox motivation Mood reflective ironic thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - training plans - marathon preparation - health coaching - personal reflection Key Concepts endurance self‑abuse identity cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - Do you truly enjoy the effort? - How does framing pain as fun affect motivation? A Different Perspective The claim may mask deeper insecurities about performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Caution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Endurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endurance/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Having fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-fun/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Runners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runners/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [People talk about discipline, but to me, there's discipline and there's self-discipline. Discipline is listening to people tell you what to do, where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shanahan/people-talk-about-discipline-but-to-me-there-s-discipline-and-there-s/) [Mike Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shanahan/) > [Sometimes I hear people talk about discipline of self and I think, if you don't have passion, I might discipline myself for a week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/sometimes-i-hear-people-talk-about-discipline-of-self-and-i-think-if/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one's self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/true-happiness-arises-in-the-first-place-from-the-enjoyment-of-one-s/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Each component of the organism, like the individual in the social body, possesses the capacity for enjoyment of the self through sharing with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-vaneigem/each-component-of-the-organism-like-the-individual-in-the-social-body/) [Raoul Vaneigem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-vaneigem/) > [“True happiness is of a retired nature, and an enemy to pomp and noise; it arises, in the first place, in the enjoyment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/true-happiness-is-of-a-retired-nature-and-an-enemy-to-pomp-and-noise/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“The melon of Castile is for self abuse. The melon of Valencia for eating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-melon-of-castile-is-for-self-abuse-the-melon-of-valencia-for/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Many mothers are wholly ignorant of the almost universal prevalence of secret vice, or self-abuse among the young. Why hesitate to say firmly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/many-mothers-are-wholly-ignorant-of-the-almost-universal-prevalence/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [Self abuse is anti-social, aggression still natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richey-edwards/self-abuse-is-anti-social-aggression-still-natural/) [Richey Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richey-edwards/) > [“Well, the Church does teach that self-abuse is a sin, but my father said he thought that if it came to a choice between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/well-the-church-does-teach-that-self-abuse-is-a-sin-but-my-father/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“People can't concieve of a virtue in someone else that they can't coneive in themselves. Instead of believing you're stronger, it's so much easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/people-can-t-concieve-of-a-virtue-in-someone-else-that-they-can-t/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [There are a lot of bands using self-abuse as a marketing gimmick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/there-are-a-lot-of-bands-using-self-abuse-as-a-marketing-gimmick/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [“The more self-love we have, the less we will experience self-abuse. Self-abuse comes from self-rejection, and self-rejection comes from having an image of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/the-more-self-love-we-have-the-less-we-will-experience-self-abuse/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [Indecision is a form of self-abuse - be ready to step up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-evans/indecision-is-a-form-of-self-abuse-be-ready-to-step-up/) Suzanne Evans > [A wonderful pastor I know once told me, "Perfectionism is the highest order of self-abuse." So now I try to remind myself that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/a-wonderful-pastor-i-know-once-told-me-perfectionism-is-the-highest/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [Celibacy is the worst form of self-abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-de-vries/celibacy-is-the-worst-form-of-self-abuse/) [Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/) ## More by Peter Sagal > [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [The Olympic Charter says winter sports must be played on snow or ice, so the Chess Federation says they'll play with ice pieces. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/the-olympic-charter-says-winter-sports-must-be-played-on-snow-or-ice/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Former Sony CEO Amy Pascal - they threw her out of the headquarters, but they gave her a new office on the lot. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/former-sony-ceo-amy-pascal-they-threw-her-out-of-the-headquarters-but/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [ We know that the president \[Donald Trump\] watches "Saturday Night Live" because he tweets about it. He doesn't like it, but he keeps watching… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-know-that-the-president-donald-trump-watches-saturday-night-live/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Our politicians screw up all the time, as we see. But with so many things, we're no longer the world leader in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/our-politicians-screw-up-all-the-time-as-we-see-but-with-so-many/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [In the old days, we painstakingly copied our emails onto paper, put a stamp on them and mailed them to arrive 4 to 5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/in-the-old-days-we-painstakingly-copied-our-emails-onto-paper-put-a/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [ With two years till the nomination, both \[Joe\] Biden and \[Hillary\] Clinton are positioning themselves to be the Democratic nominee. And are they stressing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/with-two-years-till-the-nomination-both-joe-biden-and-hillary-clinton/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [If the internet has taught us anything, it's that you want less news and more cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/if-the-internet-has-taught-us-anything-it-s-that-you-want-less-news/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [We're excited for when Sony greenlights the $50 million film a "Bunch Of Swirling Colors" starring George Clooney and a lava lamp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-re-excited-for-when-sony-greenlights-the-50-million-film-a-bunch/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [If self-driving cars are going to work - they're being tested now, as you know - the computers that drive them have to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/if-self-driving-cars-are-going-to-work-they-re-being-tested-now-as/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [An Icelandic mayor goes on an anti-elf rant which gets him in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/an-icelandic-mayor-goes-on-an-anti-elf-rant-which-gets-him-in-trouble/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [If you are using search data to decide what's fashionable, you are not fashionable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/if-you-are-using-search-data-to-decide-what-s-fashionable-you-are-not/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [In a surprising unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court ruled the police cannot search what is on your phone without a warrant. Court observers said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/in-a-surprising-unanimous-ruling-the-supreme-court-ruled-the-police/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [NASA scientists announced the discovery of 50 new planets, among them what they're calling Super Earth. It's indistinguishable from regular earth until it removes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/nasa-scientists-announced-the-discovery-of-50-new-planets-among-them/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [I love Salt Lake City. It's beautiful with all the great outdoors around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/i-love-salt-lake-city-it-s-beautiful-with-all-the-great-outdoors/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) [Explore all 40 Peter Sagal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and endurance, we take care, we exercise caution, we watch our diets and monitor our pace. We are ascetics who talk, unconvincingly, of the bracing enjoyment of self-abuse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Sagal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-don-t-think-anybody-believes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-don-t-think-anybody-believes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/peter-sagal-16436_abuse_we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-d_1034289.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We runners talk about having fun but I don't think anybody believes us. We talk about discipline and…” — Peter Sagal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Sagal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We runners talk about having fun...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-don-t-think-anybody-believes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/we-runners-talk-about-having-fun-but-i-don-t-think-anybody-believes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```