I did a thing! I committed to a running streak!
So ….what is a running streak anyway? Essentially it’s a certain amount of time where a runner commits to running with no days off. Running more than anything is a mind game. It’s not about how fast or how far you can run…it’s always about taking the first stride, then the next and the next. It it’s about constantly reminding yourself about you why and finding the discipline to keep going.
Before I get into some of what I learned, I wanted to share a little about my steak.
- I ran everyday, no days off
- I ran a minimum of 2km, most days 3.33km and at least 1 5km run
- I ran outside and on my treadmill
- I live by my Nike Run Club app – I love that I can track everything there, I love that it captures my run details, cheers and guides me through different runs ++ I can see all the cool accomplishments I make happen!
Okay so here are the top 5 things I learned:
- New habits should be approachable on a daily basis
This means, your daily “to-do” run should be something you can do without thinking. Granted running requires different kinds of training (long runs, sprints/farlek, hills, cross training & recovery) but for a running streak you need be ready to go without having to think too much about it. - Learn to list to your body
I am intuitive by nature, but my body gave me stronger messages when I ran consistently. I think thats a very important skill (tool?) to develop. It also made me become more aware of functional fitness and exercises that weren’t heavy but helped to developed the way my body moved. - Do the hard thing first
When I got my run done in the morning, the rest of the day seemed to go much smoother and my mind was able to focus. The same happens when you have a personal morning routine (wake up early, meditate, journal, sunlight etc). Getting up (late) to only check email and hustle just doesn’t make sense. - You always do things twice, once in your head and then in real life
Same goes for running. You literally see yourself doing it in your minds eye before you actually do it. For me it was seeing the trails or sideways I knew I’d run before getting out there. - Somethings can be multi tasked (but not everything)
For me it was running an errand. LITERALLY! Being able to run to the store to pick up something and then running back home with that something was such a delight!
