Mark Covert takes a day off from running, the First one since 1968!!!!!

Can I just say how bizarre it is that most people praise this streak as a great thing. Truth is, while it garners respect for the achievement it is, and the footnote it will receive in the Guinness Book of Records, it's not something to EVER aspire to achieve. It's an addiction, his addiction. Taking time off will be healthy for Mark both physically and mentally.

Nice to know that you know more about the lives of people like Covert and Hill than they do.

HRE wrote:

Nice to know that you know more about the lives of people like Covert and Hill than they do.

It's difficult to argue that "running" a mile with a plaster cast on your foot is healthy pursuit that is in any way advancing fitness.

Although neither of these streaks represent the most effective way to train, they are incredible accomplishments. I wish Mr. Covert a quick a complete recovery from his injury.

It's also hard to argue that someone who started training and racing in the 1950s and has done it continuously ever since doesn't know what he's doing.

I don't claim to know anything about their personal lives. But I do know this much: the compelling urge to do anything repeatedly is an addiction, pure and simple. Am I addicted to running, yes, but not every single day, and not when a strained calf could cause me to not be able to enjoy my running.

The difference is, I'm addicted to not letting running 'rule' my life.

Do I respect their streaks? Yes

Do I think it's their choice? Yes

Do I think it's an addiction? Yes

Do I think it's cool? Not really. I feel the same way about streaks as I do about ultra-marathoners. I think it's good for them, but not for me. And it becomes not so much about the running and more about saying, "I ran today" or "I ran 36 miles today."

RunnerManTrackFan wrote:

The difference is, I'm addicted to not letting running 'rule' my life.

Do I respect their streaks? Yes

Do I think it's their choice? Yes

Do I think it's an addiction? Yes

Do I think it's cool? Not really. I feel the same way about streaks as I do about ultra-marathoners. I think it's good for them, but not for me. And it becomes not so much about the running and more about saying, "I ran today" or "I ran 36 miles today."

Totally agree. I respect it because they are the ultimate "nuts", although I'm not convinced it is healthy (mentally or physically).

There was one guy who was hospitalized and mapped a mile out in the hospital and took an IV pole with him to "run" his mile to keep his streak alive. IIRC, one of his doctors didn't want him to do it, but another one allowed it (he had just had some kind of surgery).

Speaking of streaks does anyone know what Wetmore is at now? If it is still alive it must be getting up there.

First of all, you claim the running streak is both their choice and an addiction. Addicts are generally considered not to have a choice in terms of indulging their addiction or not, so that's contradictory.

But no matter. Having spent considerable time in the mental health field and dealing with the concept of addiction, I'll tell you that simply doing something every day does not qualify as an addiction. People watch TV every day, surf the internet, play a guitar, ride a bike, read a newspaper, largely because they want to. A major determinant of whether something might be an addiction is whether or not the person could stop doing what they're doing if they were sufficiently motivated to and really, that's very hard for another party to determine.

If you move into the area where someone does something when they really don't want to but have some reason why they force themselves to do the thing anyway you MAY be moving into the area of compulsion but that still is not addiction AND without knowing more about the specifics of the situation you still cannot make a definitive definition.

Hill has always maintained that he wants to run each day even if he's far from being in top physical form. Covert said his run is something he gets to do, not something he has to do. Yes, each could be lying but if you're really looking for some sort of psychopathology you have to deal with the information you're presented rather than information you've fabricated to fit your argument.

He should celebrate the end of the streak by going for a run.

J.R. wrote:

He should celebrate the end of the streak by going for a run.

There you go!

There's a section in Lore of Running that talks about how running almost always isn't an addiction. I tend to agree.

And this is "newsworthy."

Just like the people who run 50 marathons in a year. Meh.

I have run 246 days in a row and am probably going to take a day off this week. Being almost 56YO, its burning me out. Ran a 3:17 marathon and 31:54 for 5 miles in 2013(last year 3:07 and 30:43). As you get older, these streaks and good health are harder to maintain. I had 242 out of 244 last year with 2 days off only before major races before getting injured.

IMHO, running streaks are to be respected. For me, if I take a day off my program becomes at risk of going down the drain. Yes running and running streaks can be an addiction of sorts, like many other things. At least this is a relatively healthy addiction......compared to most.

With all respect to Mark Covert, Robert "Raven" Kraft has an amazing streak of his own: 35 years; 8 miles a day; same run at the same place- every day:

http://ravenrun.net/

Makes vacations kind of difficult (or short).

Actually, the streak began on January 1, 1975. 38+ years. Always 8 miles.

Mark has made the front page of Yahoo.

http://news.yahoo.com/cal-ripken-of-running-to-end-record-45-year-streak-195359243.html

theohiostate wrote:

With all respect to Mark Covert, Robert "Raven" Kraft has an amazing streak of his own: 35 years; 8 miles a day; same run at the same place- every day:

http://ravenrun.net/

That is awesome. Very inspiring. Thanks for posting the link.

A poignant comment, "but now, I fear for that."

Mods: Could you please restore the 'Most 100 mile weeks in a row?' thread. It talks about Covert but I cannot access it (possibly deleted now)?