Running Streak Tips

If you follow me on Instagram then it's no secret that I've been doing a run streak since the end of May (today is day 76!). My sister and I started a run streak together as a way to challenge ourselves since we were both currently not following any sort of training schedule. While we might not be going super long distances or running at phenomenal paces every day, we are still enjoying ourselves and loving our daily routine. Neither of us know how long we will continue this for especially with school (and crazy schedules!) quickly approaching. Today I'm sharing with you some things I've personally learned throughout the past few months of my run streak.

Get it done with early. I learned that, personally, I do better when I get my daily run done with before I even start my day. I literally get up and ready, drink some water, and go. When I get back home, I am always full of energy and ready to start my day. It also feels nice later in the day knowing that I already ran for the day so it's okay if I'm getting tired and just want to chill.

Get into a routine. I really can't stress this one enough! Once you get yourself into a routine with running each day, it will feel much easier. The most stressful part of running for me is trying to plan and squeeze it in each day. When it's already built into my daily routine, I don't have to think about it.

If you're feeling exhausted, space out your runs. This was a tip my sister found somewhere online and I wish I knew where so I could credit them because it's a good one! This may contradict my first two tips but hear me out. Most days I run anywhere from 1-4 miles but at least once a week I will do a longer run. If I feel completely drained later in the day, after I've already run my longer distance, I will plan to run the next day later in the day to maximize my recovery time. It will mess with my routine for a few days, and most likely force me to only run a mile or two the next day or so, but it's worth it for my body!

Don't obsess over each run. In the beginning of my streak, I was getting annoyed that my paces weren't the best and some days I just really couldn't push myself past that first mile. After beating myself up for a couple days I finally realized- I'm running every freakin' day, of course I'll have slower/harder days! Instead of obsessing over each and every run, I just focus on my love of running. If I know I want to do some sort of speed work or Bad Ass Lady Gang guided workout one day, I will try and pick a day where I haven't been running too much leading up to it.

Make everything accessible. Now that running is part of my daily routine, my sunglasses and headphones have become a permanent decoration on my dining room server. My running shoes are kept in the same spot every day so I don't have to take time searching the house. I pick out what I'm going to wear each night before I go to bed. I do all of this so I have no excuses. Each morning I wake up, grab all my running gear from their respective places, and go. No thinking, no searching. Just running. And maybe you don't want your running gear on display at all times. I get that. So maybe you can find a spot in your closet or a drawer somewhere in your house to be the home for your everyday running accessories. Whatever works for you!

Question of the Day: Have you ever had a run streak? If so, how many days did it last?