Streaking

Some runners love to streak. They just can’t help themselves. Even in winter.

Streaking was once a quiet running subculture, but now it’s full on – and gaining in popularity. I’m a little too modest to be a streaker, but I admire those who do it. They’ve got a rare kind of courage and dogged determination.

I’m hoping right now you’re picturing some runner cruising through the streets naked, but the kind of streaking I’m talking about has nothing to do with being nude and everything to do with being persistent. There’s a whole breed of runners who do everything humanly possible to run every single day for as many days in a row as they can. In fact, there are folks who have run every day since the late 60s. It’s mind boggling to contemplate. Every day for over 40 years! Wife having a baby? Get a run in. Kids graduating college? Get a run in. Husband begging you to spend more time with him? Get a run in. Rain, sleet, snow, broken bones, illness – nothing can stop these runners when they’re on a streak!

Surprisingly (or not), there’s an organization called The United States Running Streak Association (USRSA) who sets the rules. You can register with these guys and make your streak “official”. They’ll even list your name in their “rolls” if you’re still going after a year. The rules of the game are simple: you gotta run at least one continuous mile every day under your own body power. And the longer your streak, the more pride there is. If your streak is under 5 years, you’re practically a nobody – the list labels you “neophyte.” But if you last longer than 5 years, the rewards are endless. The runners who’ve done more than 5 years but fewer than 10 are known as, wait for it, “The Proficient.” That title is so worth 5 straight years of running. And every five years after that, you enter a new category, and the air gets more and more rarefied until you become a “legend.” You should check out their web site – these folks are serious: http://runeveryday.com/.

As you can imagine, getting a run in every day can pose some logistical challenges. An article about a 10-year streaker in Amarillo, Texas relates this story:

“While on a trip to Oklahoma City about a year and a half ago, Jones suddenly became ill. Her oldest daughter, Kara, had also been sick so she called to find out Kara's symptoms. Kara asked Jones if she had run yet. She said no. Kara told her mom to get her run in right now because she was about to get really sick. Her husband used the mileage odometer on the Jones' car to map out a mile. She made it through the mile with him following in the car. ‘It's one of the hardest miles I have run. I threw up while I was running and then violently for about five minutes by a bush after I was done. I know it sounds crazy, but you get to that point in your life where you would do seriously anything to keep it going.’”
(http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2010-12-31/fitness-commitment)

I don’t know about you, but when I’m violently ill, I take the day off.

In fact, I love rest days. I look forward to them. I take one almost every week. I took one today – not because I was beat up or hurt but because I find I can train harder when my body has a chance to recover fully.

Streaking, alas, is not for me. But for some, it helps keep them motivated, and it gets them out the door. Whether you’re a streaker or not, running has a way of becoming a central part of your life. I can relate a little bit to the woman in Amarillo (although not to the puking on the run bit). She first got interested in streaking when her husband challenged her to a streaking duel. He lasted 44 days; she lasted 100. After 100 she stopped: “But the day after,” she says, “I felt a little empty.” When I miss a couple of runs, I feel the same way – there’s a sense of loss.

Although I’ve been a bit tongue-in-cheek about streaking, I have immense respect for streakers. It’s a daily celebration of health and vitality. But what troubles me is how precarious a streak is – anything could happen to end it. But maybe this is streaking’s real strength: the knowledge that the streak will inevitably end simply highlights the need to seize every moment and... well... run with it.