Outsiders often look at some one taking a nice jog down the boardwalk and think to themselves, "There's another runner." In their minds, they are completely right, and to the general public they are right as well. But in reality, they are very wrong. Society all too often groups people into large, generalized groups, when those people should really be condensed even more into smaller, more specific groups. You may be asking, "What does this have to do with running?" Well, it's simple. Everyone who runs is not a runner. In fact, there are 3 distinct sub-groups within the running community. While there is no wrong group, or lesser group, each has their own goals, ideas, and mindsets.
The first of these groups is the easiest, but largest of the 3 groups. This group has no true name, but I myself have named them, "Those Who Run." What does that mean? I'll explain. When someone in this category decides to run, there is usually a non-running related motive behind it. In most cases, it is weight lose or to get healthy. This person typically views running as a chore, something they have to do. They wake up and the idea of running is followed with dread, fear, and often times, procrastination. The phrase, "I'll do it later" is all too common. And occasionally, "life catches up" with them, and the run gets missed. Many of these people don't stay runners for long due to lack of motivation. This group often gets sucked into bad marketing schemes from running companies to sell us overly priced, and worthless "elite" running products.... You probably know MANY people who fall into this category.
The next group of people are very similar to the previous group, but with a few small, but important difference. This group gets the privilege of being called simply, "runners." Runners often have non-running related motives behind why they run, but this category is the first to also encompass competitive runners as well as the casual ones. This group often dreads and fears the run, but the biggest difference here is that no matter how much they don't want to do it and will complain about it, they will make themselves do it when they said they will. When life gets in the way, they will find a way to fit in their run and get it over with. These people fall into those bad marketing schemes as well. This group is equally as large as the first since it has a broader range of members, and you probably know a few people who fall into this category as well.
Then, there is the third and final group. Chances are, you don't know anyone who falls in this group, or if you do, you only know a small number of them. The only ones who know a large amount of these people, are the people in this group. This group forms a tight-knit community and family. These people are "purist runners." What is a purist runner you ask? "Purist runners" run for one main reason, the pure enjoyment of running. Purist runners run to better themselves, better running, and eventually, better the world. These people may have started with non-running related goals, and been in a previous category, but at one point in their lives, they fell in love with running itself. This group includes competitive runners AND non-competitive runners. These people eat, sleep, and breathe running. Literally. They eat and drink what they do to recover their body from the last run and fuel for the next. They sleep when and how much they do to recovery from and rest for runs. They breathe simply to get oxygen to their muscles to run. They can go out on a run without friends or music because the feeling of running is enough to occupy their minds. They don't showoff that they are a runner, because they don't need to. You can look at them and know they run. They avoid these crazy marketing schemes by companies to sell you overly prices and worthless running products (the barefoot movement is an excellent example). Running is in their blood.
I myself am a purist runner and I know many others like this. I also know many people from the other 2 categories. There is nothing wrong with either group, and we can all get along fine. We all run, but we are different and that makes the running community special. So many different people can share one common thing, running.
