The genesis

I started running last May as a challenge to myself. I had always said that I couldn't run, I had bad knees, it was boring, it was too hard, excuse, excuse, excuse. I also had no hobby I could call my own. I saw a 5k challenge and I decided to take it.

I surprised myself. In my first few weeks of training it became apparent I could do way more than I thought. I was able to run a mile. It was a slow mile but it was a mile nonetheless. From there I was able to build on a 1/2 mile per week and eventually a full mile per week. I still remember the first 3 miles I did. I was running straight into the wind and it was so long and so slow. But when I was done I was amazed at myself.

I had taken a 5k challenge and I hit the mileage months before the race. So I decided to sign up for a 10k instead. Doubling those three miles was a challenge. How could I do it? They same way I hit those first three miles, by adding on a mile a week.

The week I was supposed to run 5 miles was mentally a block, just not sure how I was going to do it, but because of a miscalculation on my part, I ended up doing 5.5 miles. Defeat and reward in the same run.  Six miles came the next week and then I rotated between 5-6 miles until my race.

My first race -a 10k was finished!

With some motivation from my aunt, a devout runner, my next race was a 10 miler. I trained the same way as before, adding a mile a week with rotation (6-7-8 miles then repeat and then 7-8-9 miles and repeat). I had mental block again at mile 8, thinking there was no way I could run 8 miles. But as always with mind over matter I finished those 8 miles and my second race a 10 miler was also finished!

The next three races I have planned are all a few months into the future and are all 10k's. This created a problem when I went out to run my long run. I had no more desire to run 8-9-10 miles. Mentally I had no reason to run that far, so physically my body didn't want to cooperate. Henceforth, I had to create new goals for myself.

I decided to focus on my 10k performance. I am going to chase a PR.

The same day, I also read an interesting article in Runner's World about holiday streaking. It was decided. This is how I would train for my upcoming 10k's. By streaking. I decided to run everyday from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day- 35 straight days of running. This is challenging because I only run three to maybe four (on the rarest occasions) times a week. Now I will have to run everyday, as much as I want, but at least one mile per day.

I am so excited. I cannot wait for this streak. I am so excited, I decided to blog my progress of this streak. And if I love streaking, I will pick a new set of dates and streak again. No commitment and and no promises.  Like all my running, I'll streak one mile at a time.