John Bingham Quotes

“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

— John Bingham

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).

— John Bingham

“Crossing the starting line may be an act of courage, but crossing the finish line is an act of faith. Faith is what kepes us going when nothing else will. Faith is the emotion that will give you victory over your past, the demons in your soul, & all of those voices that tell you what you can & cannot do & can & cannot be.”

— John Bingham

“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.”

— John Bingham

“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.”

— John Bingham

“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.”

— John Bingham

“Do not be afraid to fail. Be afraid to accept that who you are right now is all you are going to be.”

— John Bingham

“At age 43, when I decided to run again, I realized that the images used to describe runners didn't fit me. I wasn't a rabbit. I wasn't a gazelle or a cheetah or any of the other animals that run fast and free. But I wasn't a turtle or a snail either. I wasn't content anymore to move slowly through my life and hide in my shell when I was scared.
I was a round little man with a heavy heart but a hopeful spirit. I didn't really run, or even jog. I waddled. I was a Penguin. This was the image that fit. Emperor-proud, I stand tallto face the elements of my life. Yes, I am round. Yes, I am slow. Yes, I run as thought my legs are tied together at the knees. But I am running. And that is all that matters.”

— John Bingham

“It isn't a matter of getting the body you want, it's a matter of doing the most you can with the body you have.”

— John Bingham

As a runner, you have to face the truth about yourself on a regular basis, and it makes you more honest. You can't pretend to be faster than you are. You can't pretend that you are better prepared than you are. You cannot pretend to be a runner, you actually have to run.

— John Bingham

“Your progress as a runner is a frustratingly slow process of small gains. It's a matter of inching up your mileage and your pace. It's a matter of learning to celebrate the small gains as if they were Olympic victories. It means paying your dues on the road or the treadmill. It means searching for the limits of your body and demanding that your spirit not give up. It means making the most of what you have. It means making yourself an athlete one workout at a time.”

— John Bingham

“It's only when movement becomes the most natural state in our lives that we can finally begin to enjoy the motion. And it's only when standing still becomes impossible that we can finally embrace the kinds of changes that are inevitable in our lives.
We were not designed to stand still. If we were, we'd have at least three legs. We were designed to move. Our bodies are bodies that have walked across vast continents. Our bodies are bodies that have carried objects of art and war over great distances. We are no less mobile than our ancestors. We are athletes. We are warriors. We are human.”

— John Bingham

“Focus on where you are instead of where you wish you were. The joy will follow.”

— John Bingham

“She still said nothing and I purposely did not look at her because I did not wish either to press her or to embarrass her. I was in love with her, and my heart went out to her as she tried to fathom her own feelings. I felt like saying: Don't bother to explain, darling. I know it all.
Instead, the calculating side of my mind was at work: the side that plotted carefully, planned to get what it wanted and nearly always succeeded.”

— John Bingham

“Trying harder doesn't always equal more success; it leads to more frustration, less satisfaction, and giving up.”

— John Bingham

“What you learn is often determined by what you need to know. If you think you're weak, you will learn that you are strong. If you think you are indestructible, you will learn that you are fragile.
In the end though, you will learn that you are human. You are no more and no less than all those who are learning their lessons as you learn yours.”

— John Bingham

“I'm not sure who invented dodgeball, but I can almost guarantee you that it wasn't the shortest kid in the class.”

— John Bingham

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

— John Bingham

Running is not just exercise; it is a lifestyle.

— John Bingham

“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.”

— John Bingham

Being inspired is fine for a week, and being motivated might work for a month or so, but to make any lifestyle change last a lifetime, you need dedication.

— John Bingham

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

— John Bingham

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.

— John Bingham

As an athlete, when you least expect it, you may find yourself standing on the threshold of an accomplishment so monumental that it strikes fear into your soul. You must stand ready, at any moment, to face the unknown. You must be ready to walk boldly thru the wall of uncertainty.

— John Bingham

The joy is in the journey, not the destination. We have a better chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else.

— John Bingham

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

— John Bingham

“All from other lands, who by the terms of [congressional] laws and a compliance with their provisions become naturalized, are adopted citizens of the United States; all other persons born within the Republic, of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty, are natural born citizens. Gentleman [sic] can find no exception to this statement touching natural-born citizens except what is said in the Constitution relating to Indians.”

— John Bingham

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

— John Bingham

“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.”

— John Bingham

“Marathons are about tenacity as much as talent.”

— John Bingham

“Every human being born within the United States of parents not owing allegiance to any foreign sovereignty is in the language of your Constitution itself, a natural born citizen.”

— John Bingham

“You already have everything you need to be a long-distance athlete. It's mindset, not miles, that separates those who do from those who dream.”

— John Bingham