I am a cross country and track distance runner and the things we experience no one but runners will understand. Being a runner is more than a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. There is an unsaid community that distance runners are apart of, it's kind of its own culture. So this article is dedicated to all you "crazy" distance runners. If you are a runner, you will relate to these 10 things.
1. We are adrenaline junkies.
We crave that post-race high. That feeling when you get a PR (personal record for nonrunners) and no one can bring you down. After you cross that finish line, you walk away feeling unstoppable. This kind of high is something so pure and indescribable you feel on top of the world. No one or nothing can replace this.
2. We push our bodies to the breaking point.
We push and push our bodies then coach yells "Dig deep!" You find this strength in your bones and your soul you never knew you had. At times, it feels as if your ripping your body apart.
3. Ohhh, the carbs.
This really is a positive to running....carb loading. We love our pasta parties with plates full of pasta and way too much bread.
4. We have a crazy amount of water bottles.
We get so many water bottles for gifts because no one knows what to get runners. However, we are the cheapest dates.
5. We have a high pain tolerance.
During a race, if something bends in your ankle or crackles in your knee, you do not stop. At all costs, you finish the race, I mean, unless there's a bone sticking out, but the coach would say walk it off. After running 3.1 miles up crazy hills and a rough terrain, our bodies have been sacrificed to the running gods. You ask yourself "how badly does this hurt?"
6. The sweat.
After long runs in the blistering heat, it looks like you just took a shower. Some people think it is gross but low-key, we judge who worked hardest by the sweat on their back.
7. If you're on a team you have truly seen each other at your worst.
After a race or a hard workout when you have "drained the tank," as a team you walk to your waters together breathing heavy. You scream on the sidelines at each other when you see him/her getting weak. You stand right next to your best friend as you puke your guts out.
8. The bus rides.
There is no way to describe the nerves on the way to a race or the laughs and memories made. There is no way to describe the silence after a long day of running. Point is, you're together and those moments you will never forget. This is something that you carry with you forever.
9. Sitting down after a long run.
Oh, the feeling of gaining feeling in your legs once you finally sit after 8 miles. Now, the getting up part is a different story.
10. We are damn proud to be runners.
I am a runner, it is my passion and my love. You get out of this sport what you put in. We have put our blood, sweat, and tears into this sport. We pride our selves in saying we have done the unimaginable and the unthinkable. However, at times we can be humble so we won't boost. On a daily basis, we do something someone else did not have the guts today. We are runners and there is nothing else we would rather be.
