Survey Results

Last week I posted a survey asking if you felt like a runner, or a person who runs. If you keep at it long enough, running becomes part of your identity. It not only consumes your time but excites your imagination, hopes and dreams.

Becoming a runner sneaks up on you. In 2003 I naively signed up to run a marathon, having no clue what it was all about. Over the next few years I ran a few more marathons and then started to run 5Ks, 10Ks and half-marathons.

I joined a gym so I could use a treadmill in bad weather and also joined a running club. I’m pretty sure that anyone who knows me thinks of me as a runner. I really can’t go more than a few days without running before I get a little cranky. A friend of mine says that being able to control your pace and not always running as fast as you can defines you as a runner. I don’t quite meet his definition of a runner but, yeah, I do feel like I’m a runner.

15 people responded to the survey and this time that number does not include me! Everyone did not respond to all of the questions and multiple answers were allowed. Percentages are based on the number of people responding and not the number of answers. So the math may be a little kludgy.

When did you first feel like a runner?

	Responses	%
The first time I put on a pair of running shoes	2	18.2
After I ran my first race	5	45.5
After I achieved my first goal	3	27.3
After I set a new PR	1	9.1
I still don’t feel like a runner	1	9.1
Total Responses	12

Four people left comments on when they first felt like a runner:

When running became a consistent part of my lifestyle and when I began to consciously adjust my pace for specific workouts.

I first felt like a runner, when in fourth grade I destroyed the rest of the class in a 600-yard run in gym class. Up until that point, I had felt like an athletic failure in every other conventional sport that is typically offered to children (baseball, basketball, football, etc.)

When I won my first medal

When I could not go more than 3 days without running.

How many miles do you run per week when you are not training for a race?

	Responses	%
Less than 10 miles	1	6.7
10 to 20 miles	4	26.7
20 to 30 miles	4	26.7
30 to 40 miles	4	26.7
Over 40 miles	2	13.3
Total Responses	15

10 out of 15 (66.6%) respondents run at least 20 miles per week and two runners maintain over 40 miles per week as their base mileage. I’m in the 20-30 miles per week range.

Do you incorporate a long run into your training when you are not training for a race?

	Responses	%
No	1	6.7
Yes, under 10 miles	5	33.3
Yes 10 to 15 miles	8	53.3
Yes, over 15 miles	1	6.7
Total Responses	15

Just about everyone (93.3%) incorporates some sort of long run into their base mileage program. This can be difficult to do on an ongoing bases because the process of preparing to run, running and then getting home and taking a shower etc can easily take several hours. I know this is an addiction, but congrats!

Do you run with a club, group or a friend?

	Responses	%
I run with my local running club	8	61.5
I have a group of friends or colleagues I run with	3	23.1
I have a friend or friends that I run with	3	23.1
I run with my spouse	0	0
I run with the dog	2	15.4
Total Responses	16

So no one runs with their spouse? I don’t either but I wish I could. Besides the bonding that runners experience on those long runs, running together could add years to both of your lives. I should have been clearer on the second answer. I meant to say “I have a group of friends or colleagues I run with at work.” I doubt anyone runs alone all of the time, but I should have given that option. Just in case. Since that wasn’t an option, I’d have to say this is a very social group!

Thanks to everyone who answered the survey, I hope it was fun. I hope everyone enjoys reading the results. As always, thank you for reading my blog.

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Survey Results Am I a Runner Yet?