So You Think You’re A Runner? Think Again.
So You Think You’re A Runner? Think Again.

Have you ever asked yourself if you are a “real” runner? Have you ever questioned if you are fast enough, train hard enough, and/or run enough races the be called a runner? Or, on the flip side, maybe your life revolves around running and “runner” is a huge part of your identity as a person.

Neither of these mindsets are healthy or helpful in achieving your goals. Why? because defining yourself by what you do instead of how you do things means that your self-worth can change fairly easily, and it’s not based on intrinsic values. I’ll provide a personal example.

It took me over seven years to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and those years were overshadowed by frustration and disappointment. The reason why I was so distressed over my failure to qualify for Boston was because I defined myself by my accomplishments. If I wasn’t accomplishing things, what was I worth? It didn’t matter how hard I trained. It didn’t matter if I pushed really hard during a race. I saw myself as “a runner” and if I couldn’t run as fast as I thought I should, then I would be devastated. If I got injured, then I really felt like my life lacked purpose, and I wasn’t able to cope.

I learned to change my mindset when I realized that I don’t judge my friends by their accomplishments. I value them for more personal qualities like trustworthiness, dependability, and the ability to empathize. So why couldn’t I value myself for those same things? And shouldn’t my running simply be a manifestation of these qualities?

I am not a runner. I am a person who runs.

Elizabeth Clor Running 1

As a person, I am passionate, dedicated, hard-working, analytical, focused, and resilient. I value myself for these qualities, which manifest themselves in everything I do: my career, my relationships, and my running. When I race, I give 100% effort and I don’t quit. When I train, I am consistent and I excel in following plans. I’m purposeful about my race plans. I pay attention to nutrition and hydration.

Many people define themselves by their jobs, their role as a parent, or their accomplishments. Why? Because these are tangible attributes and therefore they are easy to cling to. It’s the less tangible attributes, however, that truly define a person. Not “what” but “how.”  When you define yourself by your values instead of your achievements, your sense of self-worth remains constant and is not susceptible to being knocked down by external factors or other people’s perceptions.

Self-esteem and self-love are two different concepts that often get confused. I’ve always had high self-esteem because I’ve accomplished a lot in life. I did not have self love, however, because I didn’t value myself based on how I accomplished these things. I now recognize and value the perseverance, passion, emotional strength, and patience it took for me to qualify for Boston. In other areas of my life, like my relationships, I value myself for my genuineness, honesty, creativity, and reliability. I even learned that I have a decent sense of humor.

So the next time you start to think about yourself as a runner, or even wonder if you are deserving of that label, take a step back. Remember that what defines you is not your running, but the aspects of yourself that you put into your running.

 
 
Learn to push through pain. Cause it 

will hurt, and hurt, and hurt, and then

one day... BOOM !!! Stress fracture. 

Then you rest
5:00AM 

The hour when legends are either 

waking up or going to sleep
BOSS: "Hey, can you hop on Zoom 

real quick?" 



ME:

New Featured eBibs

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