John Bingham Running Quotations

If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.

Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.

It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination. We have a better chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else. We can enjoy every moment of movement, as long as where we are is as good as where we'd like to be. That's not to say that you need to be satisfied forever with where you are today. But you need to honor what you've accomplished, rather than thinking of what's left to be done (p. 159).

I am a runner because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far. I am a runner because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not.

Running is not just exercise; it is a lifestyle.

We run to undo the damage we've done to body and spirit. We run to find some part of ourselves yet undiscovered.

Long Distance training can be a positive & constructive form of selfishness. After all, once you're at the starting line, you're there by yourself. No one can run a single step for you. No one can jump in & help you. No one but you can make the decisions about what to do to keep going. It's all up to you.

Frustration is the first step towards improvement. I have no incentive to improve if I'm content with what I can do and if I'm completely satisfied with my pace, distance and form as a runner. It's only when I face frustration and use it to fuel my dedication that I feel myself moving forwards.

I didn't train all that time just to come here and get it over with as fast as I can

Every day gives you an opportunity to improve. With every run, you can try to be better. Not just a better runner, but a better person.

Marathons are about tenacity as much as talent.

Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.

I'm not saying running could solve all of the world's problems, but I think it would be a good start.

The only magic in our lives as runners is the magic of consistency. Not every run will make you feel great.