Streaking: Q & A

No, not the guy at the baseball game running bare, wild, and free on the warning track during the seventh-inning stretch trying to avoid capture by security. Wrong streak.  We're talking about a run streak. Here are the most common questions I was asked about my 2018 adventure in streaking.

What is a run streak?

Running every day for a specific distance over a length of time. My latest (and only one so far) run streak began on January 1, 2018 and my goal was to run every day, one mile or more, until my birthday on the 29th of June. I ended up extending the streak to June 30. I didn't want the 30th to feel left out, just dangling there all alone at the end of the month. Besides, it sounded way cooler to say that my run streak lasted for 6 whole months. Oooo.... I ended up running for 181 days, accumulating 441.9 miles.

Why did you do it?

To see if I could. I'd read about people doing a streak through the holiday season; I assume in an effort to stave off the holiday bulge. I've heard about people doing it for a month. I thought, it should be an easy way to increase my overall mileage, right? I knew it would be a challenge to get out there every day to run but a month seemed too short to actually be a challenge. So, I made it longer. Go big or go home.

What was the most challenging part of running every day?

Adjusting for weather, time, and location. The daily mileage itself wasn't a problem since I run and train regularly anyway. What I really had to learn was how to get over having ideal conditions. There were days when I had only a few windows of opportunity to get the mile in, so I had to go for it regardless of whether it was raining cats and dogs or was scorching hot like Death Valley. It wasn't always rainbows and butterflies during some of those miles. Location became a factor as well. I did the miles on dread-mills in hotels, around the fields at my kid's soccer practice, at the beach, in the neighborhood of a friend, on vacation, in other states...lots of random places. Sometimes I didn't have my running shoes or clothes. Sometimes I had to put on my ski pants AND ski jacket to walk to the fitness center so I could whoop it up on the treadmill. Sometimes it was 5 a.m. before a road trip and sometimes it was 10:00 p.m. after a soccer tournament. On one Sunday afternoon, while sitting by the neighbor's pool enjoying glass of wine number two, I realized I had not yet run that day. I jumped up, "oh crap!", and shot out the door. I finished a 9:25 mile and came back to everyone saying, where'd you go? I resumed with my glass and carried on with the evening. The run streak forced me to throw needing "ideal" and "perfect" running conditions out the window. It held me accountable to getting it done.

Did you only run one mile each day?

No, sometimes I ran 2 or 3, or 6, depending on training schedules. On some days my mile was part of a half-marathon or other race. Some days I ran 1.0 exactly because I was tired or grouchy or didn't have enough time. Other days I just ran for however long I felt like it. Or until lightning cued me that it was time to pick it up and get home. I didn't really want to earn the nickname Sparky while out on a run.

Did you become a better runner?

I don't know that running a mile or more everyday resulted in me being much physically stronger, but it did make me mentally stronger. On days when the weather was sketchy with storms, I learned I could have a faster pace from the get-go so I could get back before it got ugly out there. With having such frequent runs I also became better at judging my own pace without looking at my watch. I was more in tune with how a 10:30, 11:00, or a 9:45 pace "felt". I imagine there was some physical benefit, considering I did have a half-marathon PR about half-way thorough the streak, but it wasn't very noticeable in the big picture. I did feel stronger in different temperatures. Forcing myself to run as it got hotter made my body adapt, so I had more consistent paces during those sweltering runs.

What was the biggest take-away from your experience?

I realized that there are actually no excuses. By committing to the run streak, I made running a priority. Sometimes we get in our own way. We say to ourselves that it's too hot, it's too late, I'm too tired, I'm too slow, there's not enough time, one mile doesn't count... But none of that is completely true. I learned how to push through those thoughts. It didn't matter what I had just eaten, what time it was, or where I was, I had to get it done. My family and friends were supportive and allowed me the time I needed to get it done, even if that meant they had to wait a few extra minutes for me to return. Every mile counts. There were weeks leading up to a race where the only mileage I did was that one mile a day. It was just enough to keep my base going to race a half-marathon when life "got in the way". I also learned that I could handle adversity before and during the run. Sometimes you show up to a race and the conditions aren't what you expected. It ruffles you. The run streak taught me that I can handle the unexpected and that I can run through all sorts of conditions without being miserable. 

Would you do it again?

Absolutely. Changing up your running routine can change you. I think maybe next time I will rope in some friends to join me. The more, the merrier. Oh, and I would definitely increase my overall bacon intake. Win-win.