I recently read about someone doing a 50 day running streak and posting 50 things they learned. Great list! Number 1 and 3 & 4 are especially true for me. Here’s the start. Link to the rest is below.
50 things I’ve learned during my 50-day running streak
by Matt Frazier
1. I finally understand those “Running is Cheaper than Therapy” t-shirts. The difference in my mood before and after my run is so noticeable that my wife has several times suggested (on certain, grumpy mornings) that I make today an early run day. And rightly so.
2. You can dramatically lower your breath rate (and as a result, your heart rate) if you learn to breathe through your nose and focus on taking more steps per breath.
3. If you don’t have the same trigger for your run every day (waking up, lunchtime, etc.), it’s easy to forget, and find yourself running at dusk to keep the streak going.
4. On that note, running hills right after dinner is a terrible idea.
5. You can go from zero motivation to full-on, can’t-think-about-anything-else mode in only two weeks or so. The key, for me, was inspiring reading and using the tools of habit change to get started.
6. The 10% rule really doesn’t matter much.
7. Hiking up hills can be a much better exercise than struggling to run up them, especially if you’re training for a trail race where you’ll have to hike.
49. A daily run is the perfect trigger for a quick set of pushups, situps, pullups, or whatever you choose. These things are so easy to do, and so easy not to do. Running every day has helped me to remember to do them.
50. This has been way too good, for both my body and mind, to stop at 50 days. I guess it’s 100 or bust!
41 more at this link: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/50-lessons-running-streak
Thanks Matt for these insights!
In the Shadow of the Rockies 