Reviews
"John 'The Penguin' Bingham has touched a nerve with runners worldwide like no one in the last decade. He's funny but serious, informal but inspirational, and his spoken and written words have become the rallying cry for tens of thousands of runners who have found a patron saint where they least expected one-in the back of the pack. With The Penguin as their leader, they have found not just the courage to start, but also the determination to finish." - Amby Burfoot, Runner's World magazine "John "The Penguin" Bingham does it again! An Accidental Athlete is a charming, witty and relatable tale of John finding himself through running. In this great book he shares his journey with us one stride and two laughs at a time." - Deena Kastor, American marathon record holder, Olympic medalist, and 12-time national champion "Most of us can truly identify with John Bingham's story: There are no gold medals, no laurel wreaths, no world records. But John shows us that we have something more important: a chance, if we have the will and believe in ourselves. Because of runners like John, the wall of intimidation has crumbled, and tens of thousands of Americans are now believing in themselves. John has helped raise self-esteem and self-confidence in people all over the world. Nothing is more important to a person's well-being." - Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon race director "John Bingham is Edward Abbey, Frank Shorter, Brad Pitt and George Carlin all wrapped in one. John as writer has a lesson or tale in all his adventures. I learn so much about myself reading The Penguin Chronicles . As a speaker he is funny, sincere and lovable." - Bart Yasso, Runner's World magazine " An Accidental Athlete is a great read and an affirmation of why we run. The next time you find yourself in doubt, bring the Penguin with you and you'll be glad you did." - Kathrine Switzer, first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon winner, and author of Marathon Woman " An Accidental Athlete is a book for everyone! Bingham tells stories of how he became an everyday exerciser after years of alcohol, overeating, and smoking. Current exercisers will smile as the mistakes John made are ones we have all made. Non-exercisers will see that-like Oprah-anyone can become an "adult-onset athlete." The Penguin's humorous, inspirational writing style will not let you put his book down, and you will learn something about yourself as you follow his journey. Get on the Penguin bus because it is leaving the station!" - Running Doc", Lewis G. Maharam, MD, author of Running Doc's Guide to Healthy Running "When John steps in front of an audience, the quiet-spoken college prof disappears, and he becomes The Penguin. Behind his humor lies an invitation to everyone, of any size and speed, to fit as comfortably into this sport as he did at his start." - Joe Henderson, former editor of Runner's World magazine "John Bingham is the voice of the millions of those who are beginning to exercise each year. John feels their concerns, and with humor, provides the motivation to keep going." - J eff Galloway, running coach and author of Marathon: You Can Do It! "John Bingham brings a bit of irreverence and a big dose of humor to his talks about running and races. He gets you to laugh and we need that before races!" - Bill Rodgers, 4-time winner of the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon, "The Penguin does it again! An Accidental Athlete is a charming, witty and relatable tale of John finding himself through running. In this great book he shares his journey with us one stride and two laughs at a time." - Deena Kastor, American marathon record holder, Olympic medalist, and 12-time national champion "John Bingham is Edward Abbey, Frank Shorter, Brad Pitt, and George Carlin all wrapped in one. John as writer has a lesson or tale in all his adventures." - Bart Yasso, Runner's World magazine "Looking for some motivation to start running and improve your fitness? You're sure to find some inspiration from John Bingham's new memoir An Accidental Athlete ." - ESPN.com "Most of us can truly identify with John Bingham's story: There are no gold medals, no laurel wreaths, no world records. But John shows us that we have something more important: a chance, if we have the will and believe in ourselves." - Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon race director "In An Accidental Athlete , Bingham…describes his journey from a clumsy wannabe-athlete kid to the realization of a dream: that by being a runner, especially a back-of-the-packer, you are truly an athlete…Bingham's witty, engaging prose will [provide] you with a few hours of delightful distraction." - Canadian Running magazine "John 'The Penguin' Bingham has touched a nerve with runners worldwide like no one in the last decade. He's funny but serious, informal but inspirational." - Amby Burfoot, Runner's World magazine "For anyone who might feel overwhelmed or overly fond of couch time, John Bingham's charming memoir can help....[Bingham's] sense of humor...adds to the sweet appeal of the story, providing enough encouragement to anyone looking to exercise more." - ForeWord magazine "This charming, gently funny autobiography from the big-hearted Bingham is a testament to hangin' in there…If more people were like him, where each event, run, mile, step is a celebration, the world would be a better-and healthier-place." - Library Journal "Bingham uses a great knack for storytelling, and some really funny examples, in his new book about becoming a middle-aged athlete…Some of the best stories (perhaps because I can relate to them) are those of the real racing done at the back of the pack." - TriMadNess, "The Penguin does it again! An Accidental Athlete is a charming, witty and relatable tale of John finding himself through running. In this great book he shares his journey with us one stride and two laughs at a time." -- Deena Kastor, American marathon record holder, Olympic medalist, and 12-time national champion "John Bingham is Edward Abbey, Frank Shorter, Brad Pitt, and George Carlin all wrapped in one. John as writer has a lesson or tale in all his adventures." -- Bart Yasso, Runner's World magazine "Looking for some motivation to start running and improve your fitness? You're sure to find some inspiration from John Bingham's new memoir An Accidental Athlete ." -- ESPN.com "Most of us can truly identify with John Bingham's story: There are no gold medals, no laurel wreaths, no world records. But John shows us that we have something more important: a chance, if we have the will and believe in ourselves." -- Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon race director "In An Accidental Athlete , Bingham...describes his journey from a clumsy wannabe-athlete kid to the realization of a dream: that by being a runner, especially a back-of-the-packer, you are truly an athlete...Bingham's witty, engaging prose will [provide] you with a few hours of delightful distraction." -- Canadian Running magazine "John 'The Penguin' Bingham has touched a nerve with runners worldwide like no one in the last decade. He's funny but serious, informal but inspirational." -- Amby Burfoot, Runner's World magazine "For anyone who might feel overwhelmed or overly fond of couch time, John Bingham's charming memoir can help....[Bingham's] sense of humor...adds to the sweet appeal of the story, providing enough encouragement to anyone looking to exercise more." -- ForeWord magazine "This charming, gently funny autobiography from the big-hearted Bingham is a testament to hangin' in there...If more people were like him, where each event, run, mile, step is a celebration, the world would be a better-and healthier-place." -- Library Journal "Bingham uses a great knack for storytelling, and some really funny examples, in his new book about becoming a middle-aged athlete...Some of the best stories (perhaps because I can relate to them) are those of the real racing done at the back of the pack." -- TriMadNess
