Monday's Motivation - Stayin' Alive

When you hear those words....Stayin' Alive....what do you think or hear?  Does it come with a ah-ah-ah-ah stayin' alive, stayin' alive?  Do I have that song stuck in your head now?  It's ok, you can thank me later :)  To answer my own question, this IS what I always hear.  Mostly because music is so constant in my life and I think/hear most things in terms of one song or another.

As I have been working to keep my running streak going this has been on my mind quite a bit.  I started my running streak on Memorial Day.  Actually, no....back up the soul train....I started it at the beginning of 2012.  It lasted for 60 days then I had to stop due to injury.  Fast forward through a few months of little running, poor training and a ton of misery.  I had to then stop running completely for 4 weeks.  Talk about coo coo for cocoa puffs.  I knew it had to be done though and I came back stronger than ever.  Now we are at Memorial Day.  Runner's World had been posting about a summer running streak going from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  I took up the challenge and ran with it (literally).  I had my best running summer EVER and that has flowed over into my best running year EVER.  Yes, even with my injuries and complete break.

For me the streak keeps going.  I never stopped it and have completed 175 days.  I've had a few rough days and a lot of bare minimum days of 1 mile.  I've had to get creative.  One day I was just too tired to get up early and as soon as I was up it was non stop action.  Later that night I was at the Haunted House with my daughter and some friends (yes, we all screamed like little girls, but it was fun!) and it was COOOOLD!  As we stood around in line I jokingly said I should go run to warm up.  Steak or not, it really is a good way to warm yourself up while standing in line for over an hour in 27 degree temperature. Never mind the fact that I wasn't even dressed to run....yes I can now say I've ran in jeans and converse tennis shoes.  Not to mention I was without the proper undergarments, but I had on layers of warm heavy clothing and it was dark.  Nobody even noticed.  My friends thought I was joking and laughed as I took off.  When I came back, I was toasty warm and had completed my run for the day.  Later it was a blessed good thing because after losing my keys and being stuck at an Interstate burger joint waiting for my husband to rescue me the time ticked by and it was well after midnight before I got home.  If I had not ran when I did I would have missed my chance to run for that day and innocently stopped my running streak.

Runner's World is again promoting a running streak, this time through the holidays.  From Thanksgiving to Christmas.  That's 33 days.  Think you can handle that?  I wouldn't bat an eye if you only did 1 mile each of those 33 days.  I don't care if you run or walk it.  Inside or outside.  Whatever floats your boat.  At bare minimum (1 mile each day) you'll burn approximately an extra 330 calories.  No matter how you look at it get out there and get moving!  With a few exceptions, you ARE capable of doing this.  Your body was perfectly & wonderfully made for this.

For me, this is a matter of staying alive and keeping my streak going.  Starting a streak has turned into one of the best things ever for my running and fitness.  That little bit has kept me accountable on so many days where I would just blown it off.  I understand that it's not for everyone.  I don't think any less of you, my readers, some of you my good friends, if you don't embrace this.  How do you know that it won't work for you though, if you don't try.  Sometimes the hardest part is just taking that first step, either literally or mentally.  Either way it's up to YOU to make it happen.

Tell me, what are your fitness goals for the holiday season?  Are you going to try the running streak?  Let me know, I'd be happy to follow you and help give you a kick in the rear keep you accountable (and vice versa).