Tuesday, February 15, 2011

When is a runner a runner?

My sister started running recently and has worked up to 3 x 9 minutes of running and 2 minutes walking.  I am so proud of her!  And tagged her in a Facebook post this morning saying just that. 

She responded with the following:
Thank you so much! So when can I call myself a runner? I was thinking when I can run 30 minutes straight. Do you remember that when you started I told you I didn't ever think I would be a runner?? Who knew it could be so much fun.

My response:
It is fun!  I believe you can call yourself a runner now!  3 x 9/2 is a great accomplishment!  I think it finally hit home that I was running down at your place (Summer '08).  The day I went out and ran 20 minutes without stopping was a huge accomplishment.  When I saw that on the schedule, I really wondered if I could do it.  I felt like a super hero when I finished!


What do you think? 
When can my sister call herself a runner?

3 comments:

Raina said...

I think your sister is a runner NOW- Since Ryan Hall can run a mile in 3:55 and he is definitely a runner. =D Anything more than a mile makes you a runner. Unless you are Usain Bolt.

Keeley said...

Right now!!!
Actually, I think it's all in her head. If this is just a "Weeell, I'll do this right now...but then I'll stop" or "I'll run the half marathon but then I'm never running again" I'm not so sure one can call oneself a runner.
However if it's "This is what I will do for the rest of my life or until I can no longer run" or "This is what I will do for as long as I possibly can", then one is a runner no matter if one is doing 17m/m 3 miles a week or 6m/m 100 miles a week.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, who recently wrote this:
"My breakthrough was... The first time I broke an hour in a 10k. I had only started running again 5 months earlier. It was when I crossed the finish line in 59:01 that I felt like a runner!"