You Know You're a Runner When...

My last run was on Sunday and I did a (nearly) solid 3 miles. I think it was my best run yet, although I didn't keep track of my time. There was a quarter mile of walking in there towards the end (might have actually been an eighth of a mile, I'm not sure), but it was my mom who suggested we walk. It was probably because I was having a hard time breathing and I sounded like a dying horse, not because she actually needed to walk, but still. I didn't walk because I felt like I needed to. That's an improvement for sure.

Near the end of our run, my mom suddenly jetted ahead of me. I was confused because she hadn't said anything to me about sprinting at the end. I did my version of sprinting, which is significantly slower than her version of sprinting, in case we were being chased or something. We weren't. She told me she read that sprinting at the end of a run is a sign of being a real runner. That's news to me. I decided to do my own research and see what else would qualify me as a real runner. That is the goal, of course.

These are from various sites. I just picked a few of them.

You know you're a runner when...

You have more running clothes than regular clothes in your laundry pile.

Nope, my laundry pile doesn't fit this description. However, my laundry pile never accumulates into the pile it used to. I'm in my workout clothes every single day and it only takes a week to get through all of them (and, as a grungy college kid, I actually wear them all at least twice). I now do laundry every week.

You've lost a toenail and you tell people "it's not that bad."

I did lose a toenail. Most of it, anyway. And it was that bad. I was a big baby about it.

You have a drawer full of medals and other race souvenirs that you're not sure what to do with.

Riiiiight.

You go into Starbucks more often to use the bathroom than to actually buy coffee.

Check. Although, that was true before I tried this running thing.

You're not embarrassed to wear spandex.

I'm not! I'm really not! This is a new development.

You're always hungry.

Good to know I'm not the only one.

At least one of your web site usernames or email addresses has the word "run" or "runner" in it.

Well, I have an entire blog about my training. That counts for something I'm sure.

You know where your illiotibial band is located.

I do now. Thank you Wikipedia.

Your holiday wish list can be fulfilled at any running or sporting goods store.

That might be true this year! :)

You get excited when the new Runner's World comes in the mail.

I'm always excited to flip through it at Copps, and when I'm lucky I'll find an old tattered issue in the pile of donated magazines at work and I'll be able to take my time reading it. So, what the hell, I decided to subscribe right now. For $26, I just got a 1-year subscription for Runner's World AND a year of Bicycling magazine. Gotta love Amazon. It'll be nice to have them this winter when I'm feeling stressed about school and miserable because of the cold. It'll be an extra bit of motivation coming in the mail each month. I can't wait!

Your only recent photos of you alone are race photos.

Yep! True.

Whether a 5K runner or a marathon runner, you understand "the runner's high".

Yes I do! After a run, I feel like I can lift a car! I feel wonderful. Vibrant. Ready for another run. Kind of.

A nice walk doesn't feel much like exercise.

I used to think walking counted as exercise. And by walking, I mean sauntering at my own, slow-pokey pace. I thought running was too hard and way, way out of my reach being the chubby lady that I am. I was so wrong. It's only exercise if I can't comfortably carry a conversation while I'm doing it and there's sweat coming out of every single little pore.

On the weekends you sleep in until 6:00.

WHAT?! What is this correlation between running and waking up early? I don't understand exercise in the morning. If it weren't for my upcoming 5K that begins at 7am, I would claim that I will never ever take a morning run. I'm just not coordinated enough. That being said, I'm pretty nervous for this run.

Your non-running friends consider every race you run a "marathon".

I haven't talked much with my friends about running, but I was one of those people who didn't know the difference between a 5K and a marathon. I couldn't have cared less. Now I know all about it. Or at least I think I do.

You sprint at the end of a race.

I do now!