I guess I gave it a good run.
Starting on October 22, 2014, I ran every day, at least 5 miles per day, outside without a break. Well, maybe with one break but more on that later. Over these 1,327 consecutive days, I ran 1,941.78 hours (81 days), 15,074 miles, and gained 713,000 feet of elevation. I ran though blizzards, the beach, canyons and the humidity of summer. I ran alone and with friends. I listened to countless audio books and podcasts. I ran 6 marathons and finished with a 100 miler through the beautiful Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. I met many new friends and had countless adventures. I worked through plenty of little pains and ignored sage advice about the importance of breaks at every turn. In March of 2017, I flirted with disaster in the form of what was called an early stress reaction in my right femur. I ran though that but couldn’t end up shaking some mild, but nagging right hip pain with runs. An MRI in May of 2018 showed a new stress fracture in my right pubic bone which I hope was the cause of the pain.
And so, with the completion of my goal race for the year, it’s time for The Reset. Today, The Reset looks like 6 weeks with no running or exercises with the legs. That will be followed by 10-12 weeks of physical therapy before I can run. Torture.
Of course it’s a blessing to have this opportunity without it being forced by real pain or serious injury. And, with the breaking of the streak, perhaps when I am allowed to run again, I will do so more sensibly. The family couldn’t be happier that some of those hours can now be better shared.
It’s not the longest, greatest, or most interesting of streaks but it was mine. As these things do, it took on a life of its own and at times it drove me to do silly things. As powerful as it was, it died peacefully as I flew home from Bighorn.
And now? Well, now I learn to swim. I volunteer at races. I spend time with important people. And when the running returns, I’ll run.
Spectacularly Unimportant 