We've all heard someone saying it "I'm only doing the 10k" when there's a longer race involved. Or "it's just a 5k,” as if that distance isn’t worth racing. Only and Just - we toss those words around, not realized the impact they have on the athletes around us. Only and Just are as much four letter words as something I won’t print here. But why? Why are those words inappropriate to use when discussing races or workouts? There’s a few reasons.
They minimize the athlete and the distance - regardless if you are talking about yourself or something else. “I’m only doing the 10k” can easily be translated into “I’m not a bad-ass like you are,” when someone is talking a runner doing a longer race. Any distance is a meaningful distance, regardless of what else is going on. Someone else might be doing the 50k race that same day, but that’s their race - not yours. Are they looking down on you for doing the shorter distance? No. At least they shouldn’t be! The race you are doing is your primary race on that day. And there’s nothing only about the shorter races. A 5k run hard can be just as challenging as comfortably paced half marathon. That same half marathon all out can require as much recovery as a 50k. It all depends on the race and the athlete. Don’t minimize the race you have chosen to do by comparing to other runners. Even if it’s not the race you originally planned on doing, instead of saying “only doing xyz event” be proud of what you are doing. You trained hard for your race. Don’t take anything away from that, regardless of everything else around the event.
Just another four letter word when it comes to racing. “It’s just a training race,” or “I’m just doing the half marathon” are the most frequent phrases we hear. Both phrases diminish the race itself or the athletes doing the races. They also minimize the training required for the different events. Yes, we as runners frequently jump into other races instead of doing our long runs or speed workouts. But that doesn’t mean we should brag about that. Telling someone else that its just a training is like a slap in the face for all the work they have done for that event. It’s their A race, their big goal race for the year and you are just training through. Imagine how that feels. So if something is truly a training race, or a supported long run - be respectful of the other runners. You don’t have to toss that Just around as easily as you crank out the miles. The Just when it comes to distances works the same. You are telling everyone around you that the race they are doing isn’t a big deal to you because it’s Just a short little race. How would that make you feel? You’ve trained super hard for a big race and someone else comes around and knocks you down without realizing it.
So what am I saying? Run your race and be proud of the distance you are racing. Don’t feel like you are anything less if you aren’t doing the longest distance the events offers. It’s your race and meaningful for you so enjoy every minute and every mile. On the flip side, if you are doing the longer race realize that the shorter distances are equally important. The runners in those races are working hard for their finish tines. Let them celebrate their finishes without degrading the accomplishments. It doesn't matter if a race really is “only” a short event for you or “just” a fun event. Be respectful of the other athletes around you. You don’t know what that person you are talking to had to overcome to stand on the starting line. Don’t knock them down before the race even starts. At the same time, if you are doing the shorter distance when you normally do a longer race, don’t diminish the race because it’s shorter. Go out and crush the 5k and develop a new respect for the shorter distances within events!
They minimize the athlete and the distance - regardless if you are talking about yourself or something else. “I’m only doing the 10k” can easily be translated into “I’m not a bad-ass like you are,” when someone is talking a runner doing a longer race. Any distance is a meaningful distance, regardless of what else is going on. Someone else might be doing the 50k race that same day, but that’s their race - not yours. Are they looking down on you for doing the shorter distance? No. At least they shouldn’t be! The race you are doing is your primary race on that day. And there’s nothing only about the shorter races. A 5k run hard can be just as challenging as comfortably paced half marathon. That same half marathon all out can require as much recovery as a 50k. It all depends on the race and the athlete. Don’t minimize the race you have chosen to do by comparing to other runners. Even if it’s not the race you originally planned on doing, instead of saying “only doing xyz event” be proud of what you are doing. You trained hard for your race. Don’t take anything away from that, regardless of everything else around the event.
Just another four letter word when it comes to racing. “It’s just a training race,” or “I’m just doing the half marathon” are the most frequent phrases we hear. Both phrases diminish the race itself or the athletes doing the races. They also minimize the training required for the different events. Yes, we as runners frequently jump into other races instead of doing our long runs or speed workouts. But that doesn’t mean we should brag about that. Telling someone else that its just a training is like a slap in the face for all the work they have done for that event. It’s their A race, their big goal race for the year and you are just training through. Imagine how that feels. So if something is truly a training race, or a supported long run - be respectful of the other runners. You don’t have to toss that Just around as easily as you crank out the miles. The Just when it comes to distances works the same. You are telling everyone around you that the race they are doing isn’t a big deal to you because it’s Just a short little race. How would that make you feel? You’ve trained super hard for a big race and someone else comes around and knocks you down without realizing it.
So what am I saying? Run your race and be proud of the distance you are racing. Don’t feel like you are anything less if you aren’t doing the longest distance the events offers. It’s your race and meaningful for you so enjoy every minute and every mile. On the flip side, if you are doing the longer race realize that the shorter distances are equally important. The runners in those races are working hard for their finish tines. Let them celebrate their finishes without degrading the accomplishments. It doesn't matter if a race really is “only” a short event for you or “just” a fun event. Be respectful of the other athletes around you. You don’t know what that person you are talking to had to overcome to stand on the starting line. Don’t knock them down before the race even starts. At the same time, if you are doing the shorter distance when you normally do a longer race, don’t diminish the race because it’s shorter. Go out and crush the 5k and develop a new respect for the shorter distances within events!
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