“So, why do you run?” It is the most tedious question asked of distance runners—one that often leads to gaping mouths, stuttered syllables and the repeating of “umm” that never actually accumulate in a feasible answer. How does one explain to a mortal (a term that some runners use to refer to non-runners) the unearthly joy felt in collapsing over the finish line, mud-splattered and blinded by sweat, only to have your body purge itself of that energy bar you know you shouldn’t have eaten? It is a hard concept to grasp, and one that a distance runner rarely dwells on for too long a time, lest he will begin to doubt the state of his mental health. The truth is a distance runner is not just another athlete; we consider ourselves an entirely different race (no pun intended)—a sui-generis breed of human that craves self-punishment in its rawest form. Running is not just a sport; it’s a state of mind.

With being a distance runner comes an air of self-righteousness. We scoff at the front pages of Runner’s World magazine, whose headlines read “The Best Running Workouts for Losing Weight” and “Get Motivated to Run!” Our motivation transcends having an attractive figure and being able to eat whatever we desire—we are instead fueled by the knowledge that every day we accomplish something that most of the population is afraid to do: pushing our bodies and minds to the limit. We want to see just how close we can get to the edge without falling off. It is something that cannot be found between the glossy pages of a magazine.
Even towards our distant cousins we feel no empathy. Distance runners smile and shake their heads when sprinters or jumpers complain about their events and workouts, and we become flushed with indignation at being referred to as “joggers.” To call a runner a “jogger” is as fallacious as mistaking a sports car for a minivan. Yes, they may function in a similar way, but they have very different purposes.

 

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