Why do people consistently say running is not a sport?

Question

Ok, so I used to do soccer, but then I did Track after and loved it. Now I'm going to be doing Cross Country and Track for good, not soccer. (Just finished Fresh. year in high school). My friend always tells me "running isn't a real sport, it's so easy and takes no skill whatsoever." I simply just drop the subject and walk away. But the thing is, every time I run, he always brings it up again. He plays tennis, which I loathe (no offense tennis players), and whenever he invites me to play tennis he always brags about how good he is. I don't know, it just seems like there is some competition or something between us with the sports. And I absolutely have to say something to him next time he brings it up. Any reason why people say running is not a sport, and what to say next time he says it's not a sport and not "cool"?

Answer 1

A number of reasons:

1. People love gear and they associate them without sports. Your friend that loves tennis also loves his expensive tennis racket and balls. Runners don't need that stuff.

2. Many people see acquiring skills that are specific to their sport as important. A layup in basketball and a putt in golf are specific to their respective sports. Running is just too "basic" for your elitist friends. (This is what your friend means when he talks about "skills")

3. Running events are not televised in the US and top runners are not featured in advertisements. Many people like to associate themselves with the notoriety that comes with high profile sports.

4.  Running for most people is not a team sport. Most people think real sports (especially in high school) must be team sports.

The deal is - if you enjoy doing something, do it. If your friend enjoys doing something that you don't, more power to him. Strange that he tries to p**p on your parade when you are doing what you like to do.

Also.... in many sports people can take a break and let team mates pull the weight. They can sit in the outfield in baseball the entire game and not catch a single ball. Runners have to give it their all every race -start to finish. The clock never lies and the best man always wins.

Answer 2

probably becuase it''s a punishment for every other sport

Answer 3

I have been an athlete all my life. I've excelled in almost every sprot I've tried. Here is the thing about running compared to any other sport. It is both physically and mentally the toughest sport there is. Especially distance events. You have to be into the race the entire time.Every second is focused on the race. If you haven't done it or haven't done it competitively, then it's hard to understand. Football, Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, Baseball all have down time and moments where you can coast. Rarely do you have a chance to make a mistake in a race and come back from it. You have your strtegy, but so does everyone else that you run against. More often then not you have 10 different people you have to worry about in a race. The other thing is that people think it's just about the individual, but see how a track meet is scored and a CC meet is scored and you kinow that's not true. In CC I really think your number 5 runner is more important than #1 in a lot of cases. Running doesn't have the hand eye coordination that most other sports have, but it is a sport. Based off the most basic principle there is in sport. Can I bet you from point A to point B. Not a lot of complicated rules about that.

Answer 4

Hmm... been in the Olympics for like 2700 years. There must be something challenging to it.

Answer 5

"runners have balls, others just play with them"

Answer 6

I consider running, high jumping etc. basically one of the original Olympic events. It's just basic athleticism , no need for judges it's  first over the line. highest or  furthest. The Olympics today has included to many artsy things that need judges. Ice skating and I hate too say it but boxing. ( Saw a local guy beat a Korean to a pulp years ago,  the Judges awarded the fight to the Korean guy)

Maybe your friend sees you as a good athlete and is envious. Enjoy what you are doing isn't that the reason anyway? Keep it simple,  "I do it because I like it'

Time too quit rambling,  good luck and enjoy  yourself !

Answer 7

How about saying something like, "Running is your sports punishment."  :)  Or "running is a sport -- the rest are just games."  You get the idea.

Running is probably the oldest sport -- there's always been an interest in knowing who is the fastest.  You can go all the way back into ancient history and find accounts of running and races.

Answer 8

i run track (100 meter hurdles and love it!!) and i think that a lot of people don't think of it as a sport cause it's not like football where you play for a certain number of time and your part of a team and then whoever gets the most points win, but what they don't realize is so does track. you get points as a team and whom ever has more wins the track meet. during track and cross country i work so hard and i know for a fact if you have a tennis player do the same workouts we do they wouldn't last ten minutes! in conclusion track is the hardest sport there is.

just tell your friend our sport is other sport's punishment

Answer 9

The main reason i think people do not think  it is a sport is that there is no contact involved and it is a bunch of idiots running around in circles (I am one of those "idiots" as well so do not take any offense =) ]

The next time he says something about how running isn't cool, ask him why his sport plays with balls, i tell that to football players all the time....see what he responds to that!

Answer 10

if it takes no skill how come some runners have better technique and it takes alot more determination and strenght to run a marathon then play in a tenis tournament and i think alot more people watch the OLYMPICS then the w*something tournament and its alot cooler than tennis and brag to your friend how good you are

Answer 11

How about you take him on a 3 mile run and see what he says after that?

Answer 12

Hey im starting cross country this septmeber and im gonna be a freshman! I am now starting to run 4 miles everyday and let me tell you its def. not as easy as i thought it was gonna be! your friend makes fun of it b/c he knows that he probably couldnt run it himself so he mocks you by saying tht its not a real sport. And i also do play tennis but i like both cross country and tennis!