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WHO IS A RUNNER?

Written by Optimus Prime

Thursday, 18 September 2008

Hello Runners!

And yes, I am calling ALL of you runners! Some of you may be thinking that you are not runners because you are walking the miles in your training OR you are walk/jogging. Some of you might be running in your training but still don’t consider yourself a runner because you’re not going as fast as the person whizzing by OR you are waiting till you cross that finish line to consider yourself a true runner.

Well, I want to emphasize to all of you that you ARE ALL RUNNERS! Whether you think that’s a good thing or a bad thing is a different story. I obviously think that it is a good thing to be a runner. But how do I come to the conclusion that you are all runners?

The question “What defines a runner?” ranks up there with philosophical questions like “What makes you human?” Or “What makes you….you?”

What defines a runner?

Ask any person that runs and he/she will give you a different answer to this question. And because it’s one of those questions that cannot be answered wrong (just poorly), none of the people that answer it is entirely wrong. Below are a few responses to this question from runners I’ve known over the years and below is my critique of their answer:

A runner is a runner because it’s what they do. And it’s what they do that defines them. My problem with this answer is that it eliminates people that walk AND it eliminates people that may have finished several marathons in their career but simply retired from it. From my perspective, if you were once a runner, you are always a runner.
I think a person is many things and when you are running you are a runner. When you go home, for example, you drop the job persona (the role you play in the office) and become a husband, a wife, a parent, etc. When you are out there running you are playing the role of a runner for that moment. My problem with this one is that it sounds like he/she is saying that you are only a runner when you run. That’s almost like saying a runner cannot be a wife or husband and vice versa. Yes, we all play different roles in our lives but I don’t believe running is one of them. Running is not a role. It’s what we do when we are tired of playing roles.

You’re a runner because it’s what you’ve experienced. It’s what you’ve done. I like this answer. But I believe it’s more than this. I believe it’s a little more complex than what you’ve experienced. For example, I once played football in high school. I was horrible, but I played. I experienced being a football player one year in high school. It’s been thirteen years since I’ve experienced playing football. Do I consider myself a football player? Uh……NO!

So, what is my answer to the question?
All the answers above, in some way, are correct. But part of the complexity of being runners boils down to choices. I believe we do what we do because of the choice we made to do that certain thing. We are the the choices we make and these choices influence the observation of others. Ultimately, it is our perception of self that defines who we are. The action of running is the result of a choice we made (get fit) and the choice is a result of the intention (run a marathon or half marathon), and the intention a result of perception. Did I just give you a headache?
Basically, I’m telling you that you are who you choose to be. You chose to be a runner when you decided to do this event. And my perception of you from that start has been that of a runner.
Let me know what you think? Send me an email with how you define a runner. Send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it I’ll post responses on the website.

RUNNER RESPONSE

I really like your definition. But perhaps it DID give me just a wee bit of a headache. I understand what you mean though.

I agree-- A person is a runner because of a choice they make to be a runner. It's kind of like being a "writer". I've loved the idea of being a writer since I was in the third grade. I've been sporadically writing poems, stories, articles etc. since that time, yet I've had a difficult time saying "I am a writer" because writers are people who are successfully published, like John Grisham and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Lately I've learned to squeeze out the statement "I am a writer" because I realize I AM a writer by choosing to see a value in writing, and choosing to spend some of my time writing, albeit sporadically. I choose to see the value in writing. I choose to write. I look at the world with a writer's perspective. So even though I may not be "successful" at writing, I AM a writer! The same is true of running.

I am a runner because I choose to place a value on running. Whether I am training for a marathon or simply choosing to get out and run around the track once in a while, I choose to place a value on that activity and I get out there and do it. Now lately, by training to run in the marathon, I've been going out regularly with a goal in mind, and trying to be successful at running-- that is another story entirely.

Thanks for all the hard work you do to motivate and train us runners!

Submitted by Laura Angelo. Laura is a WRSA participant and writer in San Antonio, TX

I have considered myself a "walker" for over 15 years but never
entertained the idea of marathon or 1/2 marathon as I never considered
myself a "runner". The individuals I have known over the years were
always "running" marathons not walking/jogging. It is refreshing to see
a definition that actually includes my form of running! It gives one
more incentive to stay in this form (walking). Now, I can feel more
confident when others are "whizzing by". I also encountered my first
"running" injury (stress fracture) which set me back 5 or 6 weeks behind
everyone else. It is encouraging to think maybe I will be able to
walk/jog the 1/2 marathon after all and will continue trying to build my
strength and confidence!! This article is a positive mental builder!
Thank you for your concept and, yes, I agree.

Submitted by Margie Bullock. Margie is a WRSA participant participating in the Half Marathon in San Antonio, TX

I am 65 years young, and have been running since 1982. My answer to your question would have been different in the different decades. I live in Birmingham and run with a group of over 20 people, all of whom have different speeds and goals and distances they can run. What we have in common is the encouragement and care we show for each other. One of our group, Jim, is about my age and has been saying for years that he would never be able to run a marathon. We encouraged him to try one, and I promised to be with him through training and the full marathon in San Antonio. I know Jim and I will be walking some of the time and jogging the rest. But I told Jim I want him to RUN across the finish line. He said, “You can count on that.” We are so excited about coming to San Antonio. We call our group the “Regular Runners” or “RR’s.” This is contrasted to someone from our group who begins to miss weekly runs who we begin to call an “Occasional Runner” or “OR’s.” Our hope is to keep everyone doing some level of running exercise. No one wants to be called an “OR.” We will have over 20 “runners” coming to San Antonio to do either the full or the half marathon. We always sing our RR song just prior to the start of every race. While everyone has his or her own pace (we have a Boston qualifier in our midst), everyone is a winner. We look forward to the social part of running about as much as the running itself. We share the joys of family births and share the sorrows of family deaths. So I would define our “runners” as people who regularly run, jog, or walk paces and distances that are challenging to the individual, who regularly get this form of exercise, and who encourage and care for each other.”

As a side note, my good friend from high school in South Carolina, Margie Bullock, lives in San Antonio and has responded to your question, also. Margie will be joining us RR’s for the after-race dinner in one of your nice restaurants. Who knows, we make Margie an honorary RR.

Submitted by David Henry a member of the Birmingham Track Club. David Henry will be participating in the San Antonio Rock'n'Roll Marathon.

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