Challenge reward calendar. A sticker was put on the calendar after each daily run.
Back in November on one of my rest days I curled up on the couch with an issue of Runner’s World. Still grappling with the idea that I didn’t really “qualify” as a runner who could gain much from such a professionally focused magazine I browsed the pages with little hope of finding a tidbit I could use. Then I came across a column titled “A Season to Streak: Run every day during the holidays? Bah-humbug. I mean…okay!” by Marc Parent.
As I read through the story I became more and more intrigued. The author had a neighbor who had committed to running every day for 21 years. He describes examples of everything he has run through including blizzards, rain, the flu, and even a stint of running a mile around the deck of a sailboat at sea! I was impressed. The remainder of the article challenged the reader to consider taking on the holiday challenge of running everyday from Thanksgiving through New Years. Hmmmm…now this totally tapped into my new found sense of goal setting. I could do this!
I had already signed up for a five mile turkey trot on Thanksgiving, this offered a great start. I only had one other race I had signed up for, The Winter Classic at the Asgard in Cambridge, which was originally going to be my last race before taking a break before the New Year. I decided then and there to re-tool my running plan. I was going to take on this Challenge!
I ran everyday…at least one mile and some days it was just a mile. I allowed myself to run indoors on a treadmill at the YMCA. Some days it was too dark to run safely outside so the Y offered the perfect solution for keeping up with my goal safely. There were two days where it was too late for the Y, for those two days that I ran in the dark (one at 4am; another at 9pm) I wore a headlamp and wore a reflective jacket. Those were two of the days were one mile was my limit.
I learned some good stuff by doing this challenge. I learned that no matter what if running is a priority you can find time and ways to fit it in; everyday. I also learned that even when you want to give up and the last thing you want to do is run if you get out there and do it you are happier than if you had blown it off. I also learned the most important lesson…your body really does need a break.
While I am proud of myself for completing this challenge I am really looking forward to a few days of rest and then beginning a very sensible training schedule for my first half marathon of 2014–The Hyannis Half Marathon on Feb 23.