This Is About Running, This Is Not About Running

From the Nike Running Global Head Coach Chris Bennett, this is a book for current, former and wannabe runners and anyone in between – a book about running and how it pertains to life, and life and how it pertains to running. Full of motivational and inspirational lessons, this book teaches us that we're all capable of becoming runners.

Everyone is a runner, even if they've never stepped foot on a treadmill or a track. So says Chris Bennett, former college cross-country champion, University of North Carolina Running Coach, and current Nike Running Global Head Coach. With his positive, pop-culture laced, back to basics approach, Coach Bennett gets to the heart of how running can make you feel, why folks take to it, and how it can become a lifelong source of joy, confidence, and personal transformation.

In this empowering and refreshingly honest guide, Coach Bennett strips away the pressure of pace, distance, and competition, focusing instead on the emotional and mental rewards of simply moving forward – in running and in life. Whether you're lacing up up for the first time or rediscovering your stride after years away, this book reminds you that running isn't about being the fastest – it's about showing up, being present, and learning to trust yourself with every step.

About the author

Chris Bennett is the Global Head Coach of Nike Running. He leads coaching strategy, the development of guided-runs, and community experiences such as the Nike Run Club app, which reaches millions of runners around the world. He is known for his approachable and inclusive coaching philosophy, emphasising that 'everyone is a runner'. Focusing as much on mindset and habit as on performance metrics, he encourages runners of all levels to show up, reflect, and keep moving forward.