running for mortals

by John Bingham, Jenny Hadfield

The authors of Marathoning for Mortals - John "The Penguin" Bingham and Coach Jenny Hadfield, MA, CPT - now show beginning runners how to fit running into their lifestyle easilyYou don't have to run fast or competitively to reap the rewards that running has to offer. What you do need is the courage to start. That is the "Penguin mantra" that has enabled John Bingham—through his best-selling book No Need for Speed, his popular monthly column for Runner's World magazine, and his many appearances at major running events throughout the year—to inspire thousands of men and women to take up the sport for fitness and the sheer enjoyment that running brings them.By teaming up with coach Jenny Hadfield, his wife and coauthor on Marathoning for Mortals, Bingham lays out strategies that will help readers to safely and effortlessly integrate runs into their busy schedules. In this book, backed by Runner's World, the authority of America's leading running magazine, the authors provide tips for getting started, sticking to a routine, eating for energy, hydration, and training for speed and endurance.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Fitness, Sports, Self Help, Reference, How To

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

aka 'The Penguin'. John Bingham became well known for his 'The Penguin Chronicles' in Runner's World where he told in detail about his development from couch potato to runner and how that changed his life.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book for beginning runners who are like me...not naturals. I run because I love it, not because I'm good at it, and this guy gets it. It's the perfect book if you're thinking about running, but are intimidated.

[Ruel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for motivation and inspiration to run, but the whole thing is nearly undone by sloppy and haphazard editing. Apparently, co-author John Bingham's nickname is the "Penguin," but the reasons for this moniker are never clearly explained. I got the feeling that if you're a regular reader of Runner's World (where Bingham is a regular columnist), you'd know why he's called the Penguin. I'm not (and I doubt any new runners are), so this often left me perplexed any time he made a reference to being a penguin. Also, there's an annoying tendency to switch between Bingham's thoughts and those of his coach/co-author Jenny Hadfield. Sometimes it's easy to figure out who's speaking, but most of the time there's no easy way to discern between the two and at times the book takes on a third-person narrative. For me, these changes of perspective constantly interrupted the flow of the narrative.

It's a shame that these problems weren't cleaned up before the final printing, because there is some good material in here. I enjoyed Bingham's story of being an overweight, middle-aged non-runner who eventually fell in love with the sport and achieved goals he never thought were possible. There is also excellent information on proper running form, dietary concerns, and changing your mindset to that of a runner's, as well as plans for different types of running. It's a mess on occasion, but if you're a beginning runner and can pick your way through Running For Mortals, you'll find some useful words of wisdom.

[Jane Lebak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one by John Bingham and Coach Jenny Hadfield!

Amazon offered me a deal on this book since they know I'm a John Bingham fangirl, and I snapped it up. The book covers the basics of running, but I needed a comfort read and these books are nothing but comforting. If you're a beginning runner, they're 100% reassurance. Go for it. :-)

[Pedro Vieira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bom guia inicial para quem quer começar a correr de forma mais estruturada.
Investe muito tempo em histórias e até tenta trazer algumas inspirações dos autores, algo que eu não estava buscando.
Apesar disso, traz guias práticos e bem direcionados de treinos e planejamento de evolução, prevenção de lesões, etc. Era isso o que buscava em um livro como este.
Livro poderia ter 30 páginas ao invés de 230.

[Cottontailfarm · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, being a very casual runner, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't think that I would have dog-eared it in two dozen pages by the time I finished it, or that the last chapter would make me cry. I'm grateful to have read it.

[Beth Given · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I would have read this book a year ago, when I first started running! This was very readable and high on motivation that I found myself really identifying with. I could especially see myself in the chapter called Living Without Limits: "Our perceptions of our abilities, our looks, and our intellects are really nothing more than tiny bits we've collected and stored over the course of our lives. For most of us, those bits of data are a hodgepodge of other people's opinions and beliefs. We collected them and stored them because we thought they were about us. They weren't. . . . If you've spent your life believing that becoming an athlete was beyond you, then it's time you took a deep look at that belief, where it came from, and whether the validity of that belief makes any sense to you now."

I do feel like the book was just a little bit dated (it's eight years old now, but in those eight years technology has changed a lot), and the chapter on what to wear was intimidating to me even though I've managed to clothe myself prior to running for a year now.

Still, I feel like this book is very accessible to us "mortal" runners and would be a great read for anyone thinking about running -- or walking (there are training plans specifically for walking in the back!).

[Rachel Blom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, encouraging read for people who are not skinny who want to take up running. I loved the tone of the book and the constant assertions that everyone can run, if you take it slowly. I deeply appreciated the focus on running as fun and not as result-oriented. The honest tales of coming in last at races were a great encouragement, as so many how-to books on running are written by those who come in first. The approach the authors take is to take it very, very slowly - another thing I appreciated. No fast couch to 5k schemes here, but a slow walk-to run approach to 5 and even 10K. A solid intro into running, if a bit outdated by now due to newer developments like the FitBit and everything (the book was published in 2007 - I picked it up at a used book sale)

One quote I'll remember:

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

So true, so true.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much that I've decided to write my first ever review! I'm in my early 30's and after recovering from illness I decided to try running. John Bingham also started running later in life - in his mid forties - and he was an overweight smoker who ate and drank too much for most of his life. His story is nothing short of inspirational and I could relate to so much of what he said. This book is both practical and inspirational. It has some really great tips for new runners and also has some training programs included. I love his style of writing and on more than one occasion I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I teared up. I honestly felt like he was telling ''my" story at times! He is very passionate and he writes from his soul. I would recommend this book to any aspiring runner out there! It's a gem!

[Taueret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice for motivation and validation. Author was old and fat when he started running (as well as carrying a few bad habits even I don't cultivate). He runs terribly, by his own admission, but successfully (over 40 marathons under his belt) to this day for the joy of it. A nice read, but I like Danny Dreyer's ChiRunning better for actual "this is how you run, fatty" instruction.

There are training plans in the back of the book for 5k and 10 k goals, at all current levels of fitness and aspiration (including run-walk intervals). I am currently doing the c25k so haven't looked too closely at these but I am sure they're great, and if I ever manage 5 km I will surely use them for 10km. Really for the price of the kindle editions, I reckon they are both worth having at hand.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good introduction to taking up jogging/running. Not necessarily exciting reading, but the approach to the working out seems very solid as it stresses taking it very slowly and allowing your body to acclimate to the stresses from running. Definitely good for beginner's.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this guy, just a former couch potato like me (okay, I'm still a couch potato, just a couch potato who runs some times).

[RoWoSthlm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written by a former coach potato, obese and heavy smoker until the age of 43, with the intention to encourage and motivate anyone to discover running as the way to a better life. There’s a lot of good information a beginner runner would need. The intermediate runners and beyond shouldn’t find anything new in the book. The authors stress the importance of taking it slowly and gradually in order to avoid injuries that so many novice runners get due to lack of important physiological knowledge. The book provides many useful exercises for stretching and other related workouts, and there are training programs in the appendix.

[Rosa Schwank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great advice and motivation, but not the best editing. I was confused about which author was speaking in most sections, and some parts were just fluff. They also kept referencing John's nickname "the penguin", but I had no idea what they meant. It would have been nice if they included a short backstory on that since they mentioned it so much. Overall its a great book for people who are new to running, people who are looking to lose weight through running, or people who are just looking for more motivation and structure for their training.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boyfriend picked this up at a used book sale. I've been running for 1.5 years without any training or research. I found this quite a bit more interesting than I'd hoped. A lot of common sense knowledge, but also some interesting things I didn't know and some good motivational passages. Great for anyone just starting out, especially those who don't see themselves as a runner or fit at all.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pleasant read but somewhat mediocre to me. Worth reading if new to running and encouraging for those who don't fit into the stereotypical runner type but want to run. I enjoyed his other book "The Courage to Start" more.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book jam packed with information. I have been running for about 3 years and found this book very relevant despite my running experience. The diagrams for stretches and strength training exercises are fabulous and easy to envision- by far the best two chapters in the book. I also enjoyed the final chapter with its uplifting message.

[Esmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and motivating despite being published 11 years ago.

[Tunes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's very practical in most places, gets a little confusing with the metaphors in others.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little repetitive, but a good read. Would’ve been better if I was just starting out running, but it still had plenty of good tips for someone who’s been running for a couple of years.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for beginners!

[Jo * Smut-Dickted * · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book that can take a motivated couch potato (just how much motivation I'll leave up to you) to starting and continuing a running program. The examples of the authors and others' lives are pretty inspirational and you don't feel like you have to be one of those sports bra models to undertake running/walking or some combo thereof. There is quite a lot of humor in here, some self deprecating, that really encourages those of us who are not naturally talented at running to really feel good about wanting to pursue it.

They speak about the old running world and the new and it's so vibrantly true that you will recognize it everywhere you go. There is much out there now to support you in your running - from local stores that host running clubs and events, to races, to apps designed to track everything about you and your running.

As with anything I do I am always all in so I read this book, The Beginning Runner's Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk/Run Program and this one to keep track of everything in: The Beginning Runner's Journal: Based on the Walk/Run Program in the Bestselling Beginning Runner's Handbook. I also read The Ultimate Beginners Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired and found a lot of crossover but quite a bit of uniqueness as well. I found the humor in this one, however, really lent to more of a "read" and less of a reference type book. That's why the 4 stars.

I added Yoga for Runners and I very strongly recommend you also consider something like this to add to your running. Adding more elements helps on the off days and it also gives you different perspectives that will improve your running. I found that the Yoga book helped me greatly to take care of some of those aches and pains that are more just "OMG I'm using muscles that haven't been used for years!" than injury predictors.

In concert with this book, and the others, I also use two apps for my Iphone (though they can be found on Android platform as well) and that is the Get Running App for a Couch to 5K plan and the Map My Run which lets me record the routes I take and get information on my stats while doing so. I'm not convinced that this running app for the C25K is the best - but I like the English Lady's voice and it's worked for me. There are several free one's out there so give a try and you'll find one that you like. They are all very similar.

So what's the verdict? I ran my first 5K a week ago. My time was 34.14 which I am excessively happy with. I feel much stronger, I'm toning up, and I love the environment running has right now in this country. If I can do it you can do it! What are your waiting for?

[Moi · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is much like bingham and hadley's marathoning for mortals—with much of the information repeated, in fact—but instead directed more generally at running all middle and long distances, with particular focus given to the concerns of the novice runner.

bingham and hadley are a fantastic writing duo, writing with generosity, specificity, and humor.

the information in this title is more up-to-date than that in marathoning, offering suggestions on how to incorporate some of the sport's more recent hardware, technologies, and training hacks.

this book would be an excellent entree to the sport for any runner who doesn't have a lot of background or natural ability to lean on.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very readable running guide. It covered most everything a beginner would want to know about, and seemed very balanced and practical. I liked the way it gave both author's opinions and preferences, underlining the fact that much in running is individual, while some things are true for everyone. I love their advice for losing weight: Eat less, move more. They have a funny way of writing things, but I don't find it to get in the way of the book. They spend maybe a little too much time on cross-training options, but it is also part of the inspirational side. The advice seemed sound, and the way they talked about the body getting fit made sense though I don't actually know if it's true: it takes 3-6 weeks to see 1 cycle of measurable improvement in your aerobic system, it takes 6-12 weeks for the same in the muscular system, and 6-12 months in the skeletal system. Even though my dad and others had told me about the importance of "building a base" before running further or faster, this part of the book helped it really click for me. So as soon as my aerobic system had gone through a couple cycles of improvement and my muscles too, I ran out and bought Chi Running and Pose Method with hopes they would tell me a particular way to run that would allow me to bypass the 6-12 months necessary for my skeletal system to adapt to the new stress. It ends up they all say pretty much the same thing there! Take it easy and steady if you don't want injuries, building up to high mileage and fast speeds.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a beginning runner ("mortals" is a kind way of putting it) I have been looking for a book that goes over some basics without making me feel discouraged. This book is a little overwhelmingly rah-rah but it fit the bill better than any other one I've found.

Bingham used to be an overweight smoker until he started running and now he does marathons. His "anyone can do it!" message is pushed in every chapter along with tips on form, equipment and motivation, cowritten with his wife (who is also a mega-runner). The conversational tone keeps them from getting too technical on topics like strength training.

Where I thought the book fell down was in the accompanying training schedules, which I found wildly unrealistic. The absolute-beginner schedule contains five workouts a week -- five! That's a great recipe for burnout. (By contrast the Couch to 5K program suggests three workouts a week.) To me, again as a non-runner, that suggests that Bingham has drunk the "Runner's World" Kool-Aid and should have run it past a few mortals. Still, if you want a book that will talk about running basics without regular choruses of "You're doing it wrong," this will be right up your alley.

[Hannah]

I can't do anything unless I read a book about it first, and now that I've read a running memoir and a running how-to, maybe I'll actually get myself out running.

This is really good. Cheesy as all hell, and I think I would die if these people were teaching me how to run in real life, but it had good tips and wasn't frilly or unicorny about running. Mainly a lot of good advice and stuff. POINTS DEDUCTION for teaching women how to measure their bra size incorrectly (NEVER add 3. Your band size is your rib size, period). But points added for lots of different plans for different types of people with different goals. They could have done a bit more to talk about how to breathe, rather than just tell you TO breathe all the time, but all in all, I'm glad I read this, and I feel a bit more ready to start running (and foam rolling. I was really afraid of foam rolling, and there are pictures and explanations in here).

[JJ Bellfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great read. While the book was geared more towards a new runner, I still found plenty of new information and inspiration to add to my arsenal. There is a great balance of humor and facts and the authors include each of their personal experiences.

I wish that there was a little bit more coverage on nutrition, but that's a personal preference and personal knowledge niche.

There are training plans included in this book, however they only go up to 10K distance, if you are looking for marathon training plan you might want to consider a different book for a training plan. However, this book still provides some motivation and guidance about marathon running just not a specific plan as included for the 5k and 10k distances.

I highly recommend this book for any runner, regardless of experience.

[kates · Rating 4 out of 5]

15 months into my running career (yeah, I just called it a career. What now?), this book was super helpful. The narrators feel accessible, refreshing. It's kind of like sitting down with two fellow runners -- with different personalities, quirks, motivators, and missions -- and talking shop.

I'd recommend this for anyone considering running or who currently runs (though if you're pro status, it might be a little elementary for your taste-- though there are rockin' anecdotes about Eco-Challenges that might inspire you!)

The only thing I didn't like is that I finished this in 2 days (heh). I would be really interested in a collection of short stories about running-- wonder what's out there?

[Linsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of "the Penguin" I enjoyed this book and finished it in just 2 days. Its very easy to read and is funny, motivating and informative. That being said, I don't think I am the target audience for this book because I already enjoy running and have been running "as a mortal" for several years.
I think this book would be much better enjoyed by someone who is new to running, or thinking about running, or working up the courage to start running.
John Bingham is great because he shows that runners come in all shapes and sizes and that it isnt all about trying to win the race- its about fullfilling something within yourself and achieving your goals. Thats something I appreciate as running has really changed my life, and I am surely not a natural runner and not at all a fast runner.

[Meghan (Wilker) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, easy read. As others have noted, it's great for beginners. I really liked some of the author's more introspective notes about the non-physical effects of running on his life.

Because I'm already working with a trainer and on a training plan, I found those aspects of the book less compelling but for someone just starting out, the notes about how and how much to train are probably quite good!

The most compelling parts of the book (for me) were "The Penguin's" thoughts on enjoying running even though he's not "good" at it. For me, the best part of running are the mental and psychological benefits and he really nailed that.

If you're considering running but feel like you're "not a runner" this book may help convince you otherwise.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I figured that I've been running off and on for about 11 years, and I should probably know the real techniques and stuff. Previously, my dad (and maybe Sally @ Woodrow) had taught me everything. Turns out there really isn't anything else to know about running. This is good for older people who are prone to being injured easily, but as a semi-still-youngun' it's not all that helpful. I did learn a few things, though, like when you start running, it only takes 3-4 weeks for your heart and lungs to adjust to the impact and exertion, but it takes your muscles 6-12 weeks and your joints and tendons (skeletal system) 6-12 months to adjust. Ouch.