Even though I am running reality low mileage I really like running every day. The last month or so I am taking one day off per week out of an abundance of caution. However I find I don't feel well those days. I feel much better the days I exercise. I also feel more fit running 6 days a week on lower mileage than I did on more mileage but less days.
So how big of a jump is 6 days per week to streaking?
How did you start? Did you simply decide that you would run every day from now on? Did you set yourself a goal like 2 weeks or a month and just decided to keep going? Do you have a planned end to your streak?
Anybody else here have any streaking experience while only running 15-20 miles per week? I plan to run more in the future but I am being extra cautious in my buildup.
Has your overall health changed since streaking? Are general aches/pains better or worse?
I can only answer these for myself.
For me, I had found that before streaking I would take a day off, which would turn into two, then three... next thing I knew I hadnt run in a week.
When I started I had also just recently hired an online coach who had me running 5 days a week. So to start, on the two days that I wasnt supposed to run, I just ran a mile - just to keep the streak going. A nice slow mile isnt going to tax your legs at all, and I still consider it a rest day. I actually took a week of them back in December to get over some injuries.
For 15-20 miles per week, I would do the same thing. Take your normal schedule and throw in 1 milers on the days you are not running, and I mean really easy slow one milers. The problem with one milers is that it is only a mile, so there tends to be a tendency to really push it hard. Use it as a rest day.
i have had a lot fewer injuries I think since streaking. I did hit a bout of Plantar Fasciitis last year, but I actually think that was more due to the wrong shoes than anything else.
But overall going from 6 to 7 days of runnign is not that much.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck
Jeff
I agree. You shouldn't have any problem adding a short run on your normal "off" day. Just take it easy.
For me, I hadn't planned to start streaking, but I wanted to keep my mileage up, and with my job and other demands, I simply can't do really long runs many days of the week. The best thing for me was to run every day. Even an extra mile a week adds up to 52 more miles in a year! Next thing I knew, I was at a month of steady running, then 6 months and now almost a year! I was very prepared to stop the streak if I got an injury that would be made worse by ANY running or if I was too sick to run. That hasn't happened. I did have badly bruised ribs that KILLED from a fall during a marathon, but I knew it wasn't making them worse for me to run the daily mile- it just hurt!
It's amazing how creative you can get to get that run in! Before streaking there were days that I simply thought a run couldn't happen (a business trip with a very early flight or something). NOW- it happens no matter what
In a way it seems stupid, but for now it is working for me.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
I never planned to streak, but find I feel better when I do. At the beginning of my longest streak, I went for a short, easy run to loosen things up the day after a marathon. That streak included 2 marathons, 3 half marathons and a 10K,
I didn't even admit I was streaking until I was 30 days into it. Circumstances ganged up on me later and I missed a day. Once I missed a day, it was easy to just take another day off. I may be back to streaking again now, but I'm not admitting it because I know that my work schedule may make it difficult to get the runs in until after 4/15/10 - tax day.
Marathon Maniac #991 Half Fanatic #58 Double Agent #22 It's a perfect day and I feel great!
Not trying to pimp my blog, but I talked about a bunch of the questions you asked on it. I started my streak June 1, 2009. I am and was a low mileage runner. Just decided to do it. Started with small goals, and just kept going.
If you want, and you can ignore the technical posts, my blog is at http://www.runningnotes.net
No aches/pains. I find I have less soreness while running every day. Fewer of those "lead legs" days, too.
http://www.runningnotes.net