Run Streaking

 We’re going streaking!  We going up the Quad and to the Gymnasium!  -- Frank, as played by Will Ferrell, in Old School

 

I have been streaking…but not that kind of streaking.  On January 1, 2024, I decided to run (or walk) at least 1 mile, every day, outside, for the entire year of 2024.  I have managed to keep the streak going in to ’25 and plan to finish 2025 with at least 1 mile outside, every day. 

The official definition of a running streak, as adopted by the Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc., is to run at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. According to their ‘rules’, running may occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill.  But, Nic’s rules state that the mile must be outside.

I know I’m not alone in being able to rationalize why I don’t have time to exercise, or run/walk/hike a mile outside each day.  It’s very easy to talk yourself out of doing something you know you should do, and this was part of the reason I set the goal that I did on New Year’s Day of last year.  I wanted to have some bit of accountability to myself.  And I actually used my rationalizing skills in a good way for a change by rationalizing how it’s actually not that difficult to cover 1 mile outside each day.  “It’s 20 minutes.  That’s it…” is what I told myself.  And I knew this, because even when walking my dog and allowing her to sniff every single tree, traffic sign post, and blade of grass that her heart desired…walking a mile with Bertha still only took about 20-25 minutes.  And if I run it, it’s probably less than 10!  10 minutes…out of 24 hours in a day.  I can do this.

And I have, but there have been some close calls!  Last September, I drove up to the woods outside of Marquette, Michigan, where I was planning to help a good friend take on a long trail run the next day.  It was dark when I arrived late that Friday night, and I was tired, and I knew the morning and the next day would be a busy one…and the last thing I wanted to do was go cover a mile out on that dark, windy, hilly, country road.  I mean, there are probably bears out there!  Let alone cars and trucks alogn the road that had no real shoulder…

But sure enough, on Friday, September 20^th, I ran 1.05 miles in 13 minutes and 41 seconds, at 9:38 PM.

I also almost lost the streak in early December, when I received an unexpected call from my dad, that my mom was ‘scaring’ him…she was having a possible stroke (thankfully it wasn’t!) but that evening I left my house immediately, and spent several hours in the ER with her.  But…once I finally arrived back home, I covered 1.02 miles 18 minutes at 10:41 PM.

More recently, on January 21^st it was 13 below zero when I ran 2 miles at 6:34 AM.  That was cold…but it was a good thing I ran that morning because I got sick that evening, and I’m not sure I would have been able to venture far enough from a toilet to cover a full mile outside! 

February 4^th marked 400 straight days, and the streak is still alive.

When I try to help people figure out how to get more active, I always tell them that trying to find an hour of your day, if you don’t’ currently exercise, simply isn’t going to happen.  But you can find 15 minutes.  I’m certain of that.  Wherever your current level of fitness or activity is, you can find a bit more.  Set an *attainable* goal and stick with it.  Be aware of your strong ability to rationalize why you don’t need to or *can’t*, and don’t accept your excuses. 
We only get one life, and we only get one day at a time.  Let’s do something, perhaps something little…but let’s do it consistently and watch what happens to our days, our weeks, our lives, and our health!