It is obsessive/compulsive behavior. Some people use behaviors like this to keep their anxiety in check. A running streak is a relatively harmless obsession, as long as it doesn't interfere with relationships or health. It's not something I'm interested in.
well..... wrote:
It is obsessive/compulsive behavior. Some people use behaviors like this to keep their anxiety in check. A running streak is a relatively harmless obsession, as long as it doesn't interfere with relationships or health. It's not something I'm interested in.
You are wrong.
But if you are not interested in it, why did you comment? ;)
FWIW saying you don't discuss it with anyone and then going on about it to strangers kind of counts.
OCD Baby wrote:
These people are classified as highly functioning, yet completely obsessive compulsive.
One mile is not a "run". The "rule" should be at least 5 miles. THAT would be impressive. Anyone can hobble along for a mile, even if they're sick, post op, in grad school, have a family, or any of the other situations in life that dictate a day off is a good thing, not something to be avoided.
Just so happens I did a streak of 81 days in a row from April-June 2016. Each run at least 5 miles (most of them were exactly that) and each done under a 9:00 pace (my MP is around 8:00). Wasn't anything that I planned, just something that happened.
Know that many wouldn't count that as anything significant but it's one of only two times I ever ran more than a couple of weeks ago - once before I had run 44 days in a row (no time standards that time) that ended when a Tropical Storm came into NYC and it rained literally all day (I was trying to get to 50 days).
The good thing about my 81 day streak is it led to me eventually doing my first races in 18 years.
couple of weeks ago should have read "couple of weeks in a row"
My streaks include the following
4 years and 3 months of at least 2 miles every day.
Ran one particular 10k 10 years in a row.
Put 3,092 miles on a pair of Hoka Bondi
Have the same savings account for 46 years.
Used 8,967 unique users names on letsrun message board
Angus of Homewood wrote:
Every Day Heroes wrote:
Streaking is good. Streaking for the sake of streaking is not so good.
Honest question. Is there a reason, other than “for the sake of streaking”, that you can imagine for maintaining a streak?
Absolutely. Before my current streak I had an 11 year long one from Oct., 1974 to Nov., 1985. In that time I took my marathon from 4:34 to 2:35. The 4:34 was a big disappointment because I thought I'd trained better and should have been a good bit faster. But checking my diary showed a lot of missed days. I hadn't trained as much as I'd thought and knew i needed to work on consistency. I was generally good at doing that but I got to a time when it looked like lack of consistency was going to be a problem again. I decided that if I could run every day for a year I'd have burned consistency into my new life's routine and wouldn't need a gimmick like a streak to be consistent.
It was less difficult to run every day than I'd thought and as the year was coming to an end I decided that the day off I'd planned once the year was up wasn't something I needed or wanted and I'd put it off until I really had a day I didn't want to run. That went on long enough that I decided to go for two years. At the end of the second year the same thing happened, I put off the off day long enough that I decided to do three years.
Somewhere along the line I noticed that I no longer had the mental battle about going to run in really adverse conditions, heat waves, big snow or ice storms, etc. I noticed that I got over injuries and illnesses more quickly than I'd done in my pre streak years. So as the end of the third year approached I thought that having a streak had made me a better runner so I stopped thinking about when I'd stop it.
Easy Peasy wrote:
HRE wrote:
These sorts of threads fascinate me because I cannot begin to figure out why people care if another person runs for years without missing a day or not.
Because our culture celebrates it like it's some amazing feat, that's why people care. If people were streakers and just kept it to themselves, then sure, shouldn't be an issue we discuss. The point of this thread is to point out that it's...not something society should be discussing.
Just here to point out the bolded section. No better way to stop society from discussing something than to heatedly discuss it, eh?
oats, milk, molasses uncooked. Yummy wrote:
quickndirty wrote:
It's something you could do with about anything. You could try to eat the same thing every day, or wear the same clothes, whatever.
OMG THAT'S ME! I confess I eat the same thing for breakfast every day.
I'm an oat streaker.
Fellow oat streaker here. Going on 10 years, no joke. Love 'em.
I don't get it with streaking.
Running the day after a marathon probably is't that much worse than those easy runs during peak training when you're really tired from high training density. I just wouldn't do it due to the mental side of running. It's mentally tough to train for 3-4 months straight for a big race. I want the mental break of not running at all every once in a while.
I am a 30 year runner. I am currently on a streak with self imposed rules of a least 1 mile per day within 150% of my mile PR, and I have to average 5k per day over the length of the streak. Because of a spinal condition and other genetic factors, I will never run fast and I will never run very far. I will never do anything traditionally great as a runner. However, I have incredible will power, so I can do a streak. It is the only way I can do something of note involving the sport I love. I only do it for me. My wife doesn't know about it and neither do my kids. I only mention it here because I can stay anonymous. When the streak ends, and of course they all do, I will not mention that it ever happened, but it will have given me the personal satisfaction of knowing that I was able to accomplish something.
I'm really baffled by this kind of obsession. Streakers would run when they have cold. When they have cast on their broken leg. They won't travel because what if you have a 20-hour flight with 2 short connections, when do you run? I'm not even talking about multi-day train trips, that's not common anymore in 21th century. And all that for an achievement of no value at all.
hj53 wrote:
I'm really baffled by this kind of obsession. Streakers would run when they have cold. When they have cast on their broken leg. They won't travel because what if you have a 20-hour flight with 2 short connections, when do you run? I'm not even talking about multi-day train trips, that's not common anymore in 21th century. And all that for an achievement of no value at all.
That highlighted bit made me laugh.
It's like you know us all! Only you don't. ;)
I once traveled non-stop from 8 p.m. one day to 11.15 p.m. the next day when I got to my hotel room. I changed and went for a half hour run.
If my last train connection had been 45 minutes late my streak would have been interrupted. So what? No problem. I would start again the next day. The benefits I derive from it would be there again.
And once again, the value may exist for the individual. I guess you chose to remain misinformed and stick to your preconceived ideas instead of taking the time to read what people have written on this thread.
but you'll deny it wrote:
FWIW saying you don't discuss it with anyone and then going on about it to strangers kind of counts.
Kind of. But like I said in my first post, I am not even using my registered handle so does it really count?
And I find one thing in common with the other people on streaks (or who have had one/more) that have posted here so far. Zero bragging.
hj53 wrote:
I'm really baffled by this kind of obsession. Streakers would run when they have cold. When they have cast on their broken leg. They won't travel because what if you have a 20-hour flight with 2 short connections, when do you run? I'm not even talking about multi-day train trips, that's not common anymore in 21th century. And all that for an achievement of no value at all.
And I'm really baffled by this kind of thinking, as I've mentioned before. Are you talking about people you actually know? Do you think ONLY streakers run with a cold? I've seen kids play baseball when they were wearing casts so it's not only streakers who are active when in a cast. I've travelled to Australia and New Zealand. Ron Hill travelled all over the world during his streak. Where are you getting this stuff?
Interesting story.
Thanks.
I am somewhat slower than you were, but in 3 years, I have averaged 4000k/year with several PRs on the 3 distances I care about (10k, half, marathon) and I am currently in the best shape in my life even though I should have peaked years ago.
When it all started, I did not know the streak would make me a better runner. Maybe I could be slightly faster if I took one day off when I have pain, but overall, I am a much better runner than when I trained less. The streak helped me to discover that I have an above-average strength and that I am mentally tougher than most believe.
When I began, I had death thoughts. I then came to the conclusion that as long as I can run, I can fight for a better life. I still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to non-running activities, but I am alive and I don't give up easily.
Anonymously.
Nice story HRE! wrote:
I am somewhat slower than you were, but in 3 years, I have averaged 4000k/year with several PRs on the 3 distances I care about (10k, half, marathon) and I am currently in the best shape in my life even though I should have peaked years ago.
When it all started, I did not know the streak would make me a better runner. Maybe I could be slightly faster if I took one day off when I have pain, but overall, I am a much better runner than when I trained less. The streak helped me to discover that I have an above-average strength and that I am mentally tougher than most believe.
When I began, I had death thoughts. I then came to the conclusion that as long as I can run, I can fight for a better life. I still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to non-running activities, but I am alive and I don't give up easily.
Anonymously.
Thank you for this post.
I'm really glad things improved for you. I think running has made every part of my life better. I hope the same holds true for you.
Attention seekers not good enough for serious races (neither for ultras).