Thoughts on Streaking as I enter the last few weeks

Some of my thoughts on streaking, based mostly on the questions people ask me.  

We are now 33 days into a 61 day streak (or for some of us who did Memorial Day to July 4th, 71 days into a 99 day streak). 

Is streaking healthy? Shouldn't we take rest days?

I don't know if it is either healthy or unhealthy inherently, and I think it could be a bad idea depending on how you approach it. 

As a coach, I fully believe in rest days, but I do not think a rest day need equate sitting on the couch comatose. If you take your mile on your rest day super slow and easy and just focus on form and staying relaxed, I think you will be okay. The problem is, when you are "just" doing a mile, it is very hard to really fully hold back. I have no problem pulling back a little, especially for the first half mile, but as I turn around and head home, I always seem to pick it up. So, I do not think I am doing this the smartest possible way, but aside from a little IT Band tenderness, knock on wood, all is well. 

How is it going? Have you made progress? What are the results?

Hmmm, how do I answer that...it is STILL going, and that probably says it all. Just like anything you do repeatedly, there are good and bad days, but it is truly a habit now. I have also gotten much stronger. When I first started, I think it was Day 3, I had sworn I wouldn't run with anyone, but there I was at practice. The team had taken off & wouldn't be back for 40 minutes. Lisa convinced me to do my mile with her. We used the quarter mile markers in Prospect Park. Lisa was injured so was okay going my sloooooow pace. This is my only untimed mile of the streak. Off we went for a relatively flat mile. As we got about 1/3 of the way between the .75 mile spot and the mile marker, I thought to myself, "Lisa needs to keep talking & not ask me anything because I can't respond. I can barely move. I may pass out." Out loud, I tried to joke, "I think they moved the mile marker, I am dying." Lisa, in her supportive and compassionate voice replied, "Aw honey, you went out too fast." I couldn't imagine she could say that with a serious expression, we had been at a snail's pace the whole way.  I was glad I did my mile that night, but when the team got back from their 40 minutes, I looked like I had run just as far. I wished I hadn't told anyone I was streaking & could just call it quits. 

Fast forward to a Saturday, about a month later...I was at practice, as a participant, not a coach, and we were doing the 5 mile loop. I knew I wanted to get my streak-mile in there, but I left it until the last mile. Well, grrr, the last mile started on the North Hill!!!! I hadn't run many hills at this point, but I imagined what I would tell someone else, "Slow it down! Use good form! Remember your arms and try to keep your effort steady! Forget your pace!" I made it up the hill, but as I crested the hill, I almost walked. The only time I usually run the hill like that is during hill training when my favorite moment is the recovery. Well, I realized I would need to recover while running to keep my streak going. The next quarter mile was covered, and now I was heading to the end and to the team!!!! I did it! And, I bet it was faster than that flat mile Lisa and I did even though it was uphill and it was after 4 other good effort miles!!!

There are so many other milestones...running a 5k, running on tired legs, being able to really keep up with others on the team, doing one of my fastest miles ever as the last mile of an 8 mile workout, etc. 

I have been doing Weight Watchers throughout this whole thing too, and I have continued to lose weight. I think I have lost about 10 pounds since I started streaking. I had already been on WW for about 3 months and had lost about 25 pounds when I started this. 

Would I recommend streaking?
It depends why someone is considering it. For me, it has accomplished what I wanted, and I am thrilled I decided to do it.  I can't even remember when or where I saw the blurb about it and started investigating it, but here I am.

What's the biggest change?

When I started I spent the whole run thinking about if I could do it, and when it would be over. I now think about things non-running related or things like, "hmmm, how long can I run based on the other training I am doing this week? How is my form? Can I pick it up at all? Etc."

And, dare I say, I like it. I have even had to talk myself out of going running a second time in 1 day.

Do I have more goals?

Yes, I want to start to do at least 1 morning mile a week. I want to break the 12 minute mile barrier at least once. And I want to consistently be able to run under 13 minute miles. If I put in almost any effort now, I am under 14 consistently. And, my biggest goal of all...I want to do under a 3:15 half marathon. 

If you have other questions or comments, please share them in the comments section.  

Thanks for reading. 

Welcome to Streaking in the BK and Beyond!

No, this isn't about running naked, although that might make a more interesting blog. This is about running. 

As many of you know, there are running streaks around the world.  I recently heard about a woman who was 4.5 years into her streak.  The man with the longest streak, which started when I turned 1 day old, will end his streak after 45 years this summer. 

I am currently 35 days into my streak, the Runner's World Summer Streak. I admit I had a little blip in the plan the day my flight was delayed, and I missed getting home in time to run.  But, I am okay with it since I had done 2 runs on another day earlier.  

So, people ask me a lot of questions about this.  The basic rules are that:

1. You RUN a mile every day. For a walker/walk-runner like me this is a big deal.  I hadn't run more than a mile in years and had only just recently run any miles, and they were on the treadmill. 

Um, yeah that's about it.

Is it healthy to run every day?  My coaches answer: No, but if you are in pretty decent shape, you can do 1 every day if you take it super easy on your rest and cross-training days.  The Runner's World answer:
Running hard and long every single day will certainly lead to burnout. However, you only need to run one mile every day to keep this streak alive, and that mile can be as slow and easy as you want it to be. Per this Ed Eyestone article from 2009: "So is a little running on a rest day okay for mere mortals? It can be. As long as you keep the volume and intensity very light, you can still get the recovery benefits."

Here is a link to Runner's World other Streak FAQs.

I am starting a NEW streak: The Summer Heat Streak
July 4th - Labor Day.  That is a long time.  Much longer than this last one and takes you through the heat of the summer.  It will be 61 days.  If you are interested, post it in the comments, inbox me, etc.  I will start a FB group so we can support each other.  Because I am all about encouraging people and this is MY streak not RW or any other formal thing...I am open to Run, Walk, or Run-Walk Streaks, but declare it upfront. If you commit to Run - Run it is!!