For most runners, the thought of running every single day is not something that has ever crossed their minds. However, as someone who has been a run streaker for years, I can say that running every day has made me a much stronger runner and helped me fall even more in love with the sport. There is something special about getting out for a run every day, no matter what is going on in your life.
I truly believe that running every day has made me not just a stronger runner physically, but also mentally too. When you have a lot going on in life and you still manage to find a way to squeeze your run in every day, it helps build mental toughness that other runners likely don’t have.
Pros
Consistent Mileage - One of the best parts of running daily is the consistent mileage you build up. Most ultrarunners will run 4 to 6 days a week, and take 1 to 3 rest days. By running every day, my mileage base increases much quicker, and stays fairly consistent, allowing me to bank more mileage than many other runners consistently.
Mental Toughness - Mental toughness is the biggest takeaway for me from run streaking, and it comes in several different ways. Getting out for a run no matter what the weather forecast says is incredible for building mental toughness. Nothing is better than going out in a rainstorm and being the only person tough enough to head out for a run when the weather is less than ideal. You can’t choose the weather on race day, so getting used to running in less-than-perfect conditions is great practice for race day.
Secondly, how many times have you bailed on a run that you had planned, for any number of reasons? Not feeling great, working late, the weather isn’t perfect, the kids are acting up, etc. There are viable reasons not to go out for a run, but when you have a streak going, there is no room for excuses. None. Excuses are streak killers, so the longer your streak goes, the more mental capacity you have to ignore excuses and get your run done.
The last benefit for your mental toughness is getting back out for a run while you are still tired from a hard workout, or maybe even a race. Running while tired and sore is a part of run streaking if you plan to train for and participate in races. If you are content running 5 km a day and never racing, you likely won’t ever have to deal with this.
However, if you are, for example, training for a 100-mile race, you will know exactly what I mean the day after a race. While everyone else is at home, sitting on their couch and drinking beer, you have to get your run in. They may be at home relaxing and recovering like you’d prefer to be, but you are out increasing your mental toughness. This will help you greatly in the late stages of a race when your legs are dead tired and you just want to sit down and quit.
Sense of Achievement - Run streaking creates milestones to strive for that other runners will never experience. 30 days, 100 days, or even a full year of running are some of the goals that run streakers can aim for. There are also cumulative mileage goals to strive for, which can help keep running fresh even though you are doing it every day.
Cons
No Rest/Recovery Days - When I first began run streaking, I would have at least a couple of days a week of “down mileage.” Simply put, my minimum daily mileage was 5 km, so I would scatter a few of those in throughout the week.
As I’ve streaked for longer and longer, I find that I don’t need short recovery runs to fully recover, which I believe is one of the reasons that I can continue to move forward toward the end of a race when others are starting to struggle.
Injuries - I won’t lie and try to candy-coat it; injuries are going to happen, especially as you start to get into streaking. Knowing what I know now, most of the injuries I had in earlier run streaks were completely avoidable if I’d just taken some time off to rest.
However, there is a point in every streak where staying healthy takes the back seat to getting out for your run. Everyone starts off with a plan of “If something hurts, I’ll just stop running every day” and at a certain point, that plan switches to “I’ll just get today’s run in and then see how I feel.” It certainly isn’t the healthiest mindset, but it is a part of streaking, especially if you are training for a race while streaking. At some point, you may have to choose which is more important to you, and the answer may surprise you once you get to that point.
Gear and Nutrition - Since you’ll be running more mileage on a streak than you normally would, you’re going to go through gear and nutrition more quickly, which can get a bit more expensive. If you wear the same pair of running shoes every day, the foam in the soles never has a chance to fully bounce back to 100 percent before you are running in them again, which can cause them to wear out quicker. Rotating between at least two pairs of shoes can help to alleviate this issue, but it does require having multiple pairs of shoes at any given time.
Less Time For Life - Let’s be honest, these days it seems like everyone has less and less time to spend doing the things they want to do. Carving out the time every day to get your run in can seem daunting at first, but it does get easier with time. What you have to remember is that you don’t have to run long every single day. The technical definition of a run streak is 1 mile per day, so getting out for a single mile can keep your streak alive, and still allow you to enjoy the other things going on in your busy life.
Weather - If you live in a really cold or hot climate, keeping a streak alive can be tricky, but it is possible. As a Canadian, I have to run through some pretty miserable weather to keep my streak alive (or stay inside on a dreadmill), which isn’t always the most enjoyable thing to do. The main takeaway is that if you can run through rough weather conditions in training if they happen during a race, you are already used to running in them, while other runners may not be quite as prepared.
Quantity Over Quality - When you run every day, you do have to give up a little bit of the quality of your runs, just to keep up the daily quantity. If you are training to win a big race, starting a run steak may not be the best thing for your current training.
Psychological Pressure - The pressure of keeping a run streak alive, especially as it gets longer and longer, can be quite tough mentally. Missing a day and ending a streak can feel like you’re a failure, even if it was the right thing to do at the time. Before starting a streak, it’s a good idea to plan for what happens if you get hurt, sick, etc. These plans may change over time, so remember that they aren’t written in stone.
Run streaking is something every runner should try at some point, even if it is just for a week or two at a time. The things you’ll learn about yourself are incredible, and you may just fall in love with running daily as I have, and it can become a huge part of your life. There is something very special about lacing your running shoes up daily, while all your running buddies are at home, sitting on the couch watching TV.
