No, not that R word. While the running and other athletic communities are incredibly supportive, sometimes it’s hard to acknowledge that you’re one of them. Owning these titles is not easy, but once you accept these titles, you start acting like one and great things start happening. You’ll start to identify yourself as a runner and make more runner-like decisions, ironically, you become more of a runner.
Being a Runner
According to Dictionary.com a runner is “a person, animal, or thing that runs, especially as a racer.” That’s it, there’s no conditions about pace, distance, frequency, body type, diet, not even the shoes you wear, you don’t even have to be a person or animal. It’s hard to acknowledge that you’re a runner because once you start, you’ll likely feel like the least fit, because you’ll be surrounded by the fittest people. It’s estimated that approximately 15% of the United States runs. This means the day you start, the day you huff and puff running 20 seconds to that next light post, you’re already in the 85th percentile, that’s something to be proud of.
Being an Athlete
Dictionary.com refers to an athlete as “a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.” There is a bit more to unpack here, but I’m going to argue that if you’re running, you’re a participant in an exercise, requiring physical skill, you are an athlete. Like with being a runner, you may not feel like an athlete, you’re likely going to be on the lower end of the spectrum, especially when images of Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, Usain Bolt or Michael Jordan come to mind. When you join a club of these elites, it’s an honor to be there, even if you feel like you’re on the bottom, there are so many more people who don’t have the willpower to even show up to be there.
Being a Swimmer, Cyclist, Marathoner, Triathlete
How many people do you need to kill to be a murderer? Asking for a friend. I am only kidding, of course, but I am willing to bet your mind went to a place where if you commit one murder, you’re a murderer, however you might swim, bike, run or participate in any sport, multiple times a week and you’re still hesitant to identify as a swimmer, cyclist, runner, etc.
Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndome is very normal as you enter a new group. It takes time to really accept that you are part of group, with time, you’ll learn that many others in the group have had and still have many of the same struggles, even if everything on the outside looks fine. We all started somewhere different, we’re all going somewhere different and while our specific journey varies, our paths cross and even overlap often.
My Struggle
This is all easier said than done, I struggle to accept that I am all of the above. I ran a marathon a few weeks ago and spent 2 days with a “real runner” but failed to mention what we have in common. Depending on the group of people I’m with, I still struggle to accept that I am part of the runner, athlete and triathlete communities. Even running my marathon at Across the Years, people would ask what I’m running and I would say “only a marathon.” I did this until someone pointed out how ridiculous it is to say that, it makes sense when you’re surrounded by people running 100 kilometers, 100 miles, 200 miles or even more, but downplaying my accomplishments is not helping me. Like you, I need to do a better job of accepting my place as a runner, an athlete and a triathlete, even if I’m not as crazy as many, “normal people” think I am and I need to own it.
Summary
Referring to yourself as a runner or an athlete is not easy. You’re likely a beginner and surrounded by people who look like they have been running for years and might look like they have their stuff together. While there are people who grew up in active families that seem like natural born athletes, a large number of us did not, I started running in my 30’s and hear about people starting much later. Regardless of experience, we’ve all faced and continue to face many struggles. Acknowledging that you’re a runner and an athlete helps you do what runners and athletes do better.