Books: "The Courage to Start" and "Running for Mortals"

I read The Courage to Start in late July/early August.  The Courage to Start was his first book.  The book is filled with practical advice for any person that is considering starting to run.  John Bingham adds humor through the entire book with reliving funny (and not so funny) moments in his beginning running career.  The key quote that I will always remember from this book is:  The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.  Every time I get discouraged with what is going on with my running, I repeat that to myself.  I am sure that I am one of thousands of runners that now uses that as my mantra.

I just finished reading Running for Mortals by John "The Penguin" Bingham and Coach Jenny Hadfield.  This book didn't disappoint.  Like The Courage to Start, it is filled with tons of practical useful information.  It is also filled with interesting anecdotes that will make nearly anyone laugh.  I would add this one to my list of must reads for new runners.

Some quotes from Running for Mortals that are important to me:
Every run has the potential to transform us from who we are to the person we're becoming.  Every step on every run could be the one that begins our metamorphosis from who we've been to what we've always wanted to be.

You will only succeed if you are setting realistic expectations for yourself based on the uniqueness of who you've been, who you are, and who you want to be.  You cannot and should not try to be what someone else is or was or wants you to be.  You can't.

Postponing the joy of the journey until you reach your destination is the worst possible plan.  Waiting to celebrate until you've gotten to where you want to go means missing all the wonderful places you pass along the way.

You were born to move.  You were born to walk and run and chase.  You were born to be an athlete.  No matter how far out of shape you think you are, there is still a road back.  It may be long.  It may be fraught with setbacks and frustration, but it's there.  All you need to do is take that first step.  Take that one step toward a new you.  Then take the next and the next.