I started this post almost two weeks ago, but never came back to it. I promise I haven’t abandoned the blog; life has just been a little bit busier than usual lately.
I reached a really awesome milestone the other day: a full year of running. A run streak of 365 (+ now) days. I’m still sort of in shock that I did it. I literally ran every day for an entire year.
I celebrated the occasion by going on a short run with my favorite running partner, Toby. I wanted to run 3.65 miles as a celebration, but I ended up taking a nap and then it was raining so 2 miles it was!
That run was the perfect metaphor for this entire run streak; Having plans that get changed last minute and having to go with the flow. There were several times my runs did not go as planned, but I still did them.
My two favorite examples of going with the flow are:
1) the day I was stuck in an airport with a delayed flight. You better believe I put on sneakers and ran up and down the terminals for about half a mile. Classy? Absolutely not, but I got the run in!
2) the unexpected ice storm that literally covered the grass, sidewalks, and road in ice. I tried my best to run outside that night, but it was SO dangerous. Instead, I ran up and down my stairs for a solid 10 minutes.
This challenge was really hard when I first started. I didn’t quite have the motivation to get out there every day and I almost got a little bored of running. Once it finally became a habit it was much easier. It became part of my daily routine so I knew that either before or after CrossFit, I had to run.
I ran a lot more with the boys because it killed two birds with one stone. I needed to get a run in and Toby needed a .5 mile walk or longer to go to the bathroom (weirdo!). We ran in rain, snow, and sun. One of my favorite runs was a family run with John in the snow in the evening. It was so gorgeous out and totally worth it even if the sidewalks and path weren’t ideal.
Places
I ran in a lot of different places over the last year.
- Florida (Disney World)
- Hilton Head, SC
- Las Vegas
- San Diego, CA
- Germany
- Richmond, VA
- Waynesboro, VA
Races
In addition to daily runs, I also did a LOT of races in the last year.
- Mother’s Day 4 Miler
- AOL 5K
- LoCo Challenge 8K
- LoCo Challenge Half
- Disney Princess Half Marathon
- Herndon Festival 10K
- Twilight 4 Miler
- Leesburg 20K
- Richmond Half
- Hokie Half Marathon
- Jingle Bell Jog
- Spend Yourself 5K
- SOME Turkey Trot
- MCM 10K
- Baltimore Marathon Relay
Miles
I kept track of my miles pretty well and especially since the beginning of 2018. Here is the breakdown for the last few months.
- February – 39.77
- March – 33.44
- April – 49.95
- May – 30.68
What’s Next?
So, I’m sure your first question is: did I take a break?
No! I still don’t feel like running long distances these days, but the habit is strong so I still make sure to get out every day for a run of some length.
My new goal is to just keep running as long as I enjoy it. I ran a 5K last weekend and listened to a Podcast and it reignited that summer running feeling. I forgot how nice it is to get up early on a Saturday and just run.
If I wanted to actually train for a race, I do have a 20K coming up in August that it would probably be smart to train for!
What is the longest you’ve ever done something? Have you attempted a run streak?
Let me know in the comments!