Streaking

When I say I have been swimming for thirty years, I mean I joined a team in 1982 and have continued to practice and compete.  I don't mean I have swum every day for the last 10,950 days.  I had no idea that when some people say they have been running for 30 years, they mean it literally, as I learned from the official group called the United States Running Streak Association.

Here is their definition.

The official definition of a running streak, as adopted by the Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc., is to run at least one continuous mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day under one's own body power (without the utilization of any type of health or mechanical aid other than prosthetic devices). 

Running under one's own body power can occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill. Running cannot occur through the use of canes, crutches or banisters, or reliance on pools or aquatic devices to create artificial buoyancy.

When David and I were on vacation last month I was catching up with my Runner's World and read about a challenge to run at least one mile every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Even though I had run on Thanksgiving (Thursday), I had gone swimming on Friday.  I decided since I was reading it Saturday that just this once I could give myself credit and swap the days.  I ran a mile when we got home Saturday evening and my running streak began.

I have stuck with the streak and have now run fifteen consecutive days.  I am pleased to say that I have not had any ill effects, but unfortunately I have not noticed any benefits, either.  I am trying to stick with it and enjoy it, but not become obsessed, which I could see myself doing.  Would I be like the person who ran with his daughter pushing the IV pole?  You can read more at the runeveryday.com site.