So I thought we would bring up a topic today that has a lot of opinions – because why not? It will be fun to discuss for those of you who are open minded. Let’s talk about the RUN STREAK! A lot of folks do this at the beginning of the year, during the holidays & what have you to keep their running momentum going. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of getting in the miles all day everyday.
–Pro- So, running is just like anything in life. What do you have to do if you want to get BETTER at something? You have to, you must, it is imperative that you do it MORE. This will remain true forever. So, the simple act of run streaking will make you better at it. If you do it with patience and you do it correctly.
–Con- You can’t run streak and run fast everyday. Some people don’t have an off switch, when it comes to intensity. These are the types of people, in my opinion, that do not need to run streak. You can’t run tempo everyday and expect to stay injury free. Bottom line. You will hurt yourself. Become a fan of easy running. Let go of the ego. No one cares about how fast you are. Only you. So chill.
–Pro- Your body becomes like a machine. If you run everyday, you will learn your body very well and what does and does not work for you. It is a beautiful thing.
–Con- Some days you just need rest. And I will be honest, a lot of this may have to do with your lifestyle. Do you like to stay up late and watch your favorite shows? Spouse snores at night? Are you not a morning person? Do you enjoy a happy hour or 5? These things definitely can get in the way of your workouts. All about priorities. BUT…rest days are indeed important and I am absolutely a fan of them. Even when I do a run streak I may do it for say a few weeks at a time and then give myself a Friday or Sunday to do nothing. Or a recovery week.
–Pro- You don’t have to run 10 miles everyday. There are days that we call ACTIVE RECOVERY days for a reason. So some days that I need to run less, I will do say 4 or 5 miles. At this point in my running, that feels like a nothing type of day. It may not feel like that for you. On your “day off”, run 1 mile. Run 2. You are still run streaking. Actually. Running 1 mile can be fun because you can push the speed a bit. Try it out.
–Con- Burnout can be possible. There are ways to avoid it…add cross training into your schedule. But yes, every runner deals with burn out. Take the time away from running if you need it. It will always be there when you come back, with open arms.
Here’s another great article on run streaking here- The Right Way to a Solid (and Long) Run Streak.
Any RUN STREAKERS out there? What are some pros and cons to running everyday?
thedancingrunner 
On Day 19 of a run streak here. I had a few days in a row going before my half training started, decided to keep it going for January, then rest when I need to after that. This training cycle I’m expanding my milage beyond 13 miles multiple times and I just don’t know if my legs will want to run every day then.
Awesome! Yeah it is fun and great feeling of accomplishment to do in spurts. I think if I wasn’t teaching classes at the gym I would do it more often but I need the occasional day to cross train and/or charge my batteries. Well done! Best of luck on the training!
I usually do streaks on my holidays when I can run during the day. I don’t run fast or far,but I love doing it:)
Great!
So much relatable!
I had started 2017 with an aim of a 100 day run streak!!! And managed 63 days of no-break streak!
There are many other angles to it too – like the amount of laundry you end up producing, some days at work can be hectic, and with young kids the social commitments can be demanding too! In my case, socializing with friends on evenings suffered the most! But am proud nonetheless!
Fabulous! I did something similar last year. It can be motivating. I just like running high mileage more 😉 Congrats!!