John Bingham, known as "The Penguin" and a driving force behind the start of the second running boom, has announced he will retire from the running industry at the end of this year.

Bingham began running in his 40s after leading an unhealthy, sedentary life until then. His posts on an online message board caught the attention of Amby Burfoot, who was then the editor of Runner's World. In 1996, Bingham began to write a column for Runner's World, "The Penguin Chronicles," that chronicled and celebrated his and other new runners' experiences.

Bingham's tag line--"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."--attracted many beginning runners for its welcoming tone and emphasis on embracing running on one's own terms. Bingham and his slogan alienated some long-time runners by the perceived lowest-common-denominator ethos.

Bingham has written several running books, including The Courage to Start: A Guide to Running for Your Life and No Need For Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running.

In 2010, Bingham became a columnist for Competitor, the magazine published by the organizers of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series. Bingham is an announcer for the series, as well as the national spokesperson for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.

Bingham said he has no plans for how he'll spend his time after retirement. "I have faith that whatever happens next will be every bit as exciting and fun as what has gone before," he wrote.

Scott Douglas Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times.

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