Day 1,826: Five consecutive years of running

This morning I ran with sweetie, our usual route in Virginia-Highland.

It marked five consecutive years of my daily run streak. During that time I've run 6,326.96 miles, for an average of 3.46 miles per day.

I remember when I started the streak on Jan. 1, 2007. It didn't really dawn on me what I was doing until I reached 50 consecutive days.

Running everyday has added a semblance of order to my life. I knew (and still know) that if I stop, it's very easy for me to let a week, then a month, then easily a few months go by without taking a single step in running shoes.

I always thought I'd quit sometime. Just not now.

Props go out to the wife, who has steadily maintained her running, even now at 27+ weeks pregnant. She even runs faster than non-pregnant couples in their 20s who we passed this morning.

We stopped at Alon's Bakery to buy some cookies, jam and a gift card. We took turns carrying the box of cookies along the old Summerfest 5K route on the way back home.

That was just my first run of the day. Because the traffic gets so crazy downtown for New Year's Eve, I decided to just be dropped off to work today and then wore running shorts, a technical shirt and a windbreaker.

I ran home. I've done it twice previously for Falcons night games. Both times it was much colder.

I ran along Peachtree, the city's main drag. It was pretty cool to see lots of people out for the holiday. Some wearing costumes such as king's and queen's crowns, others just dressed up.

When I got to the 10th Street intersection, I marveled at the skyscrapers that make up Midtown now that were nonexistent when I first moved to the city nine years ago.

It was neat passing my old apartment building near Piedmont Park and I thought of my old night route on 10th to Virginia Avenue and along North Highland Avenue all the way to Manuel's Tavern and back.

Running is such a part of my existence here in Atlanta. Most of the city's main streets have been raceways for me in the past. Other streets are well trod training routes.

The 3.75-mile night run gave me 1,469.13 miles for the year, much less than the 1,600+ I pulled in last year. But it's given me great memories with a 10K PR (Charles Harris 10K) in February and lots of great races with sweetie.

I'm looking forward to the New Year but must admit it will be hard to top 2011.

Run #1:
Time: 10:19 a.m.
Temp: 48 degrees
Gear: Long-sleeved T (Braves red), shorts, Nike Air Pegasus+ 27/A.

Run #2:
Time: 9 p.m.
Temp: 49-50 degrees
Gear: Technical T, long (Big Peach 5 miler), T-shirt (Thrashers green), Marmot windbreaker, shorts, Adidas running shoes.