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 BinghamThe only magic in our lives as runners is the magic of consistency. Not every run will make you feel great.
John BinghamTrying harder doesnโt always equal more success; it leads to more frustration, less satisfaction, and giving up.
John BinghamWe run to undo the damage we've done to body and spirit. We run to find some part of ourselves yet undiscovered.
John BinghamThe 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 BinghamLong 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 BinghamEvery 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 BinghamI'm not saying running could solve all of the world's problems, but I think it would be a good start.
John BinghamCrossing 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 BinghamIt isnโt a matter of getting the body you want, itโs a matter of doing the most you can with the body you have.
John BinghamBeing 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 BinghamAll 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 BinghamIt 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 BinghamI 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 BinghamEvery 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 BinghamYou 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 BinghamIt 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.
John BinghamIf 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 BinghamAs 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 BinghamI'm not sure who invented dodgeball, but I can almost guarantee you that it wasn't the shortest kid in the class.
John BinghamFrustration 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