Running vs. Racing and Runner vs. Racer

Found a good discussion happening on the Ultra ultrarunning mail list:

Seems to me the problem here is understanding the difference between running an ultra and racing an ultra. With good preparation one can run an ultra with little or no pain, just go slow enough to stay in your comfort zone. You cannot race an ultra this way. Whether you are racing against the field or yourself, it's gonna hurt. If it doesn't, you are not racing. To race is to push yourself to the limits and it makes no difference whether it is 100 yards or 100 miles, it will hurt, or you simply don't understand what pushing yourself to the limits or a max effort is all about.

I agree. Many of my more philosophical discussions of Ironman surround this very issue. I want to race but I know that I have to pay my dues before I can. In Ironman common wisdom is that your body isn't ready to start the training to race until you've been in it for five seasons. And then you have to put in the actual mileage before you can race.

I've completed races and they've hurt but I still don't think that I've raced... at least at the long distance. On the olympics I feel that I'm able to output what for me is big power for the entire race.

So if "racing" is what I want to do then there's the question of what I am:

David Powell writes to the Ultra list: Remember Dr. George Sheehan's classification of the maturity of runners as "jogger" "racer" "runner"? The highest development in the sequence was that of the runner,who was philosophically ahead of the others,who depended on either the idea of getting something beneficial to happen in their bodies,or trying to get ahead of their fellows in races for their motivation. This guy might be stuck in Dr. Sheehan's "racer" status,has not graduated to "runner". The mature runner if healthy can race up the mountain,but can also go up the mountain without worrying about racing,with a smile perhaps. But if he is not fast or healthy enough to race effectively,he or she can still enjoy getting up the mountain if at least healthy enough to make it up there.

Again, a more succinct articulation of something I've addressed a few times. In arguing for the long-term multi-season lifestyle view I'm saying I want to be a "runner" not a racer. Whether I'm there yet is open for debate.

Another interesting crossover here is between this concept of runner v. racer and Deep Survival. In Deep Survival we learn that survivors are people who quickly accept that they may die, embrace it and get on with enjoying the remainder of their life, no matter how short. They enjoy the journey. Survivors are "runners."