Am I a runner?

If I told you "yes" would you believe me? The fact that you even ask the question or care about the answer means - like some weird zen koan - that you are, in fact a runner.

Speed has nothing to do with it. Gear has nothing to do with it. Desire is everything. For the record, you were a runner from before you laced your shoes for your first run.

To quote a long-time contributor to Cool Running "I guess I have always been a runner, it just took running to make me realize it"

The difference between a Runner and a Jogger? Steve Runner likes MLB's rule: "A runner is an offensive player who is advancing toward, or touching, or returning to any base." If you consider the finish line of your race or training run to be a "base"...

What do others think of me?

Many new runners (especially those in the beginning stages of weight loss) seem very preoccupied with this question. If you're wondering what non-runners think when they see you running, think back to the days before you started running - what did you think when you saw people running? Not much. If you even noticed them, you probably thought "I should be out there doing that." Well now you are, and now others are thinking the same when they see you. If you're wondering what other runners (sometimes erroneously referred to as "real runners" by newbies) think of you, the answer is one of the following:

• Good job
• Keep at it
• I was there once
• Welcome!
• I feel your pain