The Rundown -- Thoughts on The 39-Day Streak

Hello all! V here again. Well, we did it. M and I made it through 39 days straight of running -- through heat, wind, rain, chill, on treadmills, separately, together, with a bear, through refinery fumes, one port-a-potty stop, one time after a margarita, early in the morning, sometimes at night, sometimes right before midnight, on vacations, through the woods, during 5K personal-best times, during legs-like-lead times, and even as part of a 3,000-mile cross country relay.

I'm reflecting on completing the 39 days, and I realize that there were positives and negatives to undertaking the endeavor. On the pro side, this was a great way to build up a solid mileage base. Obviously, it forced me to be consistent. I also am a lot better about just getting outside and getting a run done -- the streak made me cut back on procrastination in that I learned to be ALWAYS ready to run. My gear was always ready, and running every day helped ensure I didn't misplace the things I need to get out the door (headphones, gum, armband, shoes, socks, CLEAN running clothes). I can also take photos while "on the run," which I'm sure will be a valuable skill someday -- say if I'm being chased by a giraffe while on safari somewhere. I also am glad to have run so often because it gave me a chance to explore new areas in which to run, rather than just doing the same-old, same-old path. A new location definitely keeps me engaged while running.

Negatively, I didn't really have time to actually "work" on things I wanted to. Speed work and hill work pretty much went out the window because I didn't have adequate time to recover from them. Those are two key elements to getting faster in a 5K, and while my 5K time improved, it didn't go down by that much from the Memorial Day race (21:59) to the July 4 race (21:38). I'm not complaining about going deeper into the 21's though, mind you! It was also hard to deal with injury and soreness that arose. The metatarsal pain I experienced about midway through the streak finally did go away, but I really had to baby my foot and discontinue wearing any kind of heeled shoe (I still haven't worn heels since June 12) and I used a foot pad for a week or so. Not streaking might have fixed that sooner, but it did give me an opportunity to be more OK with running through pain. I learned that I have to maintain my muscles better between runs, as well. The Stick became my friend -- otherwise my calves were like rocks for the first 2 miles of every outing.

The summer run streak was a great learning experience, and I'm really glad to have taken it on and accomplished it. That being said, I'm really looking forward to my 14-week marathon training program, which has both massage and rest days built in! I'm also looking forward to NOT making a collage every. single. day. Thank you for bearing with us through this streak, and here's to more fun runs and interesting blog posts to share with you to come!

On Day 40, I rested with a whole-wheat English muffin, Biscoff spread (jars of it were given away at Day 39's Starr Spangled 5K,) and watched "Million Dollar Baby." I'm back on the run tomorrow!

The Dish on the Donut Dash ... Plus: Recap on National Running Day and The Streak

Taking off for National Running Day.

 Hey there everyone! We hope you all had a great National Running Day -- we sure did at the I RUN event at Fossil Park. A great group of runners turned out for what ended up being a 4.4 mile race/fun run/walk. 

Pleased to report that your Sole Sisters did well on the day, with V taking 2nd in age group and M just steps behind, with a 31:35 and 31:40 respectively, finishing 15th and 16th overall. 

The course was through Fossil Park, then Sylvan Prairie Park, two trails that we were unfamiliar with before the race. We'll be back! Both areas were nicely maintained, wide enough to accommodate a crowd, well-marked, and even had a few rises to make it challenging and keep it from being pancake-flat. Speaking of food ... 

Here's the dish on the Donut Dash we have planned for National Donut Day!  If you didn't know, National Donut Day falls on the first Friday of June, and this holiday dates to 1938. What is now known as Donut Day started as a fund-raiser to benefit the Salvation Army in Chicago. The fund-raiser aimed to both aid those in need during the Great Depression and honor the memory of the "Doughnut Dollies," who were female volunteers of the Salvation Army who traveled to France in 1918 to support U.S. soldiers stationed there. These "Lassies" were sent to France after a Salvation Army mission trip concluded that soldiers were in need of several amenities, such as writing supplies, stamps, and baked goods. About 250 such Salvation Army volunteers went to France and patriotically served pastries to U.S. doughboys on the front lines.

We too wish to honor that service and also just celebrate the fact that doughnuts are so darn good! So, we are holding our own Donut Dash to mark the holiday.  Here's the skinny: 
We're going to run a 5k, and every half mile, we have to eat one glazed doughnut. M suggested perhaps we have milk at each half-mile mark as well to wash it down, but that idea was quickly vetoed by me, as I am somewhat-lactose sensitive (ever try to drink a glass of milk before a run? Oh, no thank you). One of the neat things about National Donut Day is that many doughnut establishments give out free doughnuts to celebrate! Here's a list of places where you can score some free fritters: FREE DOUGHNUTS!!

Glazed doughnuts seem like the best choice for us, especially over heavy Bavarian cream-filled longjohns or sugary raspberry-filled jelly doughnuts. Even though we're running during this 5k, we're still going to come out on the bad end calorically speaking. A single glazed doughnut runs about 200 calories. If we successfully consume one every half mile, that's six over the course of the 5K. That puts us at 1,200 calories in doughnuts. I think I just developed a twitch as I typed that number. Our height and weight differences put M and I at different calories burned during a 5K, but you could average it out to about 325 or so calories for the 3 miles. Oh, dear. This is turning into less like a 5K and more like a competitive eating event. Perhaps I can persuade Joey "Jaws" Chestnut or Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas to come and make this a relay event so I only have to consume one sugary treat (which, on any other day, is the max doughnuts I ever eat. And that's maybe once every three months or so).  Anyhow, we will definitely be testing our intestinal fortitude in every conceivable sense of the word. 

We're also happy to report that the streak does live on! Day 11 and still going strong. I managed to just squeak out a mile and call it a rest day. This was my first streak day done on the treadmill, and I still don't like running on the treadmill. But, Sole Child Nick was watching "Identity Thief" so I got to watch it with him in the living room, while running.  

And a Sole Sister shoutout to Allan Detrich, who continues to both streak AND knock down his mile time! In one week, he has whittled his mile time by an entire minute. Fan-freaking-tastic, Allan! Debbie in Delaware is still streaking AND cross training, Sara in Cincinnati is racking up her streaking time, and so is Jodi in Bowling Green. Who am I missing? Weigh in! 


M got her streak day in with runner friend Tyler -- she clocked 2 miles in 21:42, with the second mile a scorcher at 6:58. Nice, sis! 

Before we go, here are a few more fun shots from National Running Day! How did you celebrate? 

We'll let you know if we had the guts to stomach our inaugural Donut Day Dash! Stay tuned...

HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!! Plus: Gone Streaking -- The Day 9 Recap

 Happy National Running Day everyone! We're so excited to celebrate our national holiday with all of you in spirit when we hit the road today. The holiday poses a single fill-in-the blank phrase for us: "I RUN ____" making us consider just why it is we opt to lace up our shoes and go outside or hit the treadmill. Why DO we do this? For us Sole Sisters, we have a list as long as our arms (that doesn't necessarily mean V's list is shorter and M's is longer, mind you...), so it's hard to distill it to one pithy little phrase.  So today, we run for all the reasons we already know, and for the reasons we've yet to find out -- for the truths about ourselves and each other that will reveal themselves out on the wooded trails, the sweaty dreadmill treadmills, the open roads, the long stretches of beach sand, the hard mountain paths, and beyond. Thanks for being along for the journey, runner friends. Here's to hoping your path brings you peace and truth, health and happiness.

AND  we are happy to say ... THE STREAK IS STILL ALIVE! M picks up where we last left off:

OK, so V and I made the mutual decision last night to sleep instead of blog!  This was probably one of the BEST decisions she and I have made in awhile ... Well, aside from deciding on how we are going to celebrate National Donut Day (stay tuned).

Yesterday was Day 9 of our streak and we are right on track!  I must say, this is the FIRST time that either of us have ran this many days in a row!  It was another beautiful day here in the Midwest and we both took full advantage of what Mother Nature had to offer!

I was able to get another 5 miles in right around sunset at a 7:38 pace.  Like I said, the weather has been amazing, so I wanted to soak it in!

As you can see in my pic, I horsed around with the kids on the swing set!  Those rings are no joke... A few flips and holding myself upside down and my arms were feeling it.  V says I am like a big kid and I will agree 100%!!  Once I was inside, I pumped out some push-ups and sit-ups for good measure.  Overall, a fantastic workout!!

Lastly, I need to mention to all you readers that I am officially registered for the Detroit Free Press Marathon that takes place on October 20th of this year.  This will be my fourth year running this race and my goal is to PR.  Not that me registering for Detroit is a newsflash, but what I am about to tell you next definitely is... My husband, who half the time is unwilling to run a 5k unless I threaten him with violence, has decided to run the half-marathon course that Detroit offers!! I am beyond excited about this! He will have to be dedicated to a training program, but I have confidence he can do it! If anything, I know some seriously good blog material will stem from this!

Have a great day all and remember, today is National Running Day!  Get out there and get some miles in!!

 Hey all! V here. Yep, Day 9 was a good one for me as well. I had told Coach B that I'm just going to head out for 1 ... and he said "whatever; there's no way you're just going to run a mile." Well, isn't he just the wise one. It was a gorgeous day and so, no, there was no way just a mile would do, so I stretched it out to a 5k to take advantage of the cooler temps and brilliant sunshine. Sometimes you just have to run what you feel -- some days it's best to slow down or stop if you're hurt, and some days if you're feeling good you should *ahem, pardon ME Nike* just do it. You need to learn to read the signs as a runner.

And that's what the signs were telling me on Day 9. M and I will get to run Day 10 together during the National Running Day event in Sylvania, so we'll keep you posted on that as well. Plus ... big doings are being planned for National Donut Day on Friday. We'll keep you posted.

Plus: School is OUT for the summer! So, we hope to get our Sole Children involved in the running world as well. As you can see, my whole sole family is thrilled that school is out:

Celebratory dinner marking the end of school. I think everyone got a little stir crazy.

Have fun out there, everyone!!

Also: happy to report that the streak is still going strong for Sara near Cincy and Debbie in Delaware. We have a few more jumping on the streak too -- let us know how you're doing out there!
Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. -- V

CELEBRATION TIME!! National Running Day is Wednesday, June 5

Wednesday, June 5 is a holiday. No banks will close, mail will still be delivered, and if your trash is normally picked up on a Wednesday, you won't experience an interruption in service. No banquet is planned, and probably no presents will be exchanged. What is it, exactly, that we are celebrating, then? Well, if you didn't know, the first Wednesday in June is National Running Day, and has been for going on five years now. 

In 2009, some of the nation's top running groups came together and started National Running Day. These groups included the Atlanta Track Club, Twin Cities In Motion, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Boston Athletic Association, Chicago Area Runners Association, Competitor Group, Chevron Houston Marathon Little Rock Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, New York Road Runners, Oregon Track Club, Running USA, and USA Track & Field. The specific purpose of the day is to get people inspired to go running in many different ways such as becoming committing to a new training plan or just by heading out on to run with a group of friends who share the same passion.

If this is the first you are hearing about it, don't feel bad -- I myself didn't know until I spotted a flyer a month or so ago inviting people to register for I RUN ... National Running Day 4.09 Mile. Initially, I was just excited that there was going to be a run on a Wednesday night, one of my usual days off from work. Then, curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know just why there is a National Running Day and when it began. What are the traditions? Do we leave our running shoes outside our doors the night before and hope that we wake to them filled with Shot Bloks and GU? Do we leave Honey Stinger Waffles and coconut water out for a svelte St. Nick (Nick Symmonds, perhaps) who runs from house to house, eschewing the aid of magic reindeer? 

While you COULD choose to do any of those things, National Running Day is an event that encourages community unity through running as well as just providing a day when runners can express their passion for the sport. Group runs are planned across the country, as are some events where runners help out charities. There are more than 200 runs and events planned in cities across the United States and Canada in 2013. 

Locally, the Toledo Roadrunners Club is holding the I RUN ... National Running Day 4.09 Mile race/run/walk Wednesday night. The event will be at Fossil Park in Sylvania (5675 Centennial Road), with registration opening at 5:30 and the race/run/walk kicking off at 6:45.  If you haven't pre-registered, the race-day fee is $10 (and sorry, but you've missed out on the shirt).  The course is described at an accurate 4.09 mile course within Fossil and Sylvan Prairie parks, with miles marked and one water stop. Awards will be given to the overall and masters males and females. The 1st 250 finishers will receive an "I RUN ... National Running Day Finisher -- REMEMBER BOSTON" car magnet. Any money made by the race will be sent as a donation to onefundboston.org. Sports drink, water, and fruit will be available at the end.  This sounds like a great way to come out and celebrate your love of running while making and hanging with friends in the process. I know I'm really looking forward to it. 

How cool is it that runners have their own holiday? You don't hear of Happy Football Players Day, or Merry Lacrosse Week -- that would just be weird. But it seems totally fitting that runners have their own holiday -- we are kind of a wacky, weird collection of people, and I think we deserve to be celebrated and to celebrate our sport, our passion, our way of life. If you can't make it to the local event, there are still ways you can keep the spirit of the holiday alive. The National Running Day web site suggests: 

1. Declare your passion: People run for millions of reasons and we want to know yours! Head to www.runningday.org and let the nation know why you run, be it raising money for charity, keeping your waistline in check, or getting to that bagel at the 5K finish line.
2. Bring a “runway” to work: Swap your loafers and heels for sneakers and you’ll be dressed to the nines for National Running Day. Your feet will thank you for it, and it will be that much easier to step out for a short jog during lunch or on your way home from work.
3. Morph your friends into running fiends: Friends don’t let friends just walk on National Running Day! Invite a pal or two — the more the merrier — to hit the road with you. They’ll be hooked in no time!
4. Change “Happy Hour” to “Running Hour”: Shake things up by adding a run to your post-work plans. Head out at 5 p.m. with some co-workers and relax over miles instead of cocktails.
5. Strike new ground: Seize the day and take the road you’ve never traveled. Who knows? You might find a new favorite running path to spice up your summer.
6. Give the gift of running: Donate to organizations that use running to make a difference in people’s lives like Back on my Feet or Achilles International. backonmyfeet.org   achillesinternational.org
7. Making running run in the family: They have your eyes, but what about your endurance? Leave the bikes and baseball bats in the garage and run around the neighborhood with the kids. Keep things interesting with a short race to see who is the fastest.
8. Choose a running resolution: Kick off a new fitness goal on National Running Day. It can be anything, including adding five minutes to your next run, running a new distance or signing up for a road race.
9. Take advantage of the great outdoors: Running outside beats spending all your time on the treadmill. Step out the front door and away from the gym to take in a bit of nature during your afternoon run.
10. Treat yourself like a champion: Set yourself up for success by indulging in your favorite post-run snack, sporting your lucky T-shirt or helping your feet to a new pair of sneakers.

New York Road Runners CEO Mary Wittenberg also notes that, “This year, runners told us they wanted to use National Running Day as a way to show support for the victims of the Boston bombings, so we’ve made special ribbons and bibs for events across the country. Runners can also donate to The One Fund Boston through the National Running Day website.”

So have fun and celebrate being a runner during National Running Day! Log those miles, smile those smiles. And remember: National Donut Day falls just two days later (always the first Friday in June), so run enough to make some room to celebrate that as well!  

Have fun out there, fellow runners!  -- Sole Sister V.