A person who rides a bicycle

I was talking yesterday about how I don't really feel like a proper 'cyclist'. Then again, despite running 2 half marathons (one not official) and a 16-miler (once), I don't feel much like a proper 'runner', either.

I was curious to see what constitutes a cyclist, or a runner, and so I looked up the terms in the Oxford English dictionary.

First, I checked 'runner', given that I've been working on my running for the past year or so, compared to the last two days or so for cycling - and this is what it said:

runner

Pronunciation: /ˈrʌnə/

noun

A person that runs, especially in a specified way

A person who runs competitively as a sport or hobby

Then there was 'cyclist', which said the following: 

cyclist

Pronunciation: /ˈsʌɪklɪst/

noun

A person who rides a bicycle

So according to the Oxford English dictionary, I'm more of a cyclist than a runner. This is despite the fact that I've run regularly for a year or so, whilst I've only been cycling for 2 days. Then again, when I stop and think about it, maybe it is easier to be a cyclist. Most people who ride a bike don't do so competitively, whereas most people who run, run races. But then, if they're both sports, and both offer organised events and races, why should the definitions be different? Why can't a runner simply be 'a person who runs'? Is a runner simply 'a person who runs'? Running in races certainly hasn't made me feel more like a runner. Probably because I finished in the last half a dozen participants each time ..

Do I look the part? :D

I can't say that any of this has made me feel more like either one. Maybe I should do away with labels completely, and simply stick with: 'I run, and I cycle'.

I definitely don't intend to participate in any formal cycling events! Unless 'surviving a busy main road commute' counts ..

When did you start to consider yourself a runner or a cyclist? Why?