Running Streak

If you're a member of our Facebook group or follow our #runteacherrun group on Twitter, you probably saw many postings about "the streak!"  Several of us made the commitment to join the Runner's World run streak (#RWRunStreak) and run at lest one mile a day from Memorial Day through Independence Day:  39 consecutive days of running...

I made the commitment because I love having a goal to achieve in running. I've found that I'm not one of those people who will just go out and run. I need a set plan, usually a training plan working towards a race, to tell me how much to run that I can check off as finished each day. This running streak seemed like a great way to stay motivated and be active each day.

The streak ended yesterday on July 4th. This morning I'm sitting in my recliner with my legs propped up and relishing the idea that I'm not going to run today...not even one little measly mile!  

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the streak. It was motivating to know that no matter what, I needed to make sure I logged a mile daily.  What I found was that many days, it was difficult to only go "just a mile".  Other days, I was beyond grateful that I only had to run "just a mile".  It's amazing how my perspective changed depending on day-to-day circumstances and aches/pains.  I loved seeing my running friends post on Twitter and Facebook about their daily miles and encouraging everyone to #runteacherrun!

I was most worried about breaking the streak during my travels to ISTE and ALA, but packed my running gear with plans to hit the hotel treadmill daily or run outside with friends.  Sunday, June 23, was my busiest day during the streak. Leaving at 4 a.m. for an early morning flight to San Antonio and a jam packed day of our award recognition, meeting friends, and ISTE festivities equaled being on the go all day long and never actually putting on my running shoes. Arriving back at our hotel at almost midnight, I decided my mileage wouldn't be logged on Nike+ that day but it would definitely count! We walked from our hotel to the conference center (and back), the RiverWalk, as well as a portion of the giant exhibit hall, not to mention downtown San Antonio! I'm only counting 1 mile for this day and have the map to prove it! (yes, I DO realize that shows a car and not a pedestrian...and it definitely took us longer than 3 minutes to walk it...but the MILEAGE shows .5 mile -- that's the important stuff here!)

My totals for the streak:

May: 13 miles

June: 99.1 miles (I obviously wasn't paying attention or I would have run "just 1 more mile"!)

July:  13.4 miles

125.5 total miles

I am proud to say I completed the streak, but will relish today and not run!

Tomorrow is a different story...

Now to plot my next training plan and race!

A Little Change of Pace

Since Changing My Words ...Just a Little seems to be working out so well for me, I decided to change my plans just a little too! For those of you that have been following this blog, you know that I have pretty much been working on a 5K training plan since January of 2012. That is about 18 months.  The first 6 months went pretty much as planned and last summer I ran two 5Ks--The Komen Columbus Race for the Cure and the Columbus Color Run. I wouldn't say I loved either but I did wear my Team Sparkle Skirt and my Sparkly Soul headband and I did have fun with friends. I learned what a 5K was all about and learned that maybe those giant races were not for me when I was so new to them. But I did it. Then I started again, and again, and again due to many circumstances--the last one beyond my control.

So, last week, as I was on Week 3, Day 1 of C25K, I looked down at the tracker and almost cried twice.  I put in 26 minutes and didn't even go 2 miles. I was exhausted and knew that at the end of 8 weeks, I would maybe be able to run a 45 minute 5K and that my cardio would not be that much better.  I realized that the C25K had me running only 28 minutes 3 times a week and that if I wanted to bump my cardio, I needed more than that. At the same time, I was watching people track miles on Twitter and participate in the 40 day Running Streak that had them running a mile a day.  Tracking miles seemed like a smarter commitment than tracking minutes since I am not getting very far in minutes right now.

A few other things were happening. I am loving yoga which is good.  Loving it more than running.  I want to love running more than I do right now, but I just don't. Probably because I run slower than I walk and it is just no fun to make very little progress over 18 months.  I am tired of being discouraged I think.  I want to love it and I am still hopeful but I don't love it right now.

Then I was introduced to the blog RUN FOR COOKIES on Facebook. She was featured by Run Like a Mother--whose Columbus Party I will be attending in August (wooohoo!!).  As I learned all about Katie at Run for Cookies and read all about her races, I saw that she walked a few mini-marathons before she ran anything. Somewhere in my head, many years ago, I had decided that the path to becoming a runner was to run and that a 5K was the place to start. But, I did that and I have gotten no farther than a 5K. So, when I saw Katie's path, I thought it might be smarter path for me to try --or at least a different way in.  So I found this walking training plan online and decided almost instantly to change my plan just a little. Instead of Couch to 5K, I am going to do the EZ Half Marathon Training Plan and I have completed Day 1, Week 1.

My thinking is that I need a plan and I need more cardio.  I need to be working for something and I need to commit to more than 28 minutes 3 times a week.  Our Columbus marathon, which I hear is very walker-friendly is in October which is perfect timing. I should have very few weather issues between now and October and if I do, I have indoor options.  Instead of 3 thirty minute workouts a week on the C25k, logging 3-5 miles per week, I'll go 3 hourish long walks and log 10+ miles per week. Seems smarter in terms of building cardio and muscle.  The other thing that is a plus is that I have lots of friends who walk, and very few that run (at my pace:-) so I will have an easier time finding friends to walk with once in a while.  I figure I can still jog a few minutes here and there if I want to and I think my cardio should be much better in 14 weeks and I can decide on a new run goal then.  And I think I will be much more willing to add an extra walk in during the week without worrying about the training schedule.  This seems to fit my lifestyle better right now, even with the bigger time commitment.

So, my overall plan is not changing but when you keep trying the same thing over and over and over and it doesn't really get you to your end goal, it's time to try a  new path I think and this path made sense to me immediately once I saw how Katie at Run for Cookies moved from walking to running so easily.  And if not, at least I'll get to be good at walking!