Be A Streaker!

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A RUNNING CHALLENGE THIS SUMMER but want something other than training for a race (you do that the remainder of the year). Or, are you a walker wanting to get into running on a very low level to test your body’s ability to handle the extra impact? * Try streaking! It can take you beyond the summer if it's something that you decide to pursue further, even years into the future.
 
As stated on the official website of the Streak Runners International, Inc. and US Running Streak Association, Inc., a running streak is defined as the running of  “at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. Running may occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill.”
 
If you would like to have your name placed on the SRI/USRSA running streak list, you may apply for membership ($20), but your running streak won’t be listed “on either the active or retired running streak list until it has reached at least one year in duration.” The groups sell singlets and T-shirts through the website link www.clearlybranded.com/showrooms.htm.
 
The website also links to an article by member John Strumsky “Caution: The Dangers Of Streak Running”,  which defends the activity, provides an opinion on minimum fitness requirements, and offers advice on how to remain a healthy runner despite the absence of running breaks.
 
I also worried about the problem of not having a rest day while considering this challenge. However, since I often walk for pleasure on rest days, perform yard and house cleanup tasks, and walk briskly for hours when running errands (that’s why this term is used I think; it can be exhausting, like running), they aren’t completely restful. It appears that such non-running activity has not yet lead to injury, so perhaps running enjoyably slowly for a mile might be similar, and not harmful on days otherwise scheduled for REST.
 
It’s worth a try, I decided, and STARTED A STREAK on Mother’s Day.  My formula, for days when I have no other training run scheduled, is to get this “streak run” done in the very early mornings, just after rising. Since I perform passive stretching before getting out of bed most days, and I won’t need much dynamic stretching for a 1 mile run, all that’s needed is a quick cup of coffee before getting out the door. I can do MYRTL’s afterward. What if I forget the run and it’s bedtime? I have walked around and around the apartment/house to get 10K “steps” in this situation, so I’ll try to find some form of  “emergency” running tactic for such times.
 
*WALKERS: You should not transition abruptly from only walking to streak running; you must first build up a base of combined walking and running depending on your walking history. Each day you might alternate walking and running within the mile, progressing slowly to a point where you are able to run the full mile. After that, you could confine “full-run” days to every other day to prevent injury, for the suggested 6-month period (Strumsky article). You don’t need to run a mile every day to make a streak. You can walk/run a mile every day. Or walk a mile. You won’t be eligible to be listed by the ISR/USRSA, but what does that matter in the scheme of life? Start your own walk/run streak and EarnedRuns will list your name (after 1 year)!
 
RUN AND WALK HAPPY!
 
http://www.runeveryday.com/news/TheDangersofStreakRunning.htm
 
http://www.runeveryday.com/