so I'm not really a runner. seriously.

last week, when i was sitting waiting for Mike Allsop to start his presentation about his climbing/adventuring/running/piloting, i was talking to a guy sitting at my table.  he asked "are you are a runner?"  to which I immediately replied, without thinking, "no, of course not".

seriously.  I'm not a runner.  i'm not an athlete.  i'm not into sports. i'm not a fitness enthusiast.  i'm definitely not a jock.  never have been, never will be.

then he asked me a few more questions...

"well, do you run at all?" to which I said, yeah, maybe a little bit. like 5-6 times a week. but only 20-30 miles a week.
"have you run a marathon?" full or half I asked?  then i said, well, i've run both i guess.  yeah, actually i once ran 2 fulls in one month, two summers ago.  set my PR on the 2nd one.
"are you training right now?" kind of, yeah, a little bit.  I'm going to run the Berlin Marathon in September.  yeah, that's right, Berlin Germany.  No, I wasn't already going there, the trip is specifically for the marathon.
"do you go to the gym?"  not really. well, maybe a little, but definitely not more than 4 times a week, counting 1 day of yoga.  in fact, usually only 3 times a week right now.

at which the conversation kind of died down.  I still don't feel comfortable telling people i'm a runner.  i have no training.  I don't have a degree or a certificate.  or a license.  I'm not particularly good.  i'll never qualify for boston.  i'm not ELITE.  but i wonder what it takes to be a real runner.

I put my training ahead of most everything else.  I follow The Plan like its engraved stone.  i run in the shittiest weather imaginable.  i go to the gym at 5:30am when i want to sleep.  I run in the dark when the rest of the world is sleeping.  some days i run in an elevation mask to restrict my breathing.  i run when my legs hurt.  i lift when my shoulders ache.  i eat to perform.  i read autobiographies of ultra-marathoners.  i watch documentaries about strongman competitions.  i actually got a copy of Trailrunner magazine in the mail this week.  and i read it cover to cover.  i make my family work out with me.  i track my runs with a GPS watch and i post it on-line.  then i analyze the data.

I guess i 'm a little bit a runner.  only for a little while.  don't hold it against me.