I am not a jogger...

What makes a real runner? It's a question many of us have asked ourselves in recent months as we train for our upcoming races. The concept is artisticly tied into many of your blog titles. (runner wanna be; i am not a runner; not born to run etc...) And the answer is so individual that only the runner herself (or himself) can find the answer.

For me, the answer became clear in the shower after my 8 mile run this morning. I have a black toe nail. There it is. That first physical sign that I have taken the step from "jogger" to hard core I'm-training-for-a-26.2-mile-run runner. I don't even know what a black toe nail is, or what causes it or if it's even something that needs medical attention. The truth is, I've never really paid attention to runners who talk about these types of things because I thought I would never reach that level. But it happened.

If I am really honest with you, and I have no reason not to be, the toenail is actually a dark gray color, so not yet officially black. But it's definately not your every day jogger's toenail. Oh no. It's something more.

And it kind of makes me want to go back to that guy who was mowing his lawn today, and who said to me, "Nice day for a jog," and tell him, "I, sir, am not a jogger. I ran 8 miles, albeit slowly, at a pace most would consider a jog, but I am not a jogger at all. I have a black toe nail."