I'm just doing....

The 5K. The most popular running race distance in the country. Yet, if there is a 10K at the same venue, the "real" runners do the 10K. There seams to be a "poo pooing" of shorter distances at races when there are more than two events. Why is this? Just last week I did a 5K. There was a 10K at the event also. I was asked "You're doing the 10K right?" I responded "No" Then the follow up "Why not?"; like there is something wrong with doing a 5K. This happens all over and in other types of events. Why is an international distance tri, better than a sprint? Why do people say (and they do say it, I hear it all the time) "I am just doing the sprint distance." and others say "I am doing the international distance."? I had someone tell me they are "only" doing the metric centry bike tour instead of the 100 miler.

"Just" "Only" WTF Don't down play your accomplishments and goals. People who do the longer events are not any better than you.