I was going to write today about my IT band and the brace I bought to help relieve some pain, but I will revisit that idea later. For now, I need your opinion.
Before I get into the heart and soul of this blog post, I need you to go ahead and comment – right now – your definition of a runner. How do you label a runner? I want your first thoughts, your honest opinion before you read my post. Then, if your idea changes, go back and tell me in another comment what made you change your mind. If it didn’t change, that’s cool too. I just need an honest, unbiased opinion.
Did you leave your comment?
Are you SURE??
Ok.
Last night I came home after a 5 miler with my new running buddy (and friend!) Stephanie. Knowing my half marathon is on Saturday, I didn’t want to over do it, but I wanted to try out a new IT band brace that I bought. I wanted to give myself enough time to really feel it, to see how it worked, so we stuck with our 5 mile ritual. When I got home, I showered and jumped on the foam roller. As I was using the roller, Dennis noticed the weather for the weekend. It’s been abnormally warm here on the east coast (I’m sure it’s been warm everywhere) so I said something about how I hope it’s not too hot, since I tend to get sick running in the heat if I’m not prepared for it (I had a terrible experience in October’s Army 10 Miler)
His reaction? “Maybe running isn’t for you.”
What? Why would you say that?
“Well, you haven’t been running for very long and you keep having issues. I’m not being mean, I’m just saying…running isn’t great for the body.”
(me)
Ok, so what do you mean I haven’t been running for very long? I’ve been playing soccer since I was 12. I’ve used running as my main exercise/stress relieving tool since then. All through high school (minus freshman year when I tried playing softball) I ran track. I ran track in Junior high as well. I was considered a distance runner, although the main distance event I competed in was the 800 meter run (if you haven’t already heard me complain about how awful and torturous that distance is, you haven’t known me very long.)
In college I played soccer. I ran throughout the off season to keep in shape. I ran my first “race” freshman year of college for Breast Cancer (it was a 5K.)
I would run just to run, never more than 5 miles, but still running none the less.
Doesn’t that make me a runner?
Running has always been my exercise of choice. Even though I chose to play sports (soccer, tennis, etc.) where running was a necessity, I still was running. And I actually credit my love for sports as my base for being a runner. If I didn’t have to run to keep in shape for those sports, I may not have chosen running as my drug of choice. Who knows, I may have found solace in spin classes or yoga (which I sometimes do even now;) It might have been swimming that caught my attention and kept me active. All I know is that I’ve always chosen running as my release.
(source)
I’ve always been a runner.
To him, being a runner is one who trains for competition.
“I’ve been running since I was 12 years old!” I said, defensively.
“You haven’t been RUNNING like you run now. You didn’t really start running until a few years ago…when you started training to run the longer distances.”
I disagree! I’ve been running since I was 12 years old!
He doesn’t see it that way. He was an athlete too, but he’s never considered himself a runner. He had to run to keep in shape for football, basketball and baseball, but he never was a runner.
“Yes, but that’s a different type of running. You’re sprinting, you’re doing a mile here and there to prepare for a sport. I did the same, but I also chose to run OUTSIDE of sports for pleasure. I think that’s where the difference is.”
Again, he disagrees.
Maybe I’m getting emotional about it because I take running to heart. It’s been a big part of my life for a long time. When my father died (at age 14,) I ran. I smoked a lot of pot (is that OK to say?) but I also ran a lot.
When I was in high school, I remember one day everything was pissing me off. By the end of first period, I decided I was going to make a list of all the things that pissed me off that day and run a lap on the track for each of those things. I ended up running 4 miles that day, 16 laps for the 16 things that pissed me off. I was in 10th grade.
Running kept me sane. It still does.
Doesn’t that make me a runner?
OK, which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is a hot topic I see. If you run you are a runner. Period. I am a runner. Usain Bolt is a runner. You are a runner . . . get my drift. That is what is my definition of the beauty of this sport. Anyone can run at the pace that suits their body. Anyone can be a runner.
Honestly Ann, the issue isn’t whether I’m a runner NOW…it’s when I BECAME a runner. Was I a “runner” when I was in high school training for soccer? or did I not become a “runner” until I started running races? And training for longer distances? Semantics…
Oops! I replied down below. Duh. I’m really a rebel today!
I think anyone CAN and SHOULD be a runner. Anyone who uses running as training, therapy or anything in between is a runner. I never started until a year and a half ago but that doesn’t make me any less of a runner than people who ran track in high school. My oldest daughter runs 5ks and wins her age group without training. My youngest has decided she wants to “learn how to run” so she has worked up to 3/4 of a mile and works very hard just to get to that point. Which one of them is a runner then? How do you measure? Compare it to someone who says they are a “patriot”. Does that mean they hang a flag and feel pride in their heart? Or must they enlist in the military? Who decides that?
You tell ‘em Jill!
I don’t want to make Dennis sound mean, he’s not. It’s just that it was a hot button topic for me. It hurt me that he would put a restriction on when I officially became a runner. It wasn’t a fight, it was more of a “we’ll have to agree to disagree” type thing. Maybe I was missing something … which is why I put it out there. Thanks for your support!
A runner is someone who enjoys running and runs pretty regularly whether it’s for exercise, fun, or training for a race event. I think the key word is “regularly.” But what defines, “regular?” To me it’s not just running to train for one thing and that’s it. It’s not as a warm-up for a sport. You run throughout the year. However, there may be days that we have our off season (for me it’s Nov-Jan. when my running is scarce or moves indoors to a treadmill or if I’m suffering an injury) and that’s okay. There may even be days when weather deters us from running (for me, when it’s cold and rainy or ridiculously hot) and that’s okay too. I still consider us runners.
————
In response to your post: Being a runner is a mindset. If you think you are a runner, then you are. You know in your heart if you are one or not and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you’ve spent the energy, time and money to run, you are a runner. And YOU, my friend, are a runner!
Fun post, BTW. Love your rant. Here’s another topic similar to this one you can discuss one day: Are you a runner or a jogger? It’s funny, for some reason, I feel offended when someone calls me a jogger.
) Maybe I’ll write about this…
Thanks for your support! And you’re the only one who’s followed directions by the way..lol
Jogger? No I am not a jogger. I agree with your taking offense on that one.
I like your idea of being a runner is a mindset. I don’t know that I ever considered myself a runner back then, but I always knew that I loved to run. Even when I hated running, I still loved it. The more I think about it the more I think I might have been overreacting, but I still would react the same way if it were to come up again.
I never could follow directions
The chicken and egg comment was trying to cover that issue. Run for training or run for competition or run for yourself. Does it really matter? You became a runner when you started running. It’s like trying to define “athlete.”
. . . and the jogging thing get’s under my skin too. Maybe I should be wearing a velour track suit.
LOL velor track suit. I just envisioned the weird lady in the Target commercials the runs through the store to get her Christmas shopping done … with a track suit and heels … haha
To me a runner is someone who runs regularly for whatever reason they want to – training, stress relief, recreationally, etc. It sounds like you have had this in your life since you were 12, so you have been a runner since you were 12!!
BTW – I hate the “jogger” comment too.