So yesterday marked day 30 of my running streak. It started when we were allowed to run outside. To celebrate the big upgrade from running in our living room for a month, I started a running streak. I didn’t know how long I’d go for but I thought maybe 1 or 2 weeks, or 30 days would be enough to get the experience.
Each day I don’t have a plan when I leave the house but to run as I feel like. Most of the days I run 6 miles, somedays more like 9 or 10 miles, few days I felt a bit tired and did 2-3 miles. While some people says we need a rest day, what I learned is that rest day is a relative term. 1-2 miles while still qualified as part of running streak, it gives my body and legs a good rest. The days that I run less than 4 miles, I felt like rest day.
Running is my outlet, opportunity to be with my mind alone, time to listen to insightful podcasts, my chance to be in the zone, and to have a good sweat to star the day. I love the feeling throughout the entire experience, from start to post shower/bath, and the energy I get for the rest of the day.
I also built endurance, averaging 40 miles in the first week to 50 miles the last week. Pre-running streak I was averaging 20-25 miles a week in maintenance season. My VO2 max increased steadily as well.
Will I continue? probably not because I do miss some specific runs like tempo, speed, or long run. I didn’t do any of these in the last month because I know after these workouts I need proper rest, and I didn’t want to break the streak yet. But if I need to improve my running performance and speed, I know I need to incorporate these workout back to my routine.
my plan for now is to run 5-6 days a week, with non running days still go out for a walk to get many of the same benefits (fresh air, alone time, podcast). Incorporate more strength training, still loving yoga and pilates, not so much HIIT as of late. I like the soothing feeling of a good yoga flow.
Physical activity is such an important part of my life, especially for my mental health. On days that I feel stress out from work, I go out for a run or walk, 100% of the time I feel better.
Q: What’s your exercise routine during quarantine/covid time?
Our New Journey 
Awesome job on your running streak!
I have typically done strength training for my workouts over the past 4-5 years, always in the gym. Usually I would lift 4x/ week (legs x2, shoulders/triceps, back/biceps) plus 1-2 days of either a class, a run (not much lately though) or a metabolic conditioning/ HIIT workout on my own. However since COVID hit, obviously the gyms were closed….I started doing Beachbody workouts, temporarily, but have been really enjoying being able to do them from the comfort of home early in the morning! I don’t really like going out to the gym at 5 am, but working out at home then is nice. Now the gyms are open, and I haven’t even really felt like going! It’s very strange for me. I’m not sure what I will do long term- maybe I will eventually miss my regular strength routine. But I’ve been surprisingly impressed and having fun with the Beachbody workouts!! I never thought I would do Beachbody haha! Used to run a lot, did some half and full marathons but just haven’t enjoyed that too much over the past few years.
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