Today was the 31 first day in a row that I ran at least one mile. In the world of streak running, that’s nothing. The United States Streak Runners Association lists multiple people with streaks of over forty years. But for me, it’s been a challenge to get out there every day and run. It has also (I think) been a benefit.

In this past month, I’ve run 130 miles, averaging about 4 miles a day. All of those miles have been outside. I’ve resorted to running only one mile 6 times, and circled Prospect Park 16 times. The coldest day was 60 degrees and the hottest was 85. I’ve run in only two boroughs, and crossed only two bridges, but my easy runs have gotten a tad faster, I’ve gotten a tad thinner, and I’ve stayed sane through the stresses of life.

I know all the criticism of streaking – that running one mile provides no health benefit, that maintaining a streak can cause you to run when you really should be recovering, and that running everyday leads to burn out and injury. But so far, this little streak has been good for me. One day, I’m going to have a make decision to run while sick, or injured, and then I’ll consider whether or not this stupid little project is a good idea. But until then, I plan to get out there, every day, and get in some miles.

Here’s a short video of Rick Rayman, a Canadian dentist who has run every day for the last 35 years and finished hundred of marathons along the way.

I find the Rayman video strangely melancholic for being about a man with such interesting accomplishments. For something a bit more upbeat, here’s a great video I’ve shared before on Mark Covert ending his forty-five year streak.