The Runner's Secret Language

Every hobby has its own secret language, but runners take it to a whole new level. To an outsider, a conversation between two marathoners sounds less like a fitness chat and more like a bizarre medical emergency mixed with structural engineering.

If you've ever overheard someone at a coffee shop talking about "fartleks" or "bonking" and wondered what on earth they were doing on the weekends, this one is for you.

Let's decode the strangest, funniest running terms that most people don't know—and what they actually mean.

1. Fartlek

• What it sounds like: A highly juvenile playground insult.

• What it actually is: It is Swedish for "speed play." A fartlek is an unstructured speed workout where you mix fast bursts with easy recovery jogging. Instead of timing it strictly with a watch, you play it by ear. You might tell your running partner, "I’ll sprint to that stop sign, and then we’ll jog until that blue house." It’s incredibly effective for building fitness, even if it makes you chuckle every time you say it.

  
  

2. Bonking (The Wall)

• What it sounds like: Hitting your head on a low ceiling, or something slightly inappropriate.

• What it actually is: Total, absolute, catastrophic energy depletion. When a runner "bonks," it means their body has completely run out of glycogen (the stored carbohydrates used for fuel). Your muscles turn to lead, your brain fogs up, and even a slight incline feels like climbing Mount Everest. It usually happens around mile 20 of a marathon, which is why it's also called hitting "The Wall."

  
  

3. Chafing & "The Blood Standard"

• What it sounds like: A minor skin irritation.

• What it actually is: The painful reality of friction. When skin rubs against skin (or wet, sweaty fabric) for thousands of steps, it creates a chemical-burn-like rash. In long, rainy races, this can escalate to the infamous "bleeding nipples" scenario for runners wearing cotton shirts. If you see someone covered in a mysterious white paste before a race, don't judge—that's body lubricant, and it's a lifesaver.

4. Junk Miles

• What it sounds like: Running through a scrapyard.

• What it actually is: Runs that don't really have a purpose. They aren't slow enough to be a true recovery run, and they aren't fast enough to be a workout. They are just "there"—accumulating mileage without giving your body a specific training benefit. They usually just make you tired.

5. Pronation (and its dramatic siblings)

• What it sounds like: A fancy medical diagnosis or a legal term.

• What it actually is: How your foot rolls when it hits the ground.

6. LSD

• What it sounds like: You're dropping acid.

• What it actually is: Long Slow Distance. Ultimately, our long runs.

7.The Ultimate Insider Term: BQ

If you hear a runner whisper the letters "BQ," they aren't talking about a

barbecue. They are talking about Boston Qualifying—achieving a race time fast enough to earn a spot in the prestigious Boston Marathon. For many runners, it's the holy grail of achievements.