TIaRT - When Did You Become a Runner?

Today's Runner's Lounge topic is "When did you know you had become a runner? Was there a defining moment, or was it a gradual progression over time?"

I think I knew I'd become a runner somewhere in the middle of training for the marathon, when running started to become something that I did on a routine basis, something that I looked forward to, rather than just something I did because it happened to burn calories. The funny thing is, even after completing a half marathon and a marathon, and planning to run two half marathons two weeks apart in September, I feel like I am constantly having to re-define myself as a runner.

There are days where I just don't feel like much of a runner at all. And days where I don't feel like much of a runner have a tendency to turn into weeks where I don't feel like much of a runner. There have been a lot of those lately. Lots of bad runs, tiring runs, frustrating runs. Not many of the exhilarating runs that used to keep me going out the door early in the morning when I'd rather be in bed. On days and weeks like those, it seems like it takes a little extra effort to remind myself that yes, I am a runner, and that's why I'm still out there pounding the pavement even though it's not going fabulously for me right now.

In a couple of weeks I'll be headed out to Disneyland to run the Disneyland half marathon. I'm going to be lucky to join some fabulous women that I met while training for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. One more long run is in the cards before that race, and although I'm not super-excited about that long run right now, I'm excited that it's almost race time. Nothing reminds me that I'm a runner quite like lining up at the start line with thousands of other runners all working towards a common goal. And I'm not going to lie, I'm also pretty excited about my (soon to be a tradition) post-race cheesecake.

I'm not entirely sure how this race is going to go, but I think the fact that it's been a little mental struggle to get there will make finishing the race even more sweet. The days when it's the hardest to get out the door, and yet I end up having a fantastic run, are the absolute best because it reminds me of why I do this in the first place. If it was all easy, if there were no struggle, no pain, no challenge, no hard-fought gains, nothing given up, the ultimate reward would feel just a little more empty. So, here's hoping that in a couple of weeks I'll have the kind of race that reminds me of just why I became a runner.