So many times I hear from friends that they don’t think they are “real” runners. They run, sure, but maybe they run/walk or maybe they’ve only just run their first mile, or even just their first few steps!! They don’t consider themselves athletes and can often be heard saying:
Well, sure, I RUN. But I’m not a REAL runner.
So I’m going to go ahead and give you some signs so that you can know once and for all. Ready? Here we go:
If you disparage another runner’s efforts, in person, at the gym, on the trail , in a blog comment or on social media, you are NOT a real runner.
If you put others down in order to build yourself up, such as saying that running a marathon in 5:30 is not really running a marathon, or that a run walker has no business in a “real” running race, you are NOT a real runner.
If you make negative statements or make jokes about the size of another runner or the speed of another runner, always but most especially if that runner is just starting on their journey, you are NOT a real runner.
If you have done any of those things, I hate to tell you, and I’m so very sorry, but you are . . .
A JOGGER. (sorry, keep trying. maybe someday you’ll be a real runner)
Oh, and one more – if you make remarks about people who dare to run races in costumes, you are also NOT a real runner (but that one is less serious you might just be uninformed)
For the rest of you, if you run, you are a runner.
That is all.
Happy running.
Love this!
Thanks! I was sort of firing up after finding out about a nasty comment about a fellow bloggers 4:38 marathon finish time as “not really running”. Um, really? Jerk wad jogger . . .;)
Awesome! 🙂
Thanks, Paulette!!
Love this post! There are so many people that need to know this elite and beginners alike. We were all born runners by nature, we were given a great gift! Were you at Disney this year?
I did the marathon in January and it was a really hard race for me. Like, really, really hard but I still had a blast. Because it was Disney;).