What is a Runner?

What makes one a runner?  I ran cross-country and track in high school and college and have coached runners for 14 years, however until the past few years, I really did not consider myself a runner.  So what makes one a runner?  I guess it is different for everyone.  For me it means being able to brush myself off after a bad race that made me want to quit running all together, and then run 9 minutes faster the next significantly harder race a month later - enjoying every minute of it.

 It means getting excited at races where I get a jar of pasta sauce instead of a medal.  I mean really, the medal is going to end up in a shoe box with the others.  The pasta sauce is going to be fuel for the next race. 

 It means waking up on Monday and realizing that there is a 5 mile race on your favorite weekday running route on Saturday.  Texting your running buddies, and running the race without having to train for months. Then going out to brunch after.  

So what does it mean to be a runner?  It means that running is finally a fun social thing you do because you love it. Not because you are trying to lose weight (although that is a nice perk), not because it is your Fall sport, not because you're trying to bag that bucket list marathon (I do have bucket list races though).  Running because it is just what you do with your friends on a Saturday.