What Does a Runner Look Like?

Today’s 43 was a throw-back to my track career!!!  I did 43 200 meter sprint repeats (@ 6mph) with a 200 meter recovery jog (@ 9:13mph) between each.  Not gonna lie – this was hard but reminded me how much I loved track workouts!!!  

I started with an easy warm-up of 0.5 miles.   The 43 counting the recover jogs was 10.75 miles.  I did an easy 0.75 mile cool down to finish for a total of 12:00 miles in 92:50.  

My legs are tired but in the best way!!!

Screen shot 2013-08-05 at 8.57.54 PMWhat does a runner look like?

Have you ever tried to explain what you think a runner looks like?  Truthfully, there have been a couple of times that I have said something about a recent run to someone that I don’t know well and they kind of do the sly “once-over” thing like they are trying to decide if I’m really a runner.

Those little glances sort-of make me stop and think – do I look like a runner when I’m just walking through the grocery store (on the rare occasion when I have on “real” clothes)?

Runner?
Runner?

Can you look at a group of people and single one person out as a runner?

How many runners here?
How many runners here?

I think it is hard to look at a picture like the one above and pick out 1 or 2 as runners!  In the picture above we all have on jeans (which we would never wear to run!!!) so is there a give-away?  I don’t think there is!!

Do you have to look like the people below to be a runner?

Screen shot 2013-08-05 at 9.15.26 PM

Screen shot 2013-08-05 at 9.15.10 PM

I don’t think so!!  Very few people are ever going to fall into the elite runner category but we are still runners!!!

Screen shot 2013-08-05 at 9.21.01 PM

 Every single person in the picture above is a runner – because they are RUNNING!!!

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Even the little cuties above are runners!!!

So, what does a runner look like?  Anyone who laces up a pair of running shoes, puts on their favorite running attire and hits the pavement (or treadmill!) putting one foot in front of the other over and over again is a RUNNER!!!

all runners - different paces & different distances but all runner
all runners – different paces & different distances but all runner

I could list 100s of runners just from all the blogs I read!!  Some run marathons, some run 5Ks, some don’t race, some run with their kids, some run every day, some run once a week, some are super speedy, some run a mile at a time, some run hours at a time but all are RUNNERS!!!

Some of the runners I know are as young as 4 some are much older, some are male, some are female, some are short, some are tall – there is no set formula or description of a RUNNER!  

Screen shot 2013-08-05 at 9.09.24 PMThe quote above is NOT one I like – because what is a runner’s body?  I will never look like one of the Olympic runners but I’m still a RUNNER because I run!!!

sweaty after 43 x 200m
sweaty after 43 x 200m

If you run, you are a RUNNER!!  It doesn’t matter what you look like because all RUNNERS have a great gift in their body!!!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Running!!!

Kim