4 Powerful Lessons from My 30-Day Run Streak

On March 5th, 2022, I decided I was going to start a run streak, meaning I was going to run 1 mile every day for the foreseeable future.

I was tired of telling myself, “Maybe I’ll go on a run later today.”  Or, “Maybe I’ll go for a jog tomorrow since my schedule is packed today.”

Sometimes telling myself these things worked, but usually it didn’t.  I procrastinated running every. single. day.

And this would’ve been okay if I didn’t really care about running, but I did. 

I’ve been running since middle school, and I made multiple running related goals at the beginning of this year that I really want to accomplish.  But I knew reaching those goals was not going to happen overnight.

So I did what any sane person would do, and I told myself I was going to run a mile every single day for as long as I could.  (I even documented one of my runs; go check out the video!)

30 days into my run streak, and I’m beyond glad I did it. 

I’ve leaned a lot from running in general, but running a mile for 30 consecutive days will definitely teach you more than you can imagine.

What might those lessons be, you ask?  Well, you’re in luck today, because I’m about to share them with you.

Maybe these lessons will inspire you to start your own run streak, maybe they won’t.  That’s not up to me, but if you’re curious about running, or are already into it but struggling with staying consistent, follow my lead. 

Get up and get running. ((:

4 powerful lessons from my 30-day run streak

Lesson #1: It’s easier to be consistent

It’s easier to run every day than every other day.

Let that sink in for a minute, or an hour, or however long you need.

It can be hard to fathom for some people, and it was hard for me to learn.  But it is 110% true.

It’s easier to be consistent and make running every day a habit than it is to run, take a day off, run, take a day off, run…

This has made all the difference in my running because it’s just something I expect myself to do now.  

I’m not telling myself, “If I have time, I’ll go on a run,” because I’ve made my mile run a PRIORITY now.

If you’re trying to make something a habit – whether it’s running or not – make sure it’s a priority and that you’re doing it every day!!

Lesson #2: One mile will go by fast

If you’re not used to running, one mile might seem like an eternity and a half, but I promise you, it goes by fast once you get used to it.

Even if you’re not the fastest runner, one mile still won’t take you very long.

Whether it takes you 7, 10, 12, or 15 minutes, that’s not much time in the grand scheme of things.  It’s definitely a great workout if you’re in a time crunch!

And it’s also a better workout than nothing, so don’t let the fact that it’s not an hour long strength training session fool you into thinking that it’s pointless. 

You’d be surprised at how much stronger and healthier you feel after running a mile every day for a month!

Lesson #3: The hardest part is starting

I’m sure we’ve all heard this one before, but it holds so true for my relationship with running.

I used to procrastinate a run (sometimes for literal hours) just because I didn’t want to get up and get dressed.

To be fair, changing out of comfy clothes and into a sports bra and workout clothes is not exactly fun.  Sure, there are comfortable workout clothes – and I have plenty of them – but a sports bra (even if it is made out of the softest, silkiest material known to man) really just kills the whole vibe. 

Anyway, the point is, the toughest part about starting ANYTHING is just freakin’ starting.

I know you might not want to put on your workout clothes and running shoes right after work, or at 6:00 in the morning, but DO IT ANYWAY.

And don’t take your cut ‘fit off until you get outside and run a mile.

Lesson #4: You will learn to love it

Raise your hand if you hate running.

I’m guessing none of you actually raised your hand, but I bet you did in your head.

For some reason, it seems like most people – even if they love working out – HATE running.  And there’s a million reasons why you might hate it, but if you don’t want to hate it anymore, try starting a run streak.

That’s right; face your fears head on!

Chances are, if you’re running every day, you’ll either end up loving the run itself, how you feel afterward, or all of the above. 

If you’re interested in starting a run streak, I say go for it!  Just try it out and see how much you like it.  If running every day makes you feel good – both physically and mentally – keep at it, but if it’s not for you, that’s okay too. (:

If you liked this post, you’ll probably like my recent post about increasing daily movement, so be sure to check it out!

Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you again soon!