You know I'm a runner because...

Today is National Running Day! Yes, this is a real holiday for us runners so Happy National Running Day to you and yours. Last year on this day I wrote about all the reasons that I run and what running gives to me but this year I am going to write about all the characteristics that I possess that gives me a away as a runner.

Sometimes I feel weird calling myself a "runner" because I am not very fast or built like a runner at all; however, I get out there and run 5 days a week and compete in races so yes, I am a runner. And believe me, if you saw my closets and drawers (and shoe collection) you would know this all to be true. So how does one know I am a runner? They know I'm a runner because...

1) My alarm clock is set for an ungodly hour every morning to get my run in. Even on weekends.
2) I like eating honey stingers on the reg and not just for workouts.
3) High Endurance (read: extra salty) Gatorade actually tastes delicious to me.
4) Sampling gu's and gels is something that is fun for me.
5) The amount of different kind of anti-chafe products I have is ridiculous (and yet I still get terrible chafing)
6) When I hop in the shower after a run you will hear me let out a giant scream. (Clearly that chafing cream is NOT working.)
7) I have like twelve different kind of nut butters in my apartment at any given moment.
8) Runger (and Hanger) is a real feeling that I perpetually experience.
9) Spandex are life. Period.
10) Pretty much every Saturday I have an Instagram post with the hastag #willrunforjuice #JPrunclub #juicepress.
11) I will walk around in public in compression socks without any regard to what others think.
12) A 9 pm bedtime is not out of the ordinary on a Friday and/or Saturday night because of a long run the next day.
13) I am almost always wearing a headband. The sparklier, the better.
14) About 75% of my laundry is running clothes. And out of that, 90% get hang-dried.
15) I actually look forward to an ice bath!
16) I get excited to wake up early on vacation for my runs to get a lay of the land without any other tourists around.
17) The brighter the clothes, the better. (If it ain't neon, it shouldn't be on.)
18) At any given moment, I may only have 8 or 9 toenails (but the skin will be painted like the rest of my toenails.)
19) Race swag bags and freebies make me happy.
20) I actually look forward to the energy and sanity (and soooo much more) that running gives me.
 
So, with all of that, Happy National Running day to all you runners out there. Can you relate with any of these? All of these? I bet you can! Running is a big part of my life and this list doesn't even cover all the things that make me a runner. Running makes me happy and I will never apologize for that. Sure, I get sick of it from time to time and take the necessary days off that make me crave it again. And for all that running has given me, I am grateful.  And so today, for this occasion, I have decided to break in brand new pair of shoes (that I've had sitting in the box for a few months just waiting!) and this makes me oh-so-happy. I mean who doesn't love putting on a new pair of kicks?!?! It makes any run even better. Hope you were all able to get out there and get some miles in today.