What Type of Runner Are You?
What kind of runner are you? Do you focus more on outcome based running goals or are you more driven by process running goals?
If you’re unsure how to answer the question think back to your last race or event. Did you find yourself questioning your sanity as you realised that you like training for an event rather than the race day itself, which can be filled with pressure, stress, late start times, parking issues and a whole heap of expectations from others and of course yourself?
I’ve been reflecting on the answer I would have given when I first started running. I know I wouldn’t have understood the question, and I would have replied that I’m “just a runner”, probably combined with a shoulder shrug and a slightly bemused expression. But now, when I delve deeper into my younger psyche, I can recall being very driven by entering lots of races, in fact I used to travel quite a distance for some of them, so I must have enjoyed the goal of a race.
And on further reflection, a pivotal moment for younger me was when my dad offered me the incentive of a bottle of fizz if I completed a 10km in under an hour. I remember it vividly- Feet Beat 10km on Southsea Common circa 2002. I’m not sure of my time- I remember it nearly finished me off at the time- but you better believe it was sub 60 mins.
And I still love entering races, all these years later, even though I now see them more as a means to check my progress. Whilst they still give me much motivation, what’s different now is that the results themselves are less life or death than they were to me then. I am so much more aware now that so many things can go wrong on race day that are out of your control, and if you hang all your happiness on the outcome of the race it can lead to a huge disappointment.
If you’re not sure what type of runner you are, read on and hopefully you’ll identify yourself.
Outcome goal runners- Do you focus all your attention on achieving a specific outcome? Usually finishing a race within a certain time, or craving the kudos of external markers as a measure of success- a sub 30 min parkrun, sub 60 min 10km, sub-2-hour half marathon or a faster marathon time than a previous year etc.
Process goal runners- Do you place more emphasis on the steps, strategies and routines that are needed to achieve your gaol? Are you more focused on the journey itself, prioritising consistent training, proper nutrition, and injury prevention?
These are by no means fixed states, by the way. You might have started out as a process goal runner but without even realising it you’re now more driven by the outcome of a race. And this is understandable, especially if you’ve come to running later in life and you see improvement in your running that you never thought you’d see.
Whichever one you are right now, it can be useful to consider the value of the other side.
I’ve lost sight in the past of what’s been important to me and I’ve got caught up in just focusing on the outcome of a race- to the point that I’ve faked an injury, an illness, a family emergency and one time even bailing out of a race before it even started.
The pressure and high expectations that I’d piled onto my own shoulders paralysed me to even cross the start line because I was so afraid of failing to meet my set goal. I had to turn on my heels and walk away from it, mumbling an excuse about just starting my period and going and sitting in my car for 2 hours waiting for my friend to finish. That was a very long 2 hours and an uncomfortable journey home with my friend.
Thankfully I am far beyond this now, and I value these experiences as a running coach because I really can empathise when everything goes wrong. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I will say I have always learnt from them and I’m glad I get to use them to help my club members everyday.
Nowadays, when I feel my identity beginning to once again hang on too hard to results, I always go back to the beginning. I remind myself what my original goals were when I first started running. As a complete beginner, they were process goals- each week writing my session on the calendar, completing the week’s homework, getting into the habit of consistently running and of course enjoying the process of becoming a runner.
As a beginner the emphasis tends to be on the steps you need to take to achieve your first 5km; race time rarely comes into play as it’s usually just about finishing (without dying!).
No perfect formula
Whatever type of runner you are, there’s no right or wrong way to be because, I’m sorry to break it to you, there isn’t a perfect formula for the “flawless race” or even a “blueprint of a veritable runner”. It’s all about finding a dynamic interplay between an outcome that will keep you motivated and a process that will lead you to becoming a more holistic, skilful and happy runner.
To help you stay focused and not to “take flight” on the start line if you’ve tipped the balance to being too goal orientated, I always recommend writing a list of the steps it took you to get where you are right now. Did you…
· Run hard training sessions when you just didn’t feel it.
· Run consistently for the last 3/4 months.
· Run other, interesting, and enjoyable races as part of your training plan.
· Increase your weekly mileage safely.
· Run some long miles on my own.
· Run in the wind and the rain.
· Push through training runs when they felt uncomfortable.
· Carried on running when life was busy and stressful.
All the above emphasise your habits, actions, and strategies that you’ve put in place to get to your start line. You should be so proud of this. And irrespective of whether the stars align on race day, celebrate the outcome of your goal, then dust yourself off, and start the process all over again.