What's the difference between

a Walker, a Wogger, a Jogger, a Runner, an Athlete or Triathlete??

Recreational Walker

You walk. Most overweight beginners start out walking. Slowly. You can Walk-The-Powerpoles too. Walk one slow, walk one a bit faster, walk one slow. The definition of a walker, is that one foot is in contact with the ground at all times. Yes you might enter events, and even walk faster as you get fitter. But you can't run in events, if you entered as a 'walker'. Race officials often don't check, and mostly rely on walkers being honest. But it's bloody annoying for others if a 'walker' breaks into a jog during an event!

Race Walker

This type of walking is highly competitive, and has other rules. The key one, is that the leg must be straight upon contact - your knee must be straight from the time the leading foot touches the ground until it passes vertically under the body. This is a very technical type of walking, requires a great deal of coaching and training, and is only practical on the road or flat surfaces.

Wogger

This is where there is a little fitness coming in, and the person does a bit of both. A couple of great methods might be to walk 1 minute, jog one minute. Or walk all the 'ups', and jog all the 'downs'. Wogging is a great way of transitioning from walking to jogging safely and gently.

Jogger

The majority of our group do this on our Long Slow Run day (Sunday morning). A jog, but a slow one - slow enough to have great conversations and not be out of breath. We jog when we are training for distance - it is simply teaching our body endurance on this day, rather than speed.

Runner

There are very key differences between jogging and running in my mind. Running is where you are going too fast to talk - you are doing speed work or hill reps, or moving at cardio or effort pace. When you are racing events, you are running.

Athlete

So exactly when do you become an 'athlete'? From Merriam-Webster Dictionary "a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina"  Click here

By the definition above, an athlete is either TRAINED (having trained for that skill) or SKILLED (which you also would have had to practice to achieve that skill). So I do think training with a purpose is key here. There are lots of people just getting fit for health or lifestyle, and I can't see how that can actually be called an athlete. But if they have socially jogged for 5 years and get really good at the 10km, then obviously they have become skilled at it, and would then be an athlete. When people are skilled to the point of podium placings, they would be an elite athlete. But my gut feeling is that anyone who has actually TRAINED to partake in a sport and be physically prepared for it, is an athlete. Training would include careful planning for nutrition, hydration, and gear for the event, in order to help complete it faster. I don't feel you have to actually complete the event though, to be an athlete. I think having just COMPLETED the PROGRAM of training, to the point where one is adequately prepared to take part in that sport/event, would be the point where you can describe yourself as 'trained'. Obviously, the definition of "skilled" is simply too varied depending on different people's perceptions. So let's stick with the "trained" definition. By that definition, anyone who joins JTP to walk or jog their first event, and has completed a season of training - the minute they step on that start-line, they are an athlete. 

Triathlete

Following the same train of thought, if you are still in the training program of swimming, biking, and running, we call you a 'Trihard'. But once you complete that program and are ready to compete at a triathlon, I'm very proud to call you a Triathlete!

Krazy Kerris