What make you a runner?

After I stopped smoking and decided to get healthy I wanted to learn to run. As a teen I attempted this a couple times but when I couldnt ever breath after only going 20 feet I would give up. I wish then I had someone who coulda told me if I continued the breathing does come! So 9 years ago I gave up 3 packs a day and several months later started watching my food intake and exercising....thats when I lost 85 pounds! I got tired of the EFX and wanted to learn to run! I would run a minute or two walk a minute or two and continue this for about 30 minutes or so a couple times a week. I would run the track at the local gym and when I made it around once without stopping I thought I had accomplished so much....and I did for me at that time! When I ran my first mile without stopping what a feeling, my first 5k, 10K half marathon...my first sprint tri, half ironman full ironman.... As of today I have never ran a marathon without stopping and walking, all of my marathons have been during Ironman training or done during and Ironman. To some though...you are not really a runner unless you run a marathon without a walk break. Are you a real runner if you can only run a marathon in under 4 hours? Are you only a real runner if you can pound out miles at a pace of under 8 minute miles? 10 minute miles?I honestly have never considered myself a runner either. I have enjoyed running and when I would go out and do my runs around the neighborhood and such I never hesitated to take a walk break here and there....not that I really felt I needed it and sometimes I would analyze in my mind why exactly I am feeling like walking at that moment to decide if I truly wanted to walk a few. Now the strangest thing has just started happening with me since I started to train for some Ultras......I go out and run my short 8 mile runs....I love that I can consider a short run 8 miles that just makes me smile. Anyways but when I go out the door to run these 8 milers I just run and run and run and my legs now are starting to feel like they just float. Now we have to remember 4 Orthos told me my knee would need replaced within 2 years if I continued and it will be 2 years in December...sure it hurts but nothing at all that I cant deal with. Also there is the tarsal tunnel in the other foot....I think that hurts more then the knee pain but while I am running I tend to be able to block all this out. I no longer feel like taking a walk break, my pace has improved tremendously and I actually go to bed looking forward to waking up to run the next day. And the long weekend runs...oh my I cant wait for them to come just to see how my body is gonna feel. Weird huh? I know this is the beginning of the ultra training so I hope it continues! I did go ahead and sign up for a 50k which will be Jan 7th and probably in the snow with a friend who is doing the 25K....I dont like running in cold cold weather but again....I am so looking forward to this. Last week I had an ah ha moment while running and at that moment I was no longer a person that like to exercise and run and do triathlons something clicked in me and said YOU ARE NOW A RUNNER!!!