When did you not feel like a beginning jogger anymore?

isitsororo
isitsororo Posts: 116
in Fitness and Exercise
Welp, the title pretty much covers it. When did you feel that you were no longer a beginner? A specific goal (xx minutes at xx speed), a certain amount of knowledge, when you felt that you couldn't wait to go on a run instead of dreading it, or what? I still consider myself a beginner, but am interested in how others felt that they transitioned out of that stage.

Replies

  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    About week 9 into my c25k training 2 years ago! I had been running for about 40 mins and decide to push it for another 10 and voila- Runners high! never looked back!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    I feel like a runner when I'm running a straight 3 miles - anything over that seems like a 'real run' to me. I think I will always feel like a newbie though.
  • ameliaannakin
    ameliaannakin Posts: 344 Member
    I think it was when I started getting to know people in the running community. Everyone's really friendly but until I started getting to know people and running with a group I always felt like a bit of a beginner!
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    January 1, 2013. I've been running for a couple years now and have run a half marathon and have two coming up. But I didn't feel like a real runner until this January. After my half in October of 2012 until jan 1st, I hadn't run more than 3 miles at a time. On jan 1st, I went out for a run, planning about 4 miles, at the turn around point I felt great and kept going. I made it home feeling great after 7 miles. It was then that I realized I had built up to a certain running level that, as long ad I'm feeling good I can go out for a longer run even if I haven't done it in awhile.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    I still feel like a beginner. I'm also still struggling to get stronger. Perhaps when the struggling stops or becomes less noticeable I'll feel like a runner? Time will tell. It's an interesting process.
  • ewtx1000
    ewtx1000 Posts: 24 Member
    bump
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
    I think the real tipping point for me came when I started trying to split my runs into one's where I would try push myself for a short distance, and then longer runs.

    After that, I started noticing that I could run pretty comfortably (actually, enjoyably) a slightly shorter distance at a slightly slower pace.

    so from October, when I struggled with a mix of run and walk through two miles, I now run 5 miles enjoyably, and about 12 comfortably (I'm running the marathon in two weeks - that will certainly NOT be comfortable - but at least I'll enjoy the first 5 miles :-))
  • WildcatMom82
    WildcatMom82 Posts: 564 Member
    I still feel like a beginner lol. I can do 3.5 mi straight now, but it's tough and I'm slow. Maybe when I can maintain a faster speed. I'm doing 5K training with the double stroller, maybe once I can jog 3 miles pushing two kids I'll feel real.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    The day I ran the Running of the Green (Denver) in about 35 minutes. The whole race felt good, I was still strong of stride coming into the finish. That was my first race that I didn't feel like I was going to die.

    Since then, running has been "easy". Not easy, but comparatively speaking, it's fun now instead of painful.
  • slrose
    slrose Posts: 164 Member
    when i had reached my goal time for 3 miles and was holding that time steady with slower improvments
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
    i felt like i was pretending or faking it until i ran my 1st half without stopping. then i decided i could class myself as a runner.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
    I was just thinking about this today when I was running! It's like it's no longer a chore for me, or exercise. I look forward to my runs! They clear my mind, help me sort out or tackle my day's stress, etc.

    I stopped feeling like a beginner when I could finally run a half hour straight without stopping. My mind no longer tells me to quit, it tells me to keep going.

    I never thought I would be a runner, let alone love it so much!!
  • michellelemorgan
    michellelemorgan Posts: 184 Member
    When I could run 5 miles without feeling like I would die.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    When I started running hills, and looking forward to it because of the way I felt afterward. I'd probably been running for 1-1/2 years by then.
  • Haikugurl
    Haikugurl Posts: 31 Member
    I don't think I'm quite there yet, but I think yesterday was a big turning point for me. I was running a bunch of laps around a park I often go to and I normally feel like a total slow-poke----but this time there were several groups of runners, much younger than I am and seemingly fairly avid runners---and while they were going faster than I was, I kept up pretty close + I did several more laps. Now I have no idea if this was their "slow" or "short" run day, but for once I didn't feel like a total newbee runner....I felt like I was one of them.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    When I ran my first ever 10 miler, shortly after finishing c25k.

    I knew then it was in my destiny to become a long distance runner.
  • hannah_ryann
    hannah_ryann Posts: 259 Member
    I've been running (jogging) for.. a couple months? I still feel like a total noob but I was really proud of myself the other day that I ran a 5k distance without stopping. I've signed up for my first 5k race in May and when I tell people about it, they seem really surprised/in awe about the fact that I'm running lol. Hopefully after I finish that first race I'll feel like a real runner!
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
    I just placed 7th out of 502 females with a time of 1hr 32mins and 55secs for the half. Ive won numerous 5ks with a PB of 20 mins 4 seconds. I still feel like a beginner...
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
    I think a lot of people never feel like they can qualify as a "Runner" I've had many people say "Ask Stacey, she is a runner" and the first thing I want to say is "I'm not really a runner per se" but the truth is I am. It's just hard to put myself in that catagory. I will always have a PR to break, a distance goal to make or an race to run before I think I will be that good.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    Truth?

    Whenever you decide to make the decision to put one foot in front of the other and decide to RUN is when you become a true runner.

    Distance, pace and experience have nothing to do with it.
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
    The more I run and talk to more experienced runners, the more I learn. I also give running tips as well... I think in general, once you believe you know it all, then you know not much. The more you open up yourself to knowledge, the more you realize that there is still room for improvement.
  • BetterMike
    BetterMike Posts: 131 Member
    It's my most common form of exercise. I don't work hard enough at it to improve enough and so I feel like I'm not really a runner. It all depends who you ask. To non-runners I am a runner, to runners I'm probably a good start :)

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