Runner’s World promoted a running streak challenge this summer, asking participants to complete a running streak from Memorial Day through July Fourth. I brought the idea up to Andrea, and she thought it sounded fun. To have a running streak, you have to run at least one mile every day on consecutive days for a set period of time. If you make it to a year, you can register your streak with the US Running Streak Association.
We weren’t interested in going that far, but were willing to give it a try. Since this was a family affair, Andrea agreed to share some of her thoughts about this experience alongside mine.
Why Do This?
Adam: I hadn’t done something like this before, and had my doubts that running everyday was a good idea. I wanted to be open to new running experiences, though, and this seemed like one that I could share with my family.
Andrea: It sounded like a fun, but manageable, challenge. Running at least a mile every day did not sound that hard, but I knew there’d be days I’d have to work to get my run in. In the past, I’ve gotten lazy with my running during the heat of summer. I knew this would help me stay on track.
What Was the Plan?
Adam: I decided that I would do my three normal runs a week, and then on the non-training days I would try to get in 1-2 miles at whatever pace felt right. That was a departure for me, as I tend to push the pace in my runs and sometimes push the distance. It seemed doable, but I worried I might not hold to the plan for the off-days and injure myself from over-training. That should be easy to prevent, but when I’m in the middle of a run it’s hard not to get carried away.
Andrea: I kept to my three usual weekday runs as well, sometimes adding a fourth day of running/interval exercises with my running group. On the other days I would run one mile as fast as I could. I normally run/walk (5:00/1:00), but on some of the shorter runs during the streak and all of the 1-mile runs, I did not walk at all.
Did We Make It?
Adam: I completed the streak, making it to July 6th, though it was not easy and possibly reckless. I tweaked my hamstring in the Pop-up miles race on June 21st, and probably should have taken time off to rest and recover. I limped through a number of runs, although I was always surprised that once I got going the pain subsided and I could complete the run with the thought that it wasn’t so bad. Of course, later in the day I often changed my mind as the aches set back in.
Andrea: I completed the streak and made it to July 9th. That was the day we left for our beach vacation and I didn’t stress about running while we were there (I ran once, I think). I had no angst about the streak ending, but if not for the natural reason to stop (vacation), I might have kept going.
What Did We Learn?
Adam: I was surprised that I liked the short, relaxed runs on off-days. I have read that runners often push themselves too hard in training, especially on easy days, and this helped me accept it. I liked the way I felt after these runs, as it was nice to get out and shake things out without feeling tired from the workout. I ran some of my fastest races in this period, so I could see that running slow didn’t impact me in that way.
Monkey and Coach often went along for these runs, and this made it more enjoyable. Monkey took control of the watch and set the pace on our outings. He wanted to see how his time for a mile could change, and on those runs I could focus on his goals than my own. I enjoyed talking about running with him and offering advice in moments where he was open to accept it. As the neighborhood swim team picked up in June, Monkey accompanied me on fewer runs and not surprisingly I enjoyed them less. For a person used to running alone, sharing this with my son was the highlight of this experience.
Andrea: I learned that running more (frequently & total weekly mileage) helps with speed. This spring I was struggling to regularly run under 10:00/mile. Many of my 1-mile runs during the streak were just under 8:30/mile, and I ran a 4-mile race at a 9:01/mile pace and realized I don’t set my speed goals aggressively enough! I didn’t run with the kids as frequently as Adam did, but the few runs I did with Monkey (or Coach, although I’m not as big a fan of pushing the stroller!) were fun.
Balancing running schedules with Adam was also an unexpectedly fun part of the challenge, with both of us often going out in the morning before work, one of us first and the second when the other returned. It was nice to both be committed to something fun and healthy (and relatively low-stakes!) and to support each other and keep each other accountable.
Would We Do It Again?
Adam: Sure. I would consider completing another running streak. I would try to listen to my body a little better, though, and give up for injury. I pushed too hard to keep the streak going, and the farther into the streak I went the more pressure I put on myself to continue. I imagine the pressure could be even greater if you had a streak moving towards a year or longer. The idea of a streak with a beginning and end to give you limits is appealing for that reason.
I think it was also more fun to do with others. Sharing the experience with Andrea and the kids was the best part.
Andrea: I would definitely do it again. Sometimes a little external pressure or an “assignment” helps me stay motivated. I think I’d have more trouble with an open-ended streak rather than a set time period, but I’d be willing to give it a try. Maybe Adam and I should have a friendly wager for the next one?