The first time you felt like a proper Runner...

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deannafaye94
deannafaye94 Posts: 20 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Mine was yesterday. I was a bit sad and in a grumpy mood and all of a sudden it hit me that all i wanted to do was go for a run. So i put on my trainers and stepped out into the pouring rain at 10 at night and ran my first ever 5k with no walk breaks and a huge smile on my face the entire time. I have never felt so happy or powerful or strong
What was your defining moment when you realised you'd stopped faking and actually fallen in love with a sport?

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  • Spikethered
    Spikethered Posts: 108
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    I guess mine was when I managed to do a 5K as well without stopping or feeling out-of-breath , coupled with noticing I was going for a run most days and seeing the same other runners frequently .
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
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    Hmm, probably the first time I spent a large chunk of money (for me anyway) on a pair of nice shoes, made specifically for running. Oh, as well as realizing the first time I easily ran 4-5 miles and then comparing it to the first few times I tried running (where I was gasping for air, splitting sides - all after only 4-5 minutes :laugh:)
  • minihaak
    minihaak Posts: 43 Member
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    Mine was similar to yours. I had been cooped up all day because of the weather and then decided that cold weather (14 degrees Celsius) and raining was not going to stop me. It wasn't fast, but I felt like I could run for days and really got into the rhythm :) I felt like a running god!!
  • roverrowe
    roverrowe Posts: 52 Member
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    Mine was this last Tuesday (3 days ago), when I ran a 10k in under an hour (58:54) and felt great afterwards and the next day. I'd previously only run 10k once nearly 4 years ago and I wiped 7 minutes off my time from then. I wasn't out of breath afterwards, I talked to my running buddy all the way around, I had no knee pain ... everything was great. Now really thinking that I'm capable of a half marathon fairly soon.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    The day I ran 10km without stopping....although I was not stopping at all since about 3km runs.... but I knew i was a runner when I got home & looked at my GPS & saw how far I'd actually gone...I physically had to stop myself running further that day.
  • pjol79
    pjol79 Posts: 50 Member
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    Mine was the first time I was out on the road before the crack of dawn and the nod and smile I got from a passing runner. Maybe it was all in my head but there's a sense of fellowship with a total stranger from the shared experience. It still always puts a little extra pep in my step.
  • VeganHippo
    VeganHippo Posts: 26
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    Mine was yesterday when I ran for 15 minutes at 10mph on the treadmill :-/
  • missdaisy79
    missdaisy79 Posts: 566 Member
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    The first time I completed a 10k race, with a number, and got a time. Before that I just felt like I was floundering around.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    I suppose when I signed up for the half marathon I plan to do later this year. Although I can run 10 miles, running still comes 2nd to lifting for me.
  • BenChase
    BenChase Posts: 169
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    mine was pretty much what everyone else combined here has said so far, somewhere along the way i broke records and noticed myself starting to keep track for the purpose of breaking them even more, when it got hot outside and i noticed myself getting up at 5am just so i could go run, i started trying to get almost anyone to run with me, i think the MOST defining moment would be when i was talking to a co worker and found out he runs in his spare time, and talked about going for a run together and at the time i was thinking something along the lines of "this is awesome, i found someone i can run with regularly" i realized i was making plans to run!! :smile:

    ETA: fixed the word "enyone", i think i'm still sleeping, i don't even know how i typed something that wrong :laugh:
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I think it was when I first went to a running store and didn't feel stupid.
  • tinylittlelove
    tinylittlelove Posts: 120 Member
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    This one time a big scary dog was chasing me....I ran so fast I felt like Usain Bolt.
  • TheBeerRunner
    TheBeerRunner Posts: 2,777 Member
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    I started running because I was challenged to by my friends, who happen to be runners. They all run in the same 5 mile race every year. After a few years of spectating, I saw how great it was. I started training and I ended up running a race 4 months before the "big one" that they all run. I finished 5 minutes faster than I thought I would. That's the first time I felt like a "proper" runner. Though the first time I REALLY felt like a real runner was at the 2013 CrazyLegs Classic in Madison, WI. I ALMOST broke 10 minute miles, though that was about the point in my training where I REALLY started to be able to run faster. I can now run 9:00 minute miles, which for someone as "obese" as I am, is pretty awesome, IMO.
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
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    When I ran a 10K without realising it.
  • mattdsoares
    mattdsoares Posts: 13
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    Today actually! I just completed W5D3 of C25K. This was the first long nonstop run, 20 minutes, which at my snail-like 12min/mile 8min/km pace was just over 2.5km. Up until now I was loving starting to run, but with all the walking breaks I didn't really feel like a "runner". Now I know I can do it and will be doing a 5K race in August.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    There have been a few:

    First 5k
    First 5k under 22:00
    First 10k
    First 10k under 46:00 (I hope to be under 45:00 on July 4 for our local race)
    First half marathon (1:48)
  • Pinkranger626
    Pinkranger626 Posts: 460 Member
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    My first race: the Warrior Dash. I had felt anxious and was sure that I was going to fail miserably but when I finished and I actually had a pretty easy time of it I was hooked!
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
    PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
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    I still don't call myself a "runner", despite having done a bunch of 5Ks through half marathons. Though I do "feel" more like one now that I've been able to place in my age group in a couple of smaller races, and broke 22:00 in my last 5K last Saturday.

    I tend to just think of myself as someone who likes to run.

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