The Worst Word a Runner Can Say
Just.
One word. Four letters. Arguably, one of the worst words in a runners dictionary. Examples include,
It was just a 30-minute run.
It was just a 5K.
It was just (insert number) miles.
It was just a half marathon.
It was just a recovery/easy run.
Usually when the word just is used, it’s used as a comparative device. The implied and expanded sentence then becomes “I’ve ran a half marathon, so this is just a 5K.” or “I ran a full marathon, so this is just a half marathon.”
When we use the word just, however, we take away from the accomplishment and the effort put into a given run. How many runners have gone from running a half marathon and then struggling a few days later with a 5K? That 5K doesn’t feel like just a 5K; it feels almost Herculean in its effort to accomplish. I have experienced frustration over how hard something felt when it was just a shorter distance than what I previously did. I allowed the just to cause unnecessary damage to my ego and pride as a runner.
The word just is dangerous. It diminishes the effort and it downplays the runner identity, making one feel like they have to do more to be a runner. When you use just, there is no room for enough and there is no extension of grace when a run feels harder than expected. Using the word just takes away from everything a runner does outside of the run to prepare for the run itself. The word just also contributes to a runner taking running for granted.
There’s no room for just when you remember that you get to run. There’s no room for just when you remember that not everyone is putting in the same effort as you. There’s no room for just when you remember that each run is a building block on the road toward a greater goal. More importantly, there’s no room for just when the commitment to being the best version of your runner self extends beyond any one run.
As I said on an Instagram post, when you just yourself, you poop yourself. So let’s get rid of the word just, ok? Remember, your runner journey is yours and you start to take ownership of your journey by removing just from your vocabulary. Running is hard, regardless of the miles ran. What shouldn’t be hard is how boldly you celebrate yourself before, during, and after every effort.
