When you’re new to running, it’s important to choose realistic goals.

Since I started running a year ago, I’ve actually inspired some other runners to start the Couch to 5k program, or resume running after years off, or run their first 10k.  It’s an amazing and wonderful feeling when your enthusiasm for something encourages someone else to try it, too, especially when they end up enjoying it.

It’s a little demoralizing for me, though, to look these runners up after their first few races and see how much faster they are than I am!  Or it was demoralizing, until I realized something.

Your running success can only be measured based on your own goals and how you’ve been working towards them.  I haven’t been doing speed workouts, I’ve been working on adding distance to my long run and being careful not to run too fast and get injured while I up my mileage.  So I can’t be upset if I’m not running faster, because I haven’t been putting in any effort to run faster.

Another goal I had when I started to run more regularly this spring was to really enjoy my runs by varying the scenery, taking it easy sometimes, and really relish my newfound ability to just head out and run for half an hour.

So if I’m going to think about whether or not I feel successful, I’d better ask myself if I’ve been meeting the goals of running longer and of enjoying my running, not whether I’m being schooled pace-wise by people who started running more recently than I did.

Realizing that really helped me feel better about all the running I’ve been doing, and at the same time, acknowledging my envy that other people are faster made me realize that I would enjoy doing some intervals and pushing harder on some runs to see my pace improve.  So I’ve started to do that, not so I can compete with other runners, but because their times helped me realize that running faster is something I’d enjoy doing for myself.

People are always saying that in running, you are your own competition.  This is very true, but I’m finding that in addition to that, you have to decide what type of competition you are creating for yourself.  As I reflect back, I realize that I’ve had different goals for my running at various points in the past year.

• To complete the C25k program and run my first 5k without stopping
• To not give up on running after finishing my first 5k!
• To go out there and just run and enjoy myself and being outside without worrying about goals
• To run a 5k in under 30 minutes
• To run future races without looking like a nauseous, chinless zombie because I pushed too hard
• To start running regularly 10 miles a week
• To work on distance and get up to running a 10k
• To train for a half marathon next September!
• To work on getting faster as well as running further so I don’t take forever to run that half marathon

Good luck to you as you think about what makes you happy as a runner, what you’d feel good about accomplishing, and what you’d enjoy the process of working towards.  Sometimes slowing down and enjoying the run is a great goal.  Figure out what makes you happy and go for it – from what I hear, that’s how lifelong runners are made!

Well, I’m a runner, but I’m not a REAL runner.  I mean, I’m not really fast.  I’ll never win a race or anything.  Sure, I get out there and run, and it’s hard, but I do it anyway, and I really like it, except when I hate it, but I’m not a REAL runner.  I guess I’m not even really running, anyway.  I’m just jogging.  

No.  Stop these thoughts.  Do you run?  Then you’re a real runner.  Even if you’re jogging, because that’s just what they called running in the eighties, and now it’s ok to say running even if you’re not sprinting the whole time (which you shouldn’t be).  I think it’s great to say “I’d feel like a more serious runner if I accomplished this goal” and go for it.  That’s wonderful.  But feeling like you’re not a runner, or that there’s a separate class of people who are “real” runners and you’ll probably never get there undermines the accomplishments you’ve made by getting out there and running.

What does fake running even LOOK like?  Walking?  If you only walk, then you’re a walker.  But if you run, even if you’re taking walking breaks, I think you’re a runner.

I hear a lot of people who are new to running (and some who are experienced, fast, and dedicated runners) saying that they’re not “REAL” runners.  I heard someone who’s run a marathon say that they’re not a “REAL” runner.  I’m sorry, what?

I’ve got to disagree.  If you run, you’re a real runner.  Maybe not a professional runner, or an elite runner, but you’re a runner!  I wouldn’t even call myself an athlete, because I’m not competitive.  But I am a runner.  I get out there, multiple times a week, and I run.  Sometimes I push myself, and sometimes I slow down and just enjoy it, and there are a lot of people (A LOT of people) who are much faster than I am.  But that doesn’t mean I’m not a runner.

I am.  And if you run, you’re a real runner, too.  So go out there and run, you awesome runner, you.