When did you consider yourself a runner?

bobbijodmb

I covered 11 miles yesterday. Am I a runner? Well, I sure didn't feel like one yesterday.

I had an awful time. Nothing went right, Runkeeper kept force closing, my music was messing up, it was cold, I didn't take enough water and got dehydrated, I ate the wrong thing for breakfast and had to stop to heave a few times, and only made 11 of the 12.5 miles I was supposed to do. I'm four weeks out from a half marathon, and I could have really used a more positive experience. I'm slow. I'm still fat. I have to alternate walking and running to cover long distances. I suck at this.

But you know what? I'll go for my short run tomorrow. I'll lace up those shoes and head back out for 12 miles a few runs from now. I'll put on the layers and face the cold again. I won't let myself be defeated.

Yes, I am a runner. And the day I refused to quit is when I became one.

That just means that your next long run will be one of the best runs yet. I find that one or two totally horrible, barely tolerable runs are followed by those run forever and never get tired type of runs. Those are what I live for.

OP, the fact that you've started picking hotels and vacation destinations based on whether there's a running trail near it is proof, that like it or not, you are a runner. welcome to the club!

Thanks