How to Avoid Becoming a Running Snob

Running is freedom.

It does happen. After taking on some tough challenges, seeing your waistline deflate down to a healthier size, and enjoying the benefits that come with greater self-discipline and a healthier lifestyle, it’s possible to develop an “ego” about your running. After all, with the hard work you’ve put in, some people really are lazy compared to you, aren’t they? They might act lazier, but that doesn’t mean it’s time for you to become a running snob. Here’s how to avoid it.

Encourage beginners, don’t knock them down.

If you’re driving down the road and you see someone who is clearly starting running – a little overweight, perhaps, and clearly struggling their way forward – now’s not the time to think “Ha! Rookie” to yourself. Instead, give them some mental “props.” After all, when you first started out, you might have been even worse off than them. A true runner’s mindset celebrates running wherever it sees it; it doesn’t judge the quality of a runner by how he looks. If you plan on running for the love of running, you should love seeing other people run, too.

If someone talks about taking up running, don’t be quick to give them unsolicited advice. You may think it helps them, but ask yourself if you’re really giving advice to help them or to feel good about your own achievements.

Don’t cast the first stone.

The more you think about it, you probably realize that you can’t judge any one particular runner for being slower or greener than you: not every runner has a perfect run, after all. If you’re going to be more humble about your running, you’ll want to occasionally remind yourself about the less-than-stellar runs you’ve had. Remember when you were sweating and aching simply to make it to the second mile? It’s a lot harder to judge someone else’s running when you stop and realize that you’re far from perfect.

Bite your tongue.

Whenever you want to talk about running, be careful that you don’t start prattling on about your running accomplishments. Sometimes, using the guise of “talking about our interests,” we are actually bragging.

Separate your achievements from your identity as a runner, and you can successfully avoid becoming a running snob. The problem comes when people too strongly use their running to determine their sense of self-worth. Realize that you are someone with innate self-worth who merely decides to run. Don’t become that “skinny snob.”

Photo Credits: mikebaird

Originally posted 2009-08-14 03:28:50.

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