Each to his or her own

There are some who say that you're not a "real" runner unless you've completed a marathon.

Most of the time, this opinion is expressed by someone who focuses on the longer distances and not the shorter ones.

And I beg to differ with them.

Each distance, whether it's a 5K, a 10K or beyond, takes a different type of training. And each carries with it a different type of pain and suffering.

If you blow away a 5K in 18 minutes, are you a better runner than someone who takes 6-plus hours to complete a marathon?

Are you less of a runner if you complete a marathon barely under the cutoff compared to someone who runs a sub-3-hour pace?

Each person tends to have a picture of what a runner is in his or her mind.

Don't burst their bubble.

It might be that the best runner of all—or at least the smartest—is the one who keeps his or her mouth shut if the subject comes up.