Why do I have to run Races to be a runner?

Anyone else de-motivated when thinking about races?

No

Now, why do people tell me that I haven't run a half marathon then? It doesn't count? Apparently 13.1 miles on my treadmill isn't a real half-marathon either according to my husband. Don't understand why I have to be in the cattle stampede to be a runner!

I dont know. Ask them. When I make a beer run does that count?

You're a runner.

That said, just because you've run 13 miles doesn't mean you've run a half marathon.

^^This.

Wikipedia: The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards),[1] that is usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

So by definition to run a marathon is to be in an event/race.

That said, just because you haven't run in one (or a half-marathon) does not mean you're not a runner. You run, therefore, you're a runner. By the way, mega props to all you runners that can go for that long of a distance!

You don't have to.

I run races purely for the hoodie.

Anyone else de-motivated when thinking about races?

No

Now, why do people tell me that I haven't run a half marathon then? It doesn't count? Apparently 13.1 miles on my treadmill isn't a real half-marathon either according to my husband. Don't understand why I have to be in the cattle stampede to be a runner!

I dont know. Ask them. When I make a beer run does that count?

Re being in a cattle stampede - not all races are like this. I did a half marathon in February that had less than 100 runners. There are tons of small races that offer a more relaxed race atmosphere.

I don't think anyone thinks you aren't a runner but I kinda agree with the points on whether or not your ran a "half marathon". As someone already pointed out, it's an event, not just a distance.

You know, one of my favorite things about the running community is this strong sense of acceptance. It doesn't matter if you run outdoors, up and down mountains, on the sidewalk, in the bike lane or on a treadmill. As long as you get up off the couch and lace up those shoes, you're a runner. Races can be fun, but they're not for everyone. I think anyone who thinks you're only a runner if you compete has, unfortunately, missed the WHOLE EFFING point of being a runner.

You know what 13.1 miles on a treadmill is? Mental training. If you can run that long in one place on a treadmill, you can run 13.1 anywhere else. It takes tough mental discipline to stare at the same environment for that long. So kudos to you.

I disagree with comments that say you can't be called a "X-distance runner" without having competed in a race. A half marathon is simply a distance - 13.1 miles. Half the distance run by that famous Greek solider. A marathon is 26.2 miles. Does it matter where? Does it matter that you're the only one running it? NO.

I hate that people have tried to make running into this elitist, hierarchy. Pace, distance, "races" or non-races. It doesn't matter. What matters is you got up today and made a choice. And that's what makes you a Runner.

^^This. Oh, and this again!!

Steps to become a runner -

1. Run.
2. Congratulations, you're a runner.

You don't have to run races.

I keep seeing people refer to a marathon as a race. It is not. A marathon is a long distance run, IT IS NOT A RACE. Google it if you want to educate yourself on what a marathon traditionally is. Now, it is mostly thought of as a race, but is not really what it is. Also, the distance of the race is not really a marathon. In the Greek days, the distance was often much farther than 26.2 miles. That is a random number and not really a marathon, in the traditional sense, it was much longer before. They just settled on that number for race purposes.

I did google it. Guess what came up? Wikipedia. Guess what wikipedia says?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(disambiguation)

A marathon is a distance race of 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards) and, by extension, in general speech a lengthy, arduous or time-consuming undertaking.

Or perhaps this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards),[1] that is usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.
The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 500 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes. Smaller marathons, such as the Stanley Marathon, can have just dozens of participants,[2] while larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.

Or maybe this:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/marathon?s=t

mar·a·thon [mar-uh-thon, -thuhn]
noun
1.
a foot race over a course measuring 26 mi. 385 yards (42 km 195 meters).
2.
any long-distance race.
3.
any contest, event, or the like, of great, or greater than normal, length or duration or requiring exceptional endurance: a dance marathon; a sales marathon.

Hmmm. Maybe I'll try to specifically ask google "what is a marathon". Guess what comes up?

mar·a·thon
ˈmarəˌTHän/Submit
noun
1.
a long-distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 km).

Ok, I'll try one more link to see what it says:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-marathon.htm

A marathon is an endurance foot race which covers 26 miles, 385 yards (42.2 kilometers). It is named after the Greek Battle of Marathon, which occurred in 490 BCE. In addition to being an Olympic event for both men and women, marathons are run all over the world on a variety of terrain types by athletes at various skill levels. To perform well in a marathon, an athlete undergoes a vigorous period of training to develop stamina and learn his or her physical limitations.

Well damn, I guess even as you tell us to google it, all signs point to yes, a marathon is a race/event.

Honey, please! If you run you're a runner. Period. Don't worry about what others say. Run on sister!

If you run you are a runner, but consider doing a race. There is a reason people pay money for them. The experience is so different than running alone. They don't have to be expensive. I can find small half marathons around me in the summer for 30-40$. If you run the big ones, it will cost you.

Plus, guh running a half on a treadmill? I was forced to run 12 on a treadmill this weekend. Never again, if I can help it.

OP is this about being a runner or that you can't claim completion of a half marathon?

You don't have to. I stopped racing years ago due to injury and I am certainly still a runner. I've run hundreds of races over a 20 years period, often up to 15 a year. Nowadays people only think of half marathons or full, but running 5k, 8k, 10k are incredible challenges that I really miss.

But I will say that races are an important part of the experience so I would not sell them short. You run faster in races, you test yourself and find out what your limits are and there is a shared experience being out there that cannot be replicated simply running training efforts. The idea of running is to get better and faster and the best way to prove that is to put a # on.

But if you don't want to, it doesn't mean you aren't a runner. It is just part of the experience and quite frankly one of the most enriching and satisfying.

By definition a marathon is a race not just a distance. But either way you are still a runner.

Yes. This. I have been a runner for about three years. But I have never run a race. It intimidates me. Maybe I will someday. . . .

I agree you don't have to run races but your description of races is a little overly dramatic. After I finished the C25K I ran my one and only 5k race. I showed up 10 minutes before it started, ran it, got my banana, and left. Obviously there's more time invested in a half marathon but you've already put in hours of training so you'd think one more day wouldn't be THAT big of a deal.

There's nothing that says you're not a runner if you don't run races.

As far as the 13.1 miles: If you run that on your own then you can say you ran a half marathon DISTANCE. However I don't believe in saying you ran an actual half marathon unless you have run the race because that's what the definition of a half marathon is:

Web definitions:

A half marathon is a road running event of 21,097.5 meters, or miles, about 13.1 miles

You don't have to do races to be a "runner". If you run, you're a runner. And if you ran 13.1 miles, you've run a half marathon. That's the definition, and it really doesn't matter if it's "official" or not. The beauty of running

Now, if you've never run a race, then you're simply not a "racer". You're a runner who doesn't race.

Which really isn't a bad thing. I don't know why people put so much stock in running races for defining who is or is not a runner.. I mostly do races with friends because it's just a fun way to celebrate big life things for me. I've also discovered the fun awesomeness of relay races, which makes running more of a teamwork thing. Definitely a lot more fun than dealing with traditional races.

You've run the distance of a half marathon, but you haven't run a half marathon. And I don't think anybody here is saying to be a runner you must run races.

I'm really confused as to why there is a distinction with that. It's not like a marathon is defined as being in a certain place, time, and having to be run by a certain amount of people or anything else. It's simply 26.2 miles, and you can put that distance in any time or place you want. To have run one, you simply have to run the distance. The only difference with doing it in a race setting is you do it with other people around, pay money, and have someone else measure the miles for you.

Fundamentally, "running the distance of a half marathon" and "running a half-marathon" are not different at all. Because if you change the time, setting, people, price, and everything else, you're left with the one constant: The distance.