Running Just Might Be A Pearl Izumi Ad (End of Week 8)

The last few months I have noticed several ads from Pearl Izumi in both Runner's World and Outside which denounce jogging. No, Pearl Izumi has not abandoned the sports in which you lace up sneakers and hit the road, trail, or treadmill* and move in a motion that is faster than walking. Rather, Pearl Izumi is making a distinction between running and jogging.

I read an article (possibly on www.runnersworld.com) that said whatever your pace, you are a runner and not a jogger. Being a jogger implied that you were not serious about the sport, so if you ran a 4-minute mile or a 16-minute mile you were a runner. Since my pace is in that 4-to-16-minute mile range, I decided that I must be a runner.

The Pearl Izumi ads play on the same notion, and they even reference a website for Pearl Izumi gear and "inspiration": www.wearenotjoggers.com/home. The "We Are Not Joggers" site contains two chapters (so far) of a flip-through book which explains the difference between running and jogging. Basically--running is harder. You do not look cute when you run. Running is painful. Running is a feeling, and that feeling is not good. The site is quick to point out that runners can jog, but really they are just running slowly. However, joggers never run. No matter how fast they jog. Basically, Pearl Izumi is making running a bit elitist.

If you know me at all, you know elitism is not one of my turn-offs. However, I am not sure if running wants me to be part of its club. I have been training for 8 weeks, and in my mind, I should be a considerably better runner than I currently am. Sure, I can run for a long time. And, I can run for long distances. But, I wish I could run for a long time and/or a long distance (the two can be mutually-exclusive) at a faster pace. It is hard to remind myself that I am new at running, and the initiation into the running club is hard. My long run on Saturday was miserable (see above, running is hard and does not feel good). I ran two good miles, and then a combination of my mind, my body, and my ego just gave up--would not let me run, run slow, or jog. I could not overcome the mental hurdle that morning. I wasn't really sore; I wasn't really breathing heavily; but, I just wasn't in the mental part of my running game. Like when Andy Roddick always loses in big tournaments. Everyone knows he's a great tennis player with a huge serve and serious athleticism--but he falls apart in the mental game, and he loses.

My mental game was non-existent on Saturday. I ended up walking another four miles that morning, mostly in tears. I felt betrayed by running. Kicked out of the club. But really, I was betrayed by me. I want to be part of that running club, so today, I'm going to try again.

*Pearl Izumi's "We Are Not Joggers" website specifically states that while their shoes work just fine on treadmills, you cannot run on a treadmill--you are only jogging, no matter what your pace is.