Another super important running question here…
I run. So I self identity as ‘runner.’ This bothers my husband and we have argued about it multiple times. I run slowly, I’m not competitive. It isn’t my job. I do run 5 days a week, have entered races, read running magazines
He plays soccer 4 times a week, volleyball twice, and basketball once. He plays on organized teams who enter tournaments together, he has played in (and won) championship games, been on local television, and wears a team uniform for some of these events. But he doesn’t self identify as ‘footballer’ or ‘volleyball player.’ He says, “I play basketball.” He doesn’t say, “I am a basketball player.”
We have this debate going on in our house about whether or not I am a runner and about why I don’t just say, “I run.”
What’s the deal?
I’m adamant that I’m a runner. He disagrees. (it is all in good fun, don’t take us too seriously, we certainly don’t)
Where did this come from? I’m curious about why people who run are more likely (and passionate) about claiming their sport whereas others who participate in sports for fun, leisure, and health, don’t.
Questions:
1. Are you a runner or do you run?
2. Why?
3. Do you play another sport?
4. How do you refer to yourself and that sport?
5. Where did this all come from?
I think you are a runner because you run. You can play basketball, volleyball or football but you don’t play running. You either do it or you don’t. You are a runner because you run – and not just to the store.
My two cents.
🙂
Very good point!
I think people who run tend to identify themselves as runners because of the dedication and consistency that it requires. Running is kinda like spinning a basketball on your finger – you have to keep investing regularly, otherwise you have to start all over again (i.e. – if you take 2 months off from running, you are starting from scratch). I love playing basketball – but I can play twice a year and get away with it more than running twice a year. Obviously, with the caveat that my skills experience no development playing so infrequently.
1. I’m a runner… but I also run (depending on the situation… kinda like “I’m from Snohomish, WA” vs. “I’m from Tokyo”, depending on what kind of conversation I want to have 🙂
2. why not? because it’s relaxing, exhilarating, a gift of praise to the Lord
3. triathlons, bball, soccer/football, horseshoes, …
4. i’m not a basketball player because I don’t play regularly or to reach any goal… but i sometimes call myself a triathlete because i participate in that sport with purpose and a degree of dedication
5. huh? 🙂
Great answers. :O)
Yup. Rhonda’s right. You run!
Sounds like your husband has the self-identification problem, not you. I only run (and I do train and compete and self-identify as a runner), but multiple family members play other sports on organized teams. My nephew is a baseball player and identifies as one. My niece is a basketball player and identifies as one. My brothers were basketball players for many years and identified as basketball players.
I’m totally going to use that against him next time this comes up. Hey man – you’re the one with the issue here.
Excellent point Simret – individual vs. team sports.
Love it. I can totally picture the debate. 🙂
Although I think it has more to do with the type of sport that running is. Individualistic sport vs. team sport. I’ve found cyclists, swimmers, surfers, and of course runners tend to own their sport more because often time, winning/losing or simply completing the competition is mainly dependent on the individual. Whereas in team sports, the individual is dependent on others to win/lose, thus (and this is pure speculation on my part) he may feel he can’t claim the sport wholly as his own.
I swim. I’m a swimmer. My wife knits. She’s a knitter. But if I play chess someone else must be involved I could never be a lone chess-er. You play with other people – so that is a team sport. But that doesn’t mean you can’t swim with others or run with others or knit with others.
I think I want to use that next time my husband plays chess – chess-er!
“Runner” is easier to say. “Soccerer”, “volleyballer”, “basketball”, even “footballer” are much harder. 🙂
This whole conversation reminds me of self-identifying as a writer–it feels so necessary early on, when you know you suck and nobody but your computer hard drive reads your work. You spend all this time doing something that you’re not great at, doesn’t help anyone except maybe yourself, and separates you from other people. You need a label to justify it, because writing becomes part of your identity.
Are you a runner or do you run?
No to both.
2. Why?
Hurts my knees. Don’t usually like the way it feels.
3. Do you play another sport?
I used to dance.
4. How do you refer to yourself and that sport?
I definitely thought of myself as a dancer, and grieved the loss of that identity when I stopped dancing regularly.
Which is weird, because dancing (esp swing dancing, which I did along with ballet) is something you do with other people.
5. Where did this all come from?
Maybe part of it is either individualism or how ‘out of the norm’ doing something is. Playing basketball with friends seems “normal”. Going off by yourself to run or to a club to dance a dance from the twenties with a bunch of sweaty white dudes seems weird. SO it’s got to be a calling to justify it 😉
I thought that as I wrote the post too – about the comparisons to being a writer or being a person who writes. Maybe some people are more likely to claim labels too? I am and my husband isn’t or something…
1. Are you a runner or do you run? Both.
2. Why? I consider myself a runner cause I’ve been running for more than 20 years. I love it and enjoy it. I think it’s the mindset of the individual. I want to be a runner, I consider myself a runner even though I’m not paid for it, and it’s not something I’m doing all the time. I can always just hop outside and run for a minimum of 30 minutes. I know of some people–my husband for example–he runs, but he doesn’t consider himself a runner cause he doesn’t like it. He also thinks he’s not good at it, but he “does run” to be healthy. I have a few friends with the same mindset. It’s something they do, but they don’t want the identity of calling themselves “runner.”
3. Do you play another sport? have in the past, but have not for a long while.
4. How do you refer to yourself and that sport? I would say “I play….” but I don’t do this.
5. Where did this all come from? hahaha! I have no idea!
[…] and I took place while we were running together. Interesting, since our last debate was about whether or not I am a runner… Anyway, I have been feeling stuck on a few writing projects and he thought I should just […]