Cover of An accidental athlete
Read Time: ~3.5 hr

An accidental athlete

by John "The Penguin" Bingham (2011)

About this book

"John Bingham is a beloved evangelist of running. Known by fans as "The Penguin" for his gentle humor and back-of-the-pack speed, Bingham's memoir An Accidental Athlete explores with wit and poignancy his evolution from a bespectacled fat kid in the 1950s to unlikely hero of the modern running movement. Bingham remembers unfulfilled childhood dreams of athletic glory seen through Coke-bottle glasses, his unhealthy sedentary years as he chased a career, and his epiphany at age 43, when he stirred from the couch, found his mojo, became a runner, and rediscovered himself. An Accidental Athlete is a warm, engagingly written, feel-good book for the everday athlete who is sure to recognize him or herself somewhere in these pages"--

Setting / LocationGlobal
Story EraModern Era
Protagonist / CoreAn accidental athlete Lead Character

Readers who enjoyed this also loved

Cover of Running like a girl

Running like a girl

Alexandra Heminsley

"In her twenties, Alexandra Heminsley spent more time drinking white wine than she did in pursuit of athletic excellence. When she decided to take up running in her thirties, she had high hopes for a blissful runner's high and immediate physical transformation. After eating three slices of toast with honey and spending ninety minutes on iTunes creating the perfect playlist, she hit the streets--and failed miserably. The stories of her first runs turn the common notion that we are all "born to run" on its head--and exposes the truth about starting to run: it can be brutal. Running Like a Girl tells the story of getting beyond the brutal part, how Alexandra makes running a part of her life, and reaps the rewards: not just the obvious things, like weight loss, health, and glowing skin, but self-confidence and immeasurable daily pleasure, along with a new closeness to her father--a marathon runner--and her brother, with whom she ultimately runs her first marathon"--

Cover of Football's wackiest moments

Football's wackiest moments

Michael Pellowski

Describes amusing anecdotes and crazy quotes involving some well-known NFL coaches, quarterbacks, defensive players, and runners and receivers.

Cover of The runner

The runner

Cynthia Voigt

As a dedicated runner, a teenage boy has always managed to distance himself from other people until the experience of coaching one of his teammates on the track team gradually helps him see the value of giving and receiving.

Cover of The runner's brain

The runner's brain

Dr. Jeff Brown with Liz Neporent

"As a runner, your biggest asset (or sometimes your greatest enemy) is your brain. What you think and feel on and off the road also has a huge influence over how you perform once you lace up. Runner's World The Runner's Brain shows you how to unlock and capture the miraculous potential of the body's most mysterious and intriguing organ and rewire your mind for a lifetime of athletic success. The book is based on cutting-edge brain science and sports psychology that author Dr. Jeff Brown uses every day in his private practice and as part of the medical team of several major road races including the Boston Marathon. Full of fascinating insights from runners of all abilities-including champion marathoner Meb Keflezighi and other greats-the book includes trustworthy information that's been proven to work both in the lab and on the road."--provided by publisher.

An accidental athlete by John "The Penguin" Bingham | Literally Just Books