31 Days in August = 31 Runs

Stall tactics.
That is what led me to this goal.
Slacking, that also helped.
The fact that I need a GOAL to drive my training....another reason.
In June and July I could SORT of justify taking some time off of running because I ran a marathon at the end of May.
But now August!?

I read the book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running...and the author ran some crazy number of days in a row, like years and years...running every single day.

I have never tried that, to run EVERY single day.
I chose a month, thought that seemed achievable.
Here is a log of every day, my thoughts to share if you care to read them :)

DAY 1 - Saturday - 3o minute in Viroqua - right after dinner. Not the best idea. THE best idea....get Lauren my Battle to join me. She's in it. Love her.

DAY 2 - Sunday - 30 minute in Viroqua - Mid afternoon after time at the pool. Have decided that 3 miles is the perfect distance to run. A nice broad loop around the town.

DAY 3 - Monday - 40 minute at Bally's - Went to Bally's! Hit the treadmill. Is it odd that I kind of MISSED the treadmill. I fear uttering such a statement as it might begin to snow immediately.

DAY 4 - Tuesday - 30 minute City running! - Right after work to lakeshore path and back. Running at 5pm down Chicago Ave is a little like driving down it. Lots of bobbing and weaving.

DAY 5 - Wednesday - 40 minute Lakeshore path - Hit the path early this morning. At first my legs were like, "Excuse me? Oh no you didn't!?" I don't know if it was early and I was still half asleep or I was craving going the distance, but I didn't even hear my half way point, I just kept trucking along.

DAY 6 - Thursday - 40 minute Lakeshore path - Nothing really to report! Felt strong this morning. Noticed that my hands are crampy from holding my damn iPhone.

DAY 7 - Friday - Woke up this morning with a migraine. Was wishing I had worked a "sick day pass" from running day into this goal. Worked through it during the day, and in the evening I was back on the treadmill for an easy 30 mins. Sometimes my dedication even impresses me.

DAY 8 - Saturday - LAUREN IN TOWN! Woot. We huffed and we puffed. HOT out, finally, we went for a run around 2pm - 94 degrees out, WITH FINN in the jogger. He's heavy now! It was also windy as hell. Definitely a tough run. But we finished with gelato at Cafe Istria so that made it EXTRA sweet.

DAY 9 - Sunday - Ran with MEGAN! Yay, love to have people join me. It was also VERY VERY hot this day. We did lots of running and walking and talking to catch up on our lives. It was nice.

DAY 10 - Monday - Feeling fatigued from the tough weekend runs, heading back to the climate controlled Bally's for a fast 30 min.

DAY 11 - Tuesday - Met Colleen after work! Did a 60 minute. Always nice to catch up with her. It was a beautiful night. Love running right after work. Such a good stress blaster.

DAY 12 - Wednesday - 9 pm treadmill 30 min. Felt. Like. Shit. Stomach cramps....tired legs. Not fun

DAY 13 - Thursday - 5 AM!!!! 30 min to the lake and back. Felt like I was crawling but I didn't care. It was beautiful. So quiet and peaceful. The sun was starting to come up over the lake. BLISS.

DAY 14 - Friday - 10 pm 30 minute on the treadmill in Dallas! Pretty nice workout actually and decent treadmill for a hotel. Really, Really didn't feel like running tonight. ALMOST backed out. glad I didn't.

DAY 15 - Saturday - A long day cheering on Nick and taking photos of all the strongmen. Did a quick 30 before we headed to a delicious steak dinner.

DAY 16 - Sunday - I MISSED MY RUN THIS DAY! Due to circumstances completely out of my control, I got stuck in bad weather flying back to Chicago. When I got home, it was dark and the gym was closed. FAIL FAIL FAIL. If only Nick hadn't had our suitcase I would have busted out my shoes and ran in the airport. I felt so bad about missing. I got a hold of Lauren and she said that it is alright we'll just run to September 1st :)

DAY 17 - Monday - After work 30 minutes. Ran hard, had a side ache the entire time. Bleh.

DAY 18 - Tuesday - Ran after work with Colleen again! I ran from Hyde Park, North, and met her half way and then ran to her house. It's nice to have a partner to look forward to running with mid week.

DAY 19 - Wednesday - Another fast 30 after work. Nothing special. Treadmill. Being inside a lot, it's been real rainy.

DAY 20 - Thursday - 30 minutes at 6 am. SOOOO didn't want to get out of bed, but I really forced myself and was glad I did. It was cool and muggy but quiet. I like the early morning quiet.

DAY 21 - Friday - 30 minutes - Again on the treadmill and again due to cool and rainy weather. Been having lots of side aches. But by core feels stronger and stronger every day. I love that.

DAY 22 - Saturday - 40 minutes - Weather has been cool and stormy - did this one at the gym.

DAY 23 - Sunday - 40 minutes - My legs are PISSED.

DAY 24 - Monday - 60 minutes - Felt better today. This challenge has been much for difficult than I thought. There are certainly days when I feel comforted knowing that I will be running each and every day and other days that I simply dread it. I also know I could not do this without Lauren. She has been a constant source of reassurance and inspiration.

DAY 25 - Tuesday - 90 minutes - Always look forward to running with Colleen mid week. It is nice to catch up with her and have a running buddy. This was a good long run. Gorgeous weather.

DAY 26 - Wednesday - 30 minutes - A nice slow and short one after my longer run yesterday.

DAY 27 - Thursday - 30 minutes - busy week this week, just cranking out the 30's. Had to run early, leaving for Minneapolis tonight. Lauren is doing great. She has LOTS of miles. Wish I just had more time!

DAY 28 - Friday - 30 minutes - spend the day eating my face off at the Minnesota State Fair. No shockingly I didn't feel great. But I LOVE running in different places. So it was very nice running in MN. Change of place. New hills, new things to look at.

DAY 29 - SATURDAY - DIVA DOUG - that is all. Today I did a running workout of a different sort, and sweat more than I have in my ENTIRE LIFE.

DAY 30 - SUNDAY - 30 minutes - Today was my almost breaking point. Today I actually tried to quit. I was like ENOUGH, I am skipping...."Lauren will never know right?!" I just had had enough. But in that minute or so I looked at my phone, and sure enough, a text message from Lauren, rooting me on. So I changed, laced up those damn shoes and headed out.

DAY 31 - MONDAY - 30 minutes - Feeling the home stretch! I crossed 800 miles on my Nike Plus tracker. 800 miles in a under 2 years is NOT too shabby.

DAY 31 +1 - Tuesday - 40 minutes - I FUCKING DID IT! WOOOOO
I added an extra day on because I had to miss that day traveling home from Dallas. On this run I really reflected on the month that had gone by, all of the runs that I did, how it felt and I've decided this was a GREAT challenge and I really feel like I grew as a runner.

THINGS I LEARNED FROM RUNNING EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH

1. Fitting in a workout, generally is easier than it sometimes seems. Some days it does seem impossible, but more often than not it is easier to do it, than justify yourself out of doing it.
2. You know that great tight feeling you have in your core after running? When you run EVERY day, it never goes away. It's awesome.
3. I didn't have as many headaches this month. I think the daily dose of exercise was a great stress reducer. Work is insane right now and I need a way to clear my head.
   
4. Your body responds. I think it sometimes takes extreme measures to wake your body up. I lost some weight doing this, but mostly I can feel it in my legs and core. My legs are so strong right now, and tummy flatter. Have to love that!
5. Running right after eating is not a good idea. And sometimes just to fit a workout in I had no choice. It is one of the WORST feelings. I don't recommend it.
6. Running every day creates a LOT of laundry. Gross wet sweaty smelly laundry.
7. I looked forward to having just a little slice of time to myself every day.
8. It takes a lot of tunes. By the end of the month I had exhausted all of my running playlists, and I have MANY.
9. I couldn't have done this without a friend. No way. Wasn't going to happen. And it made it so much more special to know that Lauren was with me literally every step of the way.
10. I like to challenge myself, especially physically. This isn't new, I have always been this way, but it felt really good to try something new and to learn and grow from the experience.

So what's next? Not sure! I just bought a NEW PAIR OF SHOES! WOOOO so they are ready and waiting for me. I took this week off but am pumped to get back out there. I am going to set up some friendly Nike Plus competitions out there. My fall is just SO busy it will be tough to find another race to fit into my schedule. But for now, you can count on me keeping my miles up with a BIG smile on my face.