The Running Comedian
Can a “chubby ginger” from Trenton, Missouri, really run in an ultramarathon and make a successful comedy show? Jeff Binney did! He lives a life full of adventure, and he never squanders a chance to follow his heart. His life motto is “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” He works to teach others of his personal success that he achieved by living his motto. Because of the influences in his life, Binney was able to chase his dreams by running a 100 mile ultramarathon, becoming a standup comedian, and teaching himself and others how to live life to the fullest.
Binney has many influences in his life that inspire him to chase his dreams and to become who he wants to be. The person he looks up to most is his mother, who died from obesity. She is Binney’s inspiration to become a healthier and more active man. Binney said, “My mom was a huge influence [throughout my childhood].” She was an influential part of his life, and her death greatly affected him. He spoke on the jolt her passing had on his life and how he coped with the loss: “I disappeared into the woods... I’m not a person that likes to talk about my problems… I like to deal with my stuff on my own.” When stressed, Binney finds himself searching for a secluded area where he is alone and can work through his problems. The loss of someone close to him gives him the motivation he needs to make changes and to chase his dreams.
The first of many dreams that Binney worked towards was training for and participating in The Leadville 100, a 100 mile ultramarathon through the mountains of Colorado. This marathon took months of intense training and mental preparation. Binney mentions that the hardest part of running an ultramarathon was finding the mental toughness and personal drive to keep running: “Everything hurts; your body is literally falling apart… and you get a belt buckle [for winning]... You need to have solid reasons for doing this.” Unfortunately, the race had cut off times that lingered in the back of Binney’s mind all throughout the event. He was not able to finish the 100 miles; he did not remember the number of miles he did complete because to him, the completion was not the point. Just being able to perform in an event of that nature made Binney feel accomplished. Considering only 40 percent of the racers that started the ultramarathon this year finished, he knew he had worked toward an achievement that he could be proud of training for. Binney recalls his feelings when he realized what he was accomplishing during the race: “You know, I was on the top of this mountain, and there aren’t many people up there, and it's just so surreal.” He could not feel his body when on top of the mountain; he could only feel his emotions running wild, and his sense of self-accomplishment for continuing in a race as difficult as an ultramarathon.
After The Leadville 100, Binney continued chasing his dreams by starting a stand-up comedy act; he is still working to perfect his act and makes jokes about his journey through the ultramarathon and throughout life. Some of these events are hard for Binney to speak about without getting emotional. When doing his shows in front of a live audience, Binney says, “There are some things I can’t talk about without without tearing up… People do not go to comedy shows to see chubby gingers like [me] tearing up on stage, they are there to laugh… so some of my stuff is kind of risky.” He understands that his content is risky, but still has enough confidence in himself to continue to perform. He states that his philosophy when doing his show is that “nobody else can make fun of you for something if you make fun of yourself first.” He believes that he can find a joke in almost any situation and especially in his personal quirks. Binney is not comfortable with being mediocre at any project he takes starts, so he continues to strive for greatness by practicing his act as much as he can. Also, he is currently working on a project to take his comedy act across the country to reach a wider audience.
Along with his comedy act, Binney gives meaning to all of his dreams by working for what he wants and teaching others that is the only way to live. He wants to have lived a full and meaningful life before he dies. He mentions, “I think so many people have so many things that they want to do… and if there’s anything I learned from losing my mom at a young age, it’s that if there’s something you want to do, do it right now… I think taking that first step is so hard for some people.” He understands that there is no guarantee of tomorrow and wants to spend his days doing the activities he loves. He also feels that if his heart changes over time, and he wants to take on another project, that’s exactly what he’ll do: “In ten years you might want something different, and that’s okay. Go get it.” Binney has changed his mind many times throughout the years, but he sees each change in heart as an opportunity to widen his horizons.
Jeff Binney has accomplished many great feats in his life because of his perseverance and great influences; he has participated in an ultramarathon and is now living out his story through stand up comedy. Binney never gives up on his dreams and feels he has his mother to thank for inspiring him. This small town, chubby ginger is the epitome of what it means to live life to the fullest; he lives out his motto when he says, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
Works Cited
Duckworth, Jordan et al. “Jeff Binney Interview.” 25 Oct. 2016.
Binney has many influences in his life that inspire him to chase his dreams and to become who he wants to be. The person he looks up to most is his mother, who died from obesity. She is Binney’s inspiration to become a healthier and more active man. Binney said, “My mom was a huge influence [throughout my childhood].” She was an influential part of his life, and her death greatly affected him. He spoke on the jolt her passing had on his life and how he coped with the loss: “I disappeared into the woods... I’m not a person that likes to talk about my problems… I like to deal with my stuff on my own.” When stressed, Binney finds himself searching for a secluded area where he is alone and can work through his problems. The loss of someone close to him gives him the motivation he needs to make changes and to chase his dreams.
The first of many dreams that Binney worked towards was training for and participating in The Leadville 100, a 100 mile ultramarathon through the mountains of Colorado. This marathon took months of intense training and mental preparation. Binney mentions that the hardest part of running an ultramarathon was finding the mental toughness and personal drive to keep running: “Everything hurts; your body is literally falling apart… and you get a belt buckle [for winning]... You need to have solid reasons for doing this.” Unfortunately, the race had cut off times that lingered in the back of Binney’s mind all throughout the event. He was not able to finish the 100 miles; he did not remember the number of miles he did complete because to him, the completion was not the point. Just being able to perform in an event of that nature made Binney feel accomplished. Considering only 40 percent of the racers that started the ultramarathon this year finished, he knew he had worked toward an achievement that he could be proud of training for. Binney recalls his feelings when he realized what he was accomplishing during the race: “You know, I was on the top of this mountain, and there aren’t many people up there, and it's just so surreal.” He could not feel his body when on top of the mountain; he could only feel his emotions running wild, and his sense of self-accomplishment for continuing in a race as difficult as an ultramarathon.
After The Leadville 100, Binney continued chasing his dreams by starting a stand-up comedy act; he is still working to perfect his act and makes jokes about his journey through the ultramarathon and throughout life. Some of these events are hard for Binney to speak about without getting emotional. When doing his shows in front of a live audience, Binney says, “There are some things I can’t talk about without without tearing up… People do not go to comedy shows to see chubby gingers like [me] tearing up on stage, they are there to laugh… so some of my stuff is kind of risky.” He understands that his content is risky, but still has enough confidence in himself to continue to perform. He states that his philosophy when doing his show is that “nobody else can make fun of you for something if you make fun of yourself first.” He believes that he can find a joke in almost any situation and especially in his personal quirks. Binney is not comfortable with being mediocre at any project he takes starts, so he continues to strive for greatness by practicing his act as much as he can. Also, he is currently working on a project to take his comedy act across the country to reach a wider audience.
Along with his comedy act, Binney gives meaning to all of his dreams by working for what he wants and teaching others that is the only way to live. He wants to have lived a full and meaningful life before he dies. He mentions, “I think so many people have so many things that they want to do… and if there’s anything I learned from losing my mom at a young age, it’s that if there’s something you want to do, do it right now… I think taking that first step is so hard for some people.” He understands that there is no guarantee of tomorrow and wants to spend his days doing the activities he loves. He also feels that if his heart changes over time, and he wants to take on another project, that’s exactly what he’ll do: “In ten years you might want something different, and that’s okay. Go get it.” Binney has changed his mind many times throughout the years, but he sees each change in heart as an opportunity to widen his horizons.
Jeff Binney has accomplished many great feats in his life because of his perseverance and great influences; he has participated in an ultramarathon and is now living out his story through stand up comedy. Binney never gives up on his dreams and feels he has his mother to thank for inspiring him. This small town, chubby ginger is the epitome of what it means to live life to the fullest; he lives out his motto when he says, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
Works Cited
Duckworth, Jordan et al. “Jeff Binney Interview.” 25 Oct. 2016.