When can you call yourself a runner?

[dragitoff]

After finding this board a few weeks ago, I've been reading over alot of comments. I've also been reading Runner's World alot as well as various online running articles. My question is, at what point do most people consider others or themselves as "runners"?

I ask that because I've seen varied opinions based on thread comments, articles, and the like. I was really just curious on the board's take.

I consider myself a runner. I'm currently running 3.1 miles a day 5 days per week. I do this on the road. Once, every 2 weeks or so, I do a longer distance run of 6-10 miles on Saturday (so far, only on a treadmill)

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

The moment you get on that treadmill or run outside. I don't think that you have to have a mileage prerequisite to call yourself a runner. We are all at different levels but we are all runners!

 

[jmasgat]

I consider everyone else a runner as soon as they start to run--no matter how far or how fast.

As for myself.....I finally started to consider myself a runner this past summer when my herniated cervical disk kept me from running for 4 months. It took me that long to understand that I didn't have to run 6-7 minute miles or have a long stride or be super skinny. I finally gave myself credit for what I had accomplished, and will hopefully accomplish going forward.

Maura

 

[dragitoff]

The moment you get on that treadmill or run outside. I don't think that you have to have a mileage prerequisite to call yourself a runner. We are all at different levels but we are all runners!

I agree with that, but the impression I've gotten is there are 2 different sects of the running community. There are the encouragers who would support you regardless of your time or distance and then there are the ultra-runners who don't consider anyone a runner unless they run on the road, or run a 5k in less than 20 minutes or run a marathon or whatever.

I was just curious what other people thought of it, but I do totally agree with your take on it!

 

[disneyrunner79]

This seems like a pretty simple question to answer...your a runner when you run and your a walker if you walk. If your running the distance of your daily effort (1 mile, 5 miles, 10 miles...whatever) your a runner, if you walk the distance of your daily effort your a walker...if you run/walk...I guess if you run over 50% of your effort your a runner.

One of the previous posters is absolutely right...there are two types of people, those who encourage and those who are not. But, there are also a lot of diff. types of runners, there are the competitive runners (you referred to them as ultra runners), there are those that run because it's their passion, those who run to keep in shape and the list goes on and on...I've run 12 marathons...finished in the top-10 at probably 6 or 7 different Disney half-marathons or marathons and as long as your running..your a runner!

 

[RunRookie]

I thought of myself as a runner the first time i ran in a chip-timed race. I felt like i was a part of something cool as I stood there with my medal, banana, and water bottle along with 1,500 other finishers. And I knew I was going to keep doing it.

As with all sports/hobbies, there are those who are more 'elite' in their thinking. But I think they are in the minority. The running community has changed a lot in the past 10-20 years, moving from the "you have to be serious, fast, and hardcore" type to a more "run for health, fun, and personal achievement" attitude.

I feel that if you run a couple of times a week -- for fun or fitness, alone or with friends, in the gym or outside, at fast or easy pacing -- and you look forward to doing so, then you are a runner.

 

[pensgirl10]

I KNOW OF the people who look down on "finishers" but luckily I don't KNOW any of them. The runners I've spoken to have been nothing but supportive, no matter what their level. Except the little boy I babysit, age 10, who told me, "you're not running, Jan, that's jogging!"

I consider anyone who gets out there and gives it a go to be a runner. As to when I personally felt like a runner, it wasn't a distance so much as being out in the bitter cold in two layers of clothes, snow coming down, no one else in sight. The dedication to showing up, to keep going.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I guess it depends on your point of view. I always thought of myself as a runner but last year I was talking to someone at work. I noticed he had left a timing chip on his shoe from a race I had run the previous weekend. I asked if he had done the race and he said yes it was his first. I asked why he picked a half marathon as his first race and he said he just wanted to try it since he always jogged on the weekend. I joked and said "You jogged the race? Was was your finishing time?" He said 1:45 ... I said "That's not jogging!"

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

I agree with that, but the impression I've gotten is there are 2 different sects of the running community. There are the encouragers who would support you regardless of your time or distance and then there are the ultra-runners who don't consider anyone a runner unless they run on the road, or run a 5k in less than 20 minutes or run a marathon or whatever.

I was just curious what other people thought of it, but I do totally agree with your take on it!

I hate when I hear that there are double standards but I know that there are jerks that just think they are better than everyone else. I can understand being super competitive if you are an Olympian but the majority of the people that look down on those of us that aren't doing this to break records are not going to the Olympic Trials. So they have no business judging those that don't run an entire race or choose to walk it. I have a friend that is going to the Olympic Trials for the Marathon and she doesn't look down on anyone...and is supportive of everyone at races - she has her goals but she is at the front of the pack and yet she still cheers on those who walk after she finishes. I think anyone that looks down on others for how they run/walk races is automatically kicked out of the runner category and placed into another category of which I will not mention on this board.

 

[crewmatt]

The day you feel bad about not running.

 

[geaux_half]

I agree with that, but the impression I've gotten is there are 2 different sects of the running community. There are the encouragers who would support you regardless of your time or distance and then there are the ultra-runners who don't consider anyone a runner unless they run on the road, or run a 5k in less than 20 minutes or run a marathon or whatever.

I was just curious what other people thought of it, but I do totally agree with your take on it!

What you describe sounds like stuff coming from the Runner's World forum. I think you'll find people much more encouraging here.

 

[John VN]

Very good question? Point of view, exactly.

The purist in me agrees with the belief that a person becomes a "runner" when she/he can maintain an 8mm pace comfortably for miles. I have read this in numerous publications. A person who "runs" would be anybody fulfilling the requirement of having both feet off the ground in their stride.

I am a walker who happens to walk quickly. My fastest mile to date is 8:36, my fastest training 13.12 miles is 2:06:16 as per my Garmin 305 and my fastest marathon is this year's Mickey which was also my first marathon and completed my Dopey Weekend. The Mickey time was 4:56:26 again walking.

I really do not look down on others, heck, I am a walker who would love to run. I just feel there is a level of accomplishment, rungs of the ladder, that needs to be achieved. Because I used to race bicycles does not make me a "racer". Because I have completed 201 miles of bicycle riding in 11.5 hours of pedaling in one day does not make me a bicycle tourer.

Just my point of view.

 

[dragitoff]

What you describe sounds like stuff coming from the Runner's World forum. I think you'll find people much more encouraging here.

Strangely enough, the least supportive comment I've gotten from anyone came from the DIS boards. Not necessarily the W.I.S.H. side, but the other side (hadn't found this yet). At the time, I was running 5 miles per day, 3 times per week (all on a treadmill). I had asked the question how many miles do most people log a day at WDW because I've never tracked it even though I've been so many times. If I didn't run while I was on vacation, I'd miss 2 days of running, but I figured I'd get the exercise at the parks and would be ok. We navigate the parks at a pretty quick pace and I wanted to be fresh since we're all-day each day when we're there.

One poster responded, if you were an athlete, you wouldn't consider walking around a theme park substitution for exercise. I run in such and such marathons....blah blah blah......

I know that represents a very, very small minority of posters here or anywhere for that matter, but it did make me think about whether I could truly call myself a runner or not. I never called myself an athlete so I'm not sure where that came from, but none-the-less, that's kind of the root of my question.

I was preparing a message for my youth group and part of the preparation made me remember that comment, so that's why I posed the question to the board. I was honestly curious.

 

[FireDancer]

When you feel like a runner you are a runner.

I look at it more like a lifestyle than an activity. The image I get is someone who has a bunch of race shirts in the closet, does local weekend races throughout the year, brings their running stuff on trips (vacation or work), and stuff like that. The running mentality also manages to creep into other aspects of life and you generally become a more goal-oriented person.

That is the mental picture I get at least. It is kind of like the difference between someone who runs and a "runner". Really though, as long as you get out there and do your best you are a runner (or walker or jogger).

 

[pensgirl10]

I really do not look down on others, heck, I am a walker who would love to run. I just feel there is a level of accomplishment, rungs of the ladder, that needs to be achieved. Because I used to race bicycles does not make me a "racer". Because I have completed 201 miles of bicycle riding in 11.5 hours of pedaling in one day does not make me a bicycle tourer.

Just my point of view.

I get what you're saying. On the other hand, let's take a look at my daughter's cross country meet two days ago. Our team's best runner finished so far ahead of the other girls that we were standing around waiting quite awhile before the second and third place finishers even came into view. Coach told our team to take it a little easy because there is a big meet on Thursday so this wasn't a huge effort for her. The girl who came in last was also from our team and she crossed the line long after everyone else. More than five minutes. She was pouring sweat and I have no doubt she had done the very best she could. After four years on the team it's safe to assume that she isn't going to get any better. She put MORE effort into it than the winner yet by your definition she isn't a runner at all.

I also don't like that putting a number on it doesn't take sex and age into consideration. A woman at 8/m is putting in more effort than a man at the same pace in many cases. What about someone who is able to keep that pace at 40 but not 60? Has he turned from runner into jogger like the coach turning into a pumpkin at midnight?

 

[katepass72]

I think if you run on a regular basis, then you are a runner. If you walk on a regular basis, you're a walker. By saying you're a runner, you're not saying you are a competitive, medal-winning, race-winning runner - you're just saying you run on a regular basis. I'd say if you feel like a runner, you probably are a runner - and if someone else doesn't think you are, who cares?

 

[rubato]

It is soooo subjective. It's all about perspective. One person's running is an 8 mm, while another person's is a 16 mm. I truly believe that as long as you are moving faster than your own personal walk speed, you are running. But, what makes someone a runner? Probably their outlook, goals, and motivation.

I used to run 3 miles a day 4 or 5 times a week, but I wasn't a runner. It wasn't until the 40th bday was looming and I decided that I needed a race to mark that achievement that I became a runner. Having never run a race, and going for a half was a big jump. But, it wasn't even the miles, it was the attitude. I went from doing something for fitness, to doing something for enjoyment.

As far as people's views of you, don't worry about it. You are a runner. I am a runner. I am faster than a lot of people here, and slower than some. I am MUCH slower than those competitive racers. But, we're all runners. We all get the same medal after the race, and we all put the miles in. After Goofy this year, I walked around with my Goofy medal and was so proud of all the medals I saw, whether they were Goofy, Mickey or Donald. I am prouder of my 11 year old's 10k accomplishment than I am of my own 39.3 miles.

 

[katepass72]

It is soooo subjective. It's all about perspective. One person's running is an 8 mm, while another person's is a 16 mm. I truly believe that as long as you are moving faster than your own personal walk speed, you are running. But, what makes someone a runner? Probably their outlook, goals, and motivation.

I used to run 3 miles a day 4 or 5 times a week, but I wasn't a runner. It wasn't until the 40th bday was looming and I decided that I needed a race to mark that achievement that I became a runner. Having never run a race, and going for a half was a big jump. But, it wasn't even the miles, it was the attitude. I went from doing something for fitness, to doing something for enjoyment.

As far as people's views of you, don't worry about it. You are a runner. I am a runner. I am faster than a lot of people here, and slower than some. I am MUCH slower than those competitive racers. But, we're all runners. We all get the same medal after the race, and we all put the miles in. After Goofy this year, I walked around with my Goofy medal and was so proud of all the medals I saw, whether they were Goofy, Mickey or Donald. I am prouder of my 11 year old's 10k accomplishment than I am of my own 39.3 miles.

Well said

 

[AmyBeth68]

Wow I really have enjoyed reading everyones thoughts on this subject. I have had this internal struggle with calling myself a runner due to my slow pace. At the same time I think those of us who commit to train for and complete an event are most certainly endurance athletes...some of whom are walkers others are joggers and still others are runners. Does that mean the runner is superior? Heck no! My body wont go fast no matter how hard I train. Some people cannot run due to injury. In some ways I think the people who are out on the course struggling longer to be a finisher are the real winners of the race because it took so much courage to fight these stereotypes and their bodies to get through the race. As frank said...being a "runner" is more of mindset. You are most certainly a runner. And we are all endurance athletes here!

 

[John VN]

......I also don't like that putting a number on it doesn't take sex and age into consideration. A woman at 8/m is putting in more effort than a man at the same pace in many cases. What about someone who is able to keep that pace at 40 but not 60? Has he turned from runner into jogger like the coach turning into a pumpkin at midnight?

Unlike others, I do not mind putting a number/motion/restriction on myself. Have always done it. Just the way I am. As for others, what they are comfortable with is all that matters.

I happen to be 61. If I could not keep the 8mm or better pace running I would have no problem calling myself a jogger. Again, just the way I am.

I will never run unless I have surgery on both knees and that will not happen.