On Memorial Day, I decided to participate in a Run Streak. The challenge was to run just one mile every day from Memorial Day through the 4th of July. As a new runner, I decided to change it up a bit. I knew that I needed my rest days between runs because one mile is still a lot for me. Instead, I planned to take Sophie for at least a one mile walk on those days. My intention was to do an Active Streak.
So how did I do?
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Memorial Day
2.5 mile run |
1 mile walk w/Sophie | 2 mile run | 1 mile walk w/Sophie | 1 mile walk w/dogs | 5k Race | 1.25 mile walk w/Sophie |
| 2.5 mile run | 1 hr Yoga class, 1/2 hr walk w/Sophie | 2 mile run | 1 m walk w/Sophie | 1 m walk w/Sophie | Dog Day 5k | |
| 3 mile run | 2 mile walk w/Sophie | 2.5 mile run | 3 mile run | 1.5 mile run, 1hr Yoga class | 3.5 mile run | |
| 2 mile run | 1 hr Zumba class | 2.5 mile run, 1 hr Yoga | 3.5 mile run | |||
| GOLF | 3 mile run | 2.75 mile run | 4 mile run | |||
| 4th of July
2.5 mile run |
So, I missed ten days. Not so hot, right?
I was about to input my reasons excuses why I didn’t even walk Sophie for one mile on those days or walk just one mile on the treadmill while watching TV. But those are just excuses and I did not want to validate them.
But here’s how I look at it:
- Since Sophie hadn’t truly been walked in ages, the one-mile Sophie walks helped in “training” her for the Dog Day 5k walk.
- I did make it 13 days into an Active Streak! I don’t think I’ve ever been active 13 days in a row before.
- I truly believe I worked out more days than I would have had I not done an Active Streak.
- The Active Streak kept me motivated to just get out there even when I was in a bad mood and didn’t want to do anything – i.e. the night before my 2nd 5k.
- The first time I broke the Active Streak, I decided that I wasn’t going to quit. On my next opportunity, I was going to make up for it by walking Sophie two miles instead.
Next time:
- I believe that the first time this challenge was offered, it was for the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas or Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. I think this is great because it is a busy time of year and it encouraged people to stay active when they normally put that piece aside. I plan to take this challenge again during that time, whether it is offered or not.
- I will have a plan of quick things to do so that I cannot make the excuses I did this time around.
- If I break the Active Streak, I will have a makeup plan determined in advance.
- I will keep detailed notes on days that I break the Active Streak so that I can re-evaluate better next time.
