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Micah Ward · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 3:47 pm Post subject: What Is A Runner?

This question is posed in the latest Running Times. I was thinking it over on my 58 mile commute to work this morning and the one item I kept coming back to was racing.

It may all just be semantics but George Sheehan said that the difference between a jogger and a runner was filling out a race application. Is competition essential to being a runner?

Is the guy who runs 5 miles a day for health but never enters a race a runner or an exerciser? It is Ward's Worthless Opinion that racing is one of the most essential elements of being a runner.

Thoughts?
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Dan · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 4:11 pm Post subject:

You've got that commute measured out to the foot, eh? Smile

I'm not sure I see competition as being the differentiating factor between being a runner and a jogger. Intensity (not in a speed vs. distance sense) would be my preferred distinction. The best example I can give is one I was talking with Paul about a few weeks back. When you watch people lift weights, you can see an obvious difference between the people who are just moving the weight around and those who are really exherting themselves. One group is more a fitness/maintenance level, and the other is the serious strength-builders. I would look at joggers vs. runners the same way, regardless of regularity or entering races.

Dan
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jason · Water Boy Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

i would say that a runner is always try'in to improve their performance and a jogger is out thar to get in shape

i may not race much but i am always try'in to get faster

Conway · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:12 pm Post subject:

Pace ... There is a joggers pace ... A runners pace ... And a racers pace .... At least in my humble opinion ...
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Conway
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Dan · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:18 pm Post subject:

All valid offerings...

Another way of phrasing my "intensity" thought above might be effort, which probably ties in to what Jason suggested. It doesn't take a heck of a lot of effort to stay within a comfort zone, which is basically what jogging is. To improve -- no matter where you're starting from and trying to get to -- tends to take a lot more effort.

Dan
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jason · Water Boy Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

some people run slow and try to run longer every week or so

their goal is to run farther, maybe they want to run 90 miles in a week one day, they are trying to get better so i think they are also runners

and they will get faster as they run farther

Micah Ward · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:27 pm Post subject:

Another possibly definition:

"I am a runner because I can not NOT run."
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Dan · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:29 pm Post subject:

That's probably as accurate as any, but I'd rather not believe the only defining quality of a runner is compulsive-obsessive... Confused

Dan
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RangerG · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:35 am Post subject:

I think I graduated from jogging to running in two way's, one I started bringing a stopwatch and improving my time, and I started entering races.
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Dan · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:38 am Post subject:

That's funny ... I almost never run with a watch anymore, unless I'm timing intervals.

Dan
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Paul · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 2:48 pm Post subject:

I'll throw this one into the bucket of good reasons already presented. This one's indirectly from Ken Cooper, who says if you are running more than 3 miles a day 5 days a week (15 total) then you are doing it for reasons that aren't entirely fitness related anymore.

Then there's the Mike Logan (10ktruth.com) golfing analogy. He likes golf, but he doesn't consider himself a "Golfer" but a "person who golfs". If he shot par he would consider himself a golfer. The correlation for myself would be if I can't break 25 minutes for 5K, I will just be "a person who runs". If I can get significantly faster than that, I might become a "runner". Surprised

Paul

jason · Water Boy Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 10

i don't think that speed should be used to decide if someone is a runner or not,

breaking 25 minutes for a male is not that difficult, but if someone had improved over time from 30 minutes to 25 minutes then he is a runner and not a jogger

RangerG · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 9:41 am Post subject:

Micah Ward · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 4:50 am Post subject:

There were some very good answers to the question. I like them all and I think that being a runner is also a mind set. You are a runner when running is an essential and ingrained part of your life style. Pace and distance may not matter, it is more a matter of knowing that every week you are going to run. Maybe not every day but you will run. When you go on a vacation or business trip you pack your running shoes and clothes just the same as packing your toothbrush and razor. It is a combination of the activity and the attitude you have about the activity.
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baby t · Water Boy Joined: 30 May 2003 Posts: 37

I thinks to be a runner you have to have the mindset that running is run as well as beneficial. You still want to stay in shape by running. So if I run more, enjoy it, and am maintaing my physical shape I'm a runner. Right :question: Very Happy

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baby t

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