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On becoming a streaker (Read 851 times)

    First off I feel a strong need to acknowledge the pun because that is what most do after a topic like this but I will fight that urge. First off it is summer time. The heat really bothers me. If I have a workout scheduled for a certain day and it is particularly hot I am in trouble. I just can't run for long periods of time when it is hot. However even in bad conditions I think i could always handle a short run. If I made a commitment to run every day I would have an easier time getting my miles with out having to run long very often. I have been running this time around since January. I am confortable with up to 20mpw and I have had individual runs up to 7miles. So my plan is to run 2 miles every day and only about 2 days a week do a "quality" work out. So I have a few questions... Will I be able to maintain my weekly milage as I transition over, or do I need to cut back? Would 2 mile daily runs work well off my 20mpw base? Also with only 2 workouts of signfiicant distance a week would I loose any fitness? Also when running every day how do you recover from "quality" work outs? Is your recovery time about the same or do you need to add an extra short day? Any help would be appreciatedSmile
    Scout7


      Some run every day in order to recover from quality workouts. Define "long". Define "quality". What are your goals?
        At your current mileage and condition, running every day would likely be counter-productive. As a beginning runner you are doing significant damage to your muscles and connective tissues every time you run. Without enough recovery time between runs that damage will accumulate and eventually lead to injury. Lots of people are successful at running every day but not as beginning runners. You will be much better off waiting until you have more experience before attempting to run every day. You are also at a point where weight loss will improve your running much more than increased training. Every pound you lose will increase your pace by several seconds per mile with no increase in training. Tom
          How much running experience should one have before considering running daily?


          SMART Approach

            Yes, what are your goals? This will determine long run length and quality days. Your plan seems reasonable. At 20 miles per week this could be a plan from a very general sense assuming you are not a beginner. 2 w/ striders or off 2 5 (3 miles at tempo pace or 4 miles at slower tempo pace w/ striders to follow or 4 X 1K at current 10K race pace) 2 2 7-8 (with a 2-3 mile faster finish and some striders) 2 Hard to lower the miles on the two quality days. The above would be fine for 5K and 10K racing. If doing a half, you would need to get long run up a bit and more miles on 2nd quality day.

            Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

            Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

            Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

            www.smartapproachtraining.com

              You don't have a 20 mpw base--you've only cracked 60 miles for a month exactly once. You don't need any "quality" runs at this point, just more of them. Having said that you can probably handle running every day if you take it slow and don't try to do too much too soon. You have to feel your way through it--nobody can tell you how you will recover between runs or workouts.

              Runners run

                I am pretty sure I can run 2 miles every day. I will commit to that. This should also force me to take it easy more often. Only when I am feeling particularly well will I run longer. Since I know I have to run the next it will force me to stay within myself hopefully. How many times do you have to bag a certain distance before you can call it a base?
                  How many times do you have to bag a certain distance before you can call it a base?
                  It's kind of up to you but I usually go with a 2-month average. I consider my average weekly mileage for the past 2-months to be my weekly mileage. 2 months is also about how long it takes me for a new weekly mileage level to feel "normal".

                  Runners run


                  Oh Mighty Wing

                    Sure you can run every day. I run every day - started when I came off an injury. Here is an easy way: put in 1-2 very very slow recovery runs on the days that are currently your non-running days. Or here is the way that is probably smarter: Take what you want you "minimum to be" and run that every day for a week. Then build slowly from there. So if you wanted your minimum to be 3 miles then try running 3 miles every day for a week. If you find you need a 1 miler or so thrown in then do so and work up to your minimum. Then you can slowly make a couple of your runs longer. I don't think I really followed either of them because I was coming off of injury and had a half marathon I needed to get too so I just kind of was running willy nilly. Anyway check out my log it might be helpful. Also check out the Mile a Day group! There are some suggestions there.


                    Into the wild

                      I am pretty sure I can run 2 miles every day. I will commit to that. This should also force me to take it easy more often. Only when I am feeling particularly well will I run longer. Since I know I have to run the next it will force me to stay within myself hopefully. How many times do you have to bag a certain distance before you can call it a base?
                      I do admire your commitment but can't see any point relative to running in maintaining a streak!!! Evil grin Will you be fitter? Will you be healthier? or, will you simply be able to say you've ran since X/X/ 200X Seems the streak takes centre stage from the run itself.. BTW I have have got out of bed every day for 43 years..

                      Shut up and run


                      Non ducor, duco.

                        Probably the best part of being a streaker is that it requires an unparalleled determination. If he is trying to psyche himself into running more, what better way than to commit to running every day? The more you do a thing, the more the thing changes you and defines you. It goes along with my favorite motto "require more of yourself than anyone else would dare to require of you." I say go for it! Just keep in mind all the good advice here about staying healthy while doing it!
                          Well said, andahuff. It's not about the streak per se. It's about becoming an every day runner. There's a difference. It's making running ordinary, not something that requires a lot of thought or planning. Sure life gets in the way sometimes and you take a day off, no biggie. But by and large the every day runner runs every day. A runner runs. And, yes, when you reach the point where running is a daily thing line burshing your teeth and you will be fitter, you will be healthier and you will be faster.

                          Runners run

                          ch37082


                            Wow, my first post ever, but I actually just finished a 30 day streak. I did it for purely mental reasons. I am ridiculously slow-- I swear sometimes I think I am going backward, and I knew I had to prove something to myself so I didn't just quit. I told myself that I would RUN at least one mile every day in June no matter what. I also brought my mileage up to 40 mpw-- but I had been there a few times before. For me it was motivation to run when I was tired. It taught me to really listen to my body and determine whether something really HURT or if it was just a soreness that would work itself out on the next days run. Around the 20th or so, I was really feeling it and thought that this was perhaps the stupidest thing I had done in a while, but I kept running, and when July 1 rolled around, I was ready to keep going. I did take two days off to go out of town, but I plan to do another 30 day challenge sometime soon. Maybe I will wait til it gets a little cooler. Ok I know that I really contributed nothing other than to say that it was helpful to me mentally. Physically? I don't know that it did anything that great, but it didn't hurt me either. I actually felt pretty good at the end of the month.
                              I guess "streaker" wasn't the 100% best term. I am not gonna be obsessed with running every day for ever, but I do want to be an every day runner. Subtle difference but important to me. (hopefully it doesn't become an obsession Smile )During the summer I think more short runs will be easier to get in than fewer long runs.