Please Stop Using "Just" and "Only"

I’m on a crusade to outlaw the words “only” and “just” from the vocabulary of every runner.

I hear it all the time, and the words just don’t work.

Go to a race expo sometime and ask 10 people if they’re running. I’d put money down that at least half will slump their shoulders and say something like, “I’m just doing the half.”

On almost every Saturday, I hear a fellow member of Runner’s Edge of the Rockies say something like, “I’m only going 14 miles today.” I’ve heard the same thing for 16 and 18 miles, too. For some reason, people stop using it when they hit the 20-mile plateau. Of course, that’s also when people will literally run an extra 10 feet because their Garmin watch says, “19.97 miles,” and they must eclipse 20.

My guess is that half the people reading this blog are runners, and they’re thinking, “Yep. That sounds about right.”

The other half only run when evil clowns are chasing them, and they’re thinking, “You’ve got to be (fill in the blank) kidding me. Do people actually think that?”

First things first. Nobody ever runs JUST a half marathon. According to Running USA, 1.85 million people crossed the finish line of American half marathons last year. That’s a lot of people. In fact, it’s a 284 percent increase since 2000. An impressive number.

However, there are 315.9 million people in the United States. That means if nobody ran more than one half marathon in 2012 (a ridiculous assumption because those that run one tend to run at least a few, but play along with me), only 0.59 percent of the population accomplished the feat last year.

As for ONLY going 14-18 miles on a training run, I think it’s a considerably less ridiculous assumption to say that people who run that far are probably training for a marathon or ultramarathon.

There were less than 500,000 marathon finishers in the U.S. last year, putting us at 0.15 percent of the American population (again, assuming no repeat runners).

It’s time to stop apologizing. It’s time for people to accept responsibility for what they’re doing.

You’re running a half marathon? Say it proudly.

You’re training for a marathon? Say it loud. Own it.

Here’s the thing, though. I don’t want this rule to apply only to those who run 13.1 or 26.2.

Anyone who gets up off the sofa and heads to the streets or the treadmill should accept the rule, as well.

You’re running a mile for the first time in your life? Good for you. I hope you enjoy it.

Other runners don’t care how far you’re going. Keep your head up out there, and wave or give a head nod when you pass a fellow runner.

We really aren’t judging you. Most of us are just happy to see you out there, and we’re only cheering for you.

And maybe we’ll see you at the starting line someday soon.