"If you're not a runner, you're not an athlete."

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chelso0o
chelso0o Posts: 366 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I've had an active lifestyle for a few years now and it took me a very long time to feel like an athlete. I had this misconception that if I didn't run, I wasn't an athlete. So, I pushed myself to run 5ks, 10ks, a half marathon, participate in triathlons, etc. because I wanted to be "athletic". Only after I had a hip injury did I realize that I am still an athlete despite the fact that I can't run right now.

I think a lot of other people start out wanting to get healthy and lose weight, and take up running. Well, if you don't like running, then maybe try something else? I only write this because it really took me a very long time to still consider myself an athlete despite the fact that I've done several triathlons, bike races, rowing races, etc. If I wasn't running, I wasn't an athlete. WRONG.

Hopefully someone else who doesn't like running but has been forcing his or herself to run will read this, and realize that it is possible to not only achieve your goals, but to also be an athlete despite not being able to, or not like running. :-)

Replies

  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Agreed! Merriam-Webster says an athlete is "a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina". No running required!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Agreed 100%, I love running (and rowing, and biking etc etc) but there are a ton of other sports out there that require incredible athleticism.
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
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    There is a gentleman who rides a bike on one of the trails I go to. He has some sort of handicap and always wears a respirator mask. He has to lay almost flat and make the bike go but he flies around the runners and the "normal" bikers. He is always polite, though, saying excuse me, while the other (no all, but some) bikers can be rude sometimes. Every time I start coming up with excuses not to exercise I think of him.

    I know what you mean, though. I remember in high school hating gym class (I still cringe to think of it) and thinking I wasn't "good" at exercise because I basically suck at most sports. It can take awhile to change a mindset and it took awhile for me to love any kind of exercise besides walking.
  • ToBeThatGirlIDreamOf
    ToBeThatGirlIDreamOf Posts: 40 Member
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    That's a great state of mind! I felt like an athlete before I was a runner.
    If you're sweating and pushing yourself but having fun and loving every second, you're an athelete regardless!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    I agree OP. I always love those who say horseback riding is not athletic. My response is always "go jump a 4' fence".
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    There are lots of "sports" out there where people aren't that athletic even in the pro world. Many pro baseball players are unathletic. They can hit a ball well, throw well, but suck running and just staying in physical shape. So skilled, but as physical specimens vs some other sports..........meh.
    Same goes with amateur and pro bodybuilders. Big muscles and nice shape, but they don't "physically" compete in competition in any way. It's more a pageant than a real competition. So I refer to them as competitors whereas many in the bodybuilding community consider them "athletes". Which is ironic because the usual definition relates to "natural" ability, skill, etc. and there's nothing "natural" about most pro bodybuilding.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    I agree OP. I always love those who say horseback riding is not athletic. My response is always "go jump a 4' fence".
    I believe it depends. I don't consider horse jockey's to be that athletic. Some of them barely can walk with how light they try to make themselves be.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Yeah, I hate running.
  • jlshea
    jlshea Posts: 494 Member
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    Thank you for posting this. My husband and his friends kind of give me grief because I hate running and they follow the thought that you must run to get a great calorie burning workout.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    I thought if I made a goal of running 50 miles in a month and achieved it, then I would love running. Nope. Not true. Now I'll probably never run again. :laugh:
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    I used to have the same mentality because at the time the fittest person in my life was my boyfriend... who was a runner. To me, running defined whether or not I was in shape so I forced myself to do it and really didn't enjoy it.

    I run now, just much shorter distances than I thought were necessary to be "fit". I prefer to do other things for cardiovascular benefits, things that are effective but that I genuinely really enjoy.
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    i'm an 'athlete' because i'm a longboarder. :bigsmile: incidentally, i'm also a runner because i'm a longboarder... :grumble:
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    I agree OP. I always love those who say horseback riding is not athletic. My response is always "go jump a 4' fence".
    I believe it depends. I don't consider horse jockey's to be that athletic. Some of them barely can walk with how light they try to make themselves be.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I can't really disagree. I guess because I train for endurance riding (25, 50, 100 mile races on trails) and eventing (cross country, stadium jumping, dressage in 3 days) and I have to be athletic to stay on the horse I never thought about jockeys. When I am schooling my horse my heart rate is often around 160 and my legs and core are like jello when I hop off after a jumping lesson and even a flat lesson. My lifting program is designed for equestrians as well.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
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    Yeah, sorry. The only way you'd ever get me to run is if a grizzly was chasing me....and maybe not even then. I'd probably lay on the ground after about 5 steps and say "Just eat me and get it over with"

    I hate hate hate running, especially if it's just from point A to point B with no reason behind it.
    Now running when involved in stuff like basketball? I'm okay with it.

    I'd rather walk, lift weights, jump rope, row, ski, or rollerblade.
    Even in the best shape of my life, I never ran.
  • mediamogulsteve
    mediamogulsteve Posts: 115 Member
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    If NASCAR is a sport, then the drivers of those cars are "professional" athletes. Therefore, anyone with a car is an athlete. LOL.

    I despise running. But I do enjoy biking, walking, weight training and other sports.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Rock climbers are athletes. Gymnasts are athletes. This topic is odd.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I agree OP. I always love those who say horseback riding is not athletic. My response is always "go jump a 4' fence".
    I believe it depends. I don't consider horse jockey's to be that athletic. Some of them barely can walk with how light they try to make themselves be.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I can't really disagree. I guess because I train for endurance riding (25, 50, 100 mile races on trails) and eventing (cross country, stadium jumping, dressage in 3 days) and I have to be athletic to stay on the horse I never thought about jockeys. When I am schooling my horse my heart rate is often around 160 and my legs and core are like jello when I hop off after a jumping lesson and even a flat lesson. My lifting program is designed for equestrians as well.

    As grueling as endurance and XX can be- I'm still not sure I could consider them athlete's. there is no question it's work. But I still would say they are necessarily athelete's- the horse is the athlete. The rider is the coach.

    and before you go ape- all I did was compete in endurance as a child- brother was Junior National Mileage champion when he was 12- my dad was an alternate for the world team. My dad and I are athlete's we train like them- and we do other stuff- my bother- not an athlete- doesn't work out- great rider (god that kid could ride- shame he gave it up) but not an athlete.

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