Most of us know the obvious benefits of being a runner. We might lose weight, develop stronger muscles and bones, and burn millions of calories. Beyond the well-known advantages, what are some of the secret perks of running?

1. You become skilled at making pit stops in the most creative of places — in the bushes, in a ditch, inside a hollowed-out tree.
    
2. As a runner, you have the perfect excuse to get out of an undesirable evening commitment by saying you have a long run the next morning.
    
3. Your coffee habit can improve running performance, so have that second or third cup of Joe.
    
4. You can justify spending hundreds of dollars on shoes every year. After all, a runner’s got to get new shoes to prevent injuries, right? No one can argue with that.
    
5. You don’t have to join a gym to be a runner. The outside world is your gym.
    
6. While you can’t eat everything you want, you do have some liberty to eat more than the average person. Running burns about 600 calories per hour and boosts your metabolism.
    
7. You always have something to post on social media. No doubt everyone wants to know how far and how fast you ran today!
    
8. Occasionally drinking beer in the morning is completely acceptable, since most races end before noon and have brews available.
    
9. Your family thinks that you actually have the potential to win large races, and they brag to their friends about it.
    
10. You are probably much healthier than your non-running friends. Research shows that running boosts immunity and can prevent heart disease and some cancers.
     
11. Your dog loves you more since you run because you take him or her along. And, your dog is healthier for it.
     
12. As a runner, your chances of finding a dead body are increased by 60% (if you are into that type of thing). You will have a story to tell your children and grandchildren forever.
     
13. You finally have found the perfect sticker to put on your car (13.1, 26.2, etc.).
     
14. You’ve eliminated the need for Kleenex on your runs since you now can snot-rocket like a champ. You just have to remember to only do it when you run. No one likes a well-dressed mom laying a big snot rocket in the aisle of the grocery store.