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John Bingham (2) (1948–)

Author of The Courage To Start: A Guide To Running for Your Life

For other authors named John Bingham, see the disambiguation page.

8 Works 675 Members 22 Reviews

About the Author

Image credit: John Bingham

Works by John Bingham

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1948
Gender
male
Nationality
USA

Members

Reviews

Any book that makes me feel good for my 11 minute mile pace is worthy of at least four stars right out of the gate.

John Bingham, who writes monthly columns for Runner's World, woke up one morning - in his late 30's or early 40's, I believe - to discover he was a mess. He was overweight, hooked on cigarettes, and booze, and couldn't even get up the stairs without huffing and puffing.

So, he started running. Months later, he was a testament to what healthy living can do. Known as "The Penguin", he encourages would-be joggers/runners simply to lace up and get out, not worried about beating a Kenyan to the finish line, but setting your own goals, and going as slow as you want - just so you're going.

He speaks to all the usual subjects - proper shoes, injuries, form, and programs to get you up to a steady mileage. He does so with humor and gentle inspiration. You never feel like he's bragging about how he turned his life around - just reminding you that if he could do it, anyone can.

A great book for anyone who wants to take to the road for a run, but isn't sure how to get started - or if they are truly 'right' for the running life.
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TommyHousworth | 6 other reviews | Feb 5, 2022 |
I felt like I got some good advice and motivation from this as I start running for fun and fitness, and definitely not for speed. I did find some of the advice to be somewhat contradictory, but I'm finding that true of a lot of running books.
½
 
Flagged
duchessjlh | 6 other reviews | Jan 23, 2020 |
A good intro to running. As an older novice runner, I'm very glad to discover runners like Bingham who reassure me that running is for *me*, even if I'm slow. Bingham's story, and advice from trainers like Jeff Galloway, along with articles like http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/dead-freakin-lastand-proud-of-it remind me that "I'm the captain of my running ship."
 
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mrklingon | 6 other reviews | Apr 22, 2019 |
Quick skim of a read. More of a motivational read with lots of fluff. I didn't learn anything new, just confirmed things I had already learned. The whole book could have been condensed to a single article.
 
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wvlibrarydude | 6 other reviews | Mar 14, 2016 |

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Statistics

Works
8
Members
675
Popularity
#37,411
Rating
3.9
Reviews
22
ISBNs
79
Languages
5

Charts & Graphs