To Truly Celebrate a Runner, Ask This Question Instead of Their Time

When someone finishes a marathon, our instinctive reaction is often to ask, “What time did you run?” It’s a natural question races are timed events, after all.

Fast finishes are celebrated, and many people, runners or not, use those numbers to understand how well someone performed.

The problem is, there’s a deep-rooted culture in running that emphasizes specific time goals like breaking four hours in a marathon or qualifying for the majors marathons.

These standards can create a mindset that categorizes races as either “good” or “bad” based solely on the stopwatch.

But that perspective can actually take away from the richness of the running experience.

A 2022 study published in the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology found that fixating solely on outcome-based goals, such as finish times, had a relatively small impact on performance. In contrast, focusing on the process celebrating the small wins throughout the race had a much more powerful effect.

So, what if we changed the question?

Instead of asking “What was your time?” try asking “How did it go?” This simple shift gives the runner the chance to share what they’re most proud of.

Maybe it was finishing strong, staying mentally tough through a rough patch, enjoying the crowd support, or simply running without stopping.

Not all runners are motivated by the clock. For some, sure, their proudest moment may still be their fastest time and that’s perfectly valid.

But others might say, “I stayed positive the whole race,” or “I made it up that brutal hill without walking,” or even “I had fun the entire way.”

Each of those responses highlights a different, equally meaningful type of success.

While runners can always choose how to respond when asked about their time, we as a community can also do more to shift the narrative.

This isn’t about saying finish times don’t matter they absolutely can. It’s about acknowledging that success in running comes in many forms.

As the sport continues to grow, being thoughtful in how we talk about achievements helps create a more supportive, welcoming space for all kinds of runners.