Running and happiness go hand in hand

I Ran Every Day for 8 Months

What a running streak is and what it might do for you

These shoes are too pretty to ruin on a streak | Image

James Bellerjeau

Every runner who’s worn out at least one pair of shoes recognizes the siren song of more.

As in, “If 5K is good, then 10K is better. And if 10K is good, a half marathon is better.” And so on, until you one day find yourself daydreaming about ultramarathons that span mountain ranges.

In some ways, the descent into obsession is understandable. I don’t need to convince, let alone explain to, anyone reading here. You’re either a runner or you’re not.

If you run for long enough (let’s say you’ve worn out many pairs of shoes), you’re likely to encounter a particular subset of obsessives: the streaker.

For streakers, it’s not the distance so much as the doing that becomes the goal. At the entry level, one runs a kilometer a day every day for some period. At the advanced levels … well, let’s just say there is no limit.

What constitutes a proper running streak?

Simply put, it’s run every day or go do something else.

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