Do you have to be a member of a running club to be a “real” runner?

[stillwaddler]

A colleague of mine recently did a marathon in a really good time, knocking a good 15 minutes off his pb. I printed out the results to show the rest of the office, a colleague on looking at the printout remarked , “ooh he did really well against all those real runners”, I questioned her as to what was a real runner, apparently it’s someone who belongs to a running club, I assured her that I knew quite a few serious “real” runners who have never been a member of a running club and have no intention of joining any such club. Similarly a new member of staff joined our department recently, before this person arrived my line manager informed me that this person was a “real” and “serious” runner and a member of our local athletics club, by implication that makes me a pretend one I suppose. Imagine my secret glee when I discovered this real runner is over ten years younger than me but has a marathon personal best over an hour slower:-) I think I’ll just carry on pretending to run.

I was planning a nine mile stint for the weekend, but it didn’t happen, family life just takes over sometimes...never mind, have just done a six miler this lunchtime, so my conscience is slightly clearer.