---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be…"
description: "\"“A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.” “Well, yes,” said the Bursar. “He’d be dead.”\" — Terry Pratchett"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg"
---

#  A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.”…

![“A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.” “Well, yes,” said the Bursar. “He’d be dead.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg)

> ““A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.” “Well, yes,” said the Bursar. “He’d be dead.””

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humorous warning that excessive ambition can lead to fatal outcomes.

**In simple terms:** Too much ambition can be deadly.

Key Takeaway

Balance ambition with caution.

Themes

ambition humor mortality

Mood

witty cautionary

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- financial investing
- creative projects

Key Concepts

satire risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What limits should you set on your goals?
- How do you recognize warning signs?

A Different Perspective

Ambition can be necessary for progress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [This is a lovely party," said the Bursar to a chair, "I wish I was here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-is-a-lovely-party-said-the-bursar-to-a-chair-i-wish-i-was-here/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Good so be would you if, duff plum of helping second A," said the Bursar. The table fell silent. "Did anyone understand that?" said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/good-so-be-would-you-if-duff-plum-of-helping-second-a-said-the-bursar/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Saw a funny thing this mornin’,” he said. “Saw a monkey in the quad. Bold as brass.” “Oh, yes,” said the Bursar, cheerfully. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/saw-a-funny-thing-this-mornin-he-said-saw-a-monkey-in-the-quad-bold/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Ridcully sighed. 'All right, you fellows,' he said. 'No magic at Table, you know the rules. Who's playing silly buggers?' The other senior wizards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ridcully-sighed-all-right-you-fellows-he-said-no-magic-at-table-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Well, at least he keeps himself fit," said the Archchancellor nastily. "Not like the rest of you fellows. I went into the Uncommon Room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/well-at-least-he-keeps-himself-fit-said-the-archchancellor-nastily/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More by Terry Pratchett

> [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

[Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More Said Bursar quotes

> [This is a lovely party," said the Bursar to a chair, "I wish I was here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-is-a-lovely-party-said-the-bursar-to-a-chair-i-wish-i-was-here/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Good so be would you if, duff plum of helping second A," said the Bursar. The table fell silent. "Did anyone understand that?" said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/good-so-be-would-you-if-duff-plum-of-helping-second-a-said-the-bursar/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Ridcully sighed. 'All right, you fellows,' he said. 'No magic at Table, you know the rules. Who's playing silly buggers?' The other senior wizards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ridcully-sighed-all-right-you-fellows-he-said-no-magic-at-table-you/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Well, at least he keeps himself fit," said the Archchancellor nastily. "Not like the rest of you fellows. I went into the Uncommon Room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/well-at-least-he-keeps-himself-fit-said-the-archchancellor-nastily/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Saw a funny thing this mornin’,” he said. “Saw a monkey in the quad. Bold as brass.” “Oh, yes,” said the Bursar, cheerfully. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/saw-a-funny-thing-this-mornin-he-said-saw-a-monkey-in-the-quad-bold/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

Browse all 6 Said Bursar quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.” “Well, yes,” said the Bursar. “He’d be dead.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Terry Pratchett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be-a-different-man-well-yes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Said Bursar"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be-a-different-man-well-yes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/terry-pratchett-19_quote_a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be_1103321.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A few twenty-mile runs and the Dean’d be a different man.” “Well, yes,” said the Bursar. “He’d be dead.” — Terry Pratchett",
                "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": "Terry Pratchett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“A few twenty-mile runs and the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be-a-different-man-well-yes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-few-twenty-mile-runs-and-the-dean-d-be-a-different-man-well-yes/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
