Committing to streak opens runner up to races she wouldn't have otherwise done

By Lauren MacDonald

All throughout the month of January, I have been streaking! Run streaking that is. In the name of consistency (my New Year’s resolution for the year), I decided to go streaking during January. But now that we’re at the end, I’m not ready to be done!

I’ve gotten a lot out of committing to running every day for the last 30-plus days. But my favorite thing has been celebrating the runs I wouldn’t have done. We all know what it feels like when we should run, but the weather is bad, we’re really tired, or we’re too busy. There are always a million reasons not to run, but for me, I just needed one reason to get out that door.

If it weren’t for my determination to not break my streak, here are a few of the runs I wouldn’t have done:

Jan. 17: It was cold this day, but it wasn’t just cold, it was also freezing rain. On top of that, I had a lot to do, I was tired and … and… and. I was already making excuses in my head that day when I woke up and saw the weather. A hectic workday with many projects didn’t make it better, but then I took a look at my running planner and realized this would be day 20. I took a deep breath, put on a couple layers and laced up my shoes. By the end, I was smiling (even though I was chilled). I had my grandma snap a photo as proof. And believe it or not, that quick break to get in my requisite mile, actually invigorated me, instead of becoming a distraction from my work projects.

Chilly Chili 5K: Once upon a time, I was fast. Now I don’t mean “sponsored runner,” “Olympian” fast. I mean “win your age group at most local races” fast. But as my mileage (and speed work) decreased, my “fast”-ness has kind of disappeared. Since I was once a proud fast age-group winner, it’s been some time since I ran in a local race. However, in the past month, I have logged most of my miles by myself, and occasionally accompanied by my favorite running partner–also known as Dad. So when he mentioned that the Chilly Chili race was coming up, I thought it might be time to swallow my pride and go race, even if I wasn’t in “racing shape." It turned out to be a beautiful day and adding a little bit of speed to my routine helped me break out of my rut. Plus, there was ice cream (and chili) at the end!

Sometimes just getting out the door is the hardest part!

What about you? Have you been streaking this year? If so, post a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #3run5streak to join the fun and celebrate the runs you wouldn’t have done!