Title Page; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Part 1: Inspiration; Seeing the Light; Tied in Nots; Getting Real; Keeping the Faith; Basic Truths about Getting Started; Part 2: Perspiration; Our Bodies, Our Selves; Method or Madness; Garbage In, Garbage Out; Dancing with the Devil; Basic Truths about Injury Prevention; Part 3: Dedication; Staying the Course; Chutes and Ladders; Goal Tending; Beyond Fitness; Basic Truths about Cross-Training; Part 4: Celebration; Finding the Joy; Keeping Score; Mind Games; Playing to Win; Basic Truths about Racing; Afterword; Special Bonus Section.;"You don't have to run fast to be a real runner!"John Bingham, "the patron saint of the back of the pack," commands "The Penguin Brigade"β°Μβthose thousands of dedicated runners who have learned that the greatest joy in their sport comes not from how fast they go or how thin they become, but from simply having the courage to take the first step. Now Bingham shares the wisdom that took him from couch potato to columnist for Runner's World magazine. No Need for Speed explores both the why and the how of running for the rest of us. With information both practical (how to find the right running shoes for you, when to enter a race, what to eat before a run) and inspirational (focus on where you are instead of where you want to be, accepting the body you have, the beauty of being realistic about goals), Bingham extends a trusted hand and expert advice to beginners and veterans alike.