Day 3,287: The Nine-Year Run

This morning's run in Piedmont Park closed out 2015 and nine years for the streak.

I was able to get a short run in to Piedmont Park this morning before taking my parents to the airport, marking nine consecutive years of daily running.

The streak (now 3,287 days for 12,338.53 miles) has always been more of a trick for me to keep me active. I found in the years that predated it all the way to when I was 16 that if I didn't run continuously I would find ways to not run and then months would go by before the next time I put on shoes.

In the earlier years I used to use it as an excuse to not try to run fast and injure myself. I don't think I really knew much about training then. It's only been in the last few years with the influence of the Hanson's Marathon (and Half Marathon) Method that things have sunk in.

I still remember ending last year and not knowing what direction my running would take for 2015. And then I ran my first sub-7 minute mile in nearly two decades in the Hawks Fast Break 5K in February and was completely hooked. It led to PRs in the 5K, 4-miler and 10-mile distances. I also picked up a bunch of age group awards and my first ever Master's overall award in smaller races.

So for next year I plan to keep it going, with goals to hopefully finally break my half-marathon PR that's lasted since the first time I ever tried one, nearly 18 years ago. It would be great to PR in the 10K as well.

I'll have extra time from kiddo duties in the fall and I hope to possibly train for another marathon, maybe for early 2017.

Who knows, though? I should know by now that I just make up my plans as I go along.

Time: 8:05 a.m.
Temp: 54 degrees
Gear: Technical T-shirt, long (Atlanta 10-Miler 2013), shorts, Saucony Iso Zealot.