By Marnie Kunz

If you’re wondering how to do a run streak, I’m here to help. As a running coach and streaker who has finally figured out the right balance to successfully carry on a run streak, I can give you pointers. And I have plenty of experience, as I’ve tried several run streaks, many times making mistakes (and once getting hit by a motorbike) until I got the right run streak training program figured out.

What Is a Run Streak?

Before we get into how to do a run streak, first let’s cover what a run streak is. The concept of a run streak is simple: run every day for a set period of time. Most runners qualify a run as consisting of at least 1 mile of running to count for the streak.

According to Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc., the minimum to count for a run streak is at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day.

The amount of time and exact miles of your run streak is flexible. Some people run 100 miles a week for a run streak while others run 7 miles a week. And some people do a run streak for a month while others do run streaks for years.

You might set a goal to do a run streak for a few weeks to start, or, if you are a more experienced runner, you might do a run streak for a season or even for a year.

Why Do a Run Streak?

Runners do run streaks for so many reasons. Some people want to lose weight and work out more regularly, and a run streak offers the motivation to stay on track. Other runners want a new fitness challenge. Run streaks also offer a way to connect with fellow runners and share your progress and cheer on other runners in their training. And really, don’t we runners just love a reason to post our runs?😂

In my case, I committed to a run streak for a challenge during the pandemic and also for mental health benefits, as a way to combat my anxiety.

My Run Streak for Mental Health

Related: Check out my article on How I Use a Run Streak to Overcome Anxiety in Apartment Therapy.

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Let me start by saying I am not an overly enthusiastic long-distance runner. I prefer speed workouts to long runs and enjoy 5K races more than marathons. And I make weightlifting a priority in my training so logging lots of running miles can be difficult to balance (but not impossible — see my tips for balancing running and weightlifting). In any case, I have not always been excited about run streaks. The prospect of running every day seemed daunting to me and honestly, kind of tedious.

But in the last few years, with the pandemic canceling many events and more solo running time than ever, I found that run streaks have helped me stay motivated in my training. I did my first run streak with my dog during a long pandemic winter, and she helped me stay motivated, nudging me out the door every morning.

Since then, I had some bad luck with run streaks. This spring, I decided to start a run streak to become more consistent with my weekly miles. I started my run streak on a Wednesday and got hit by a motorbike on Friday. That wiped me out for two weeks, leaving my leg swollen and bruised. After the hit-and-run and a previous incident in the park, my anxiety was rising.

Last summer, when I was going to meet a coaching client, a man tried to grab me in the park and chased after me (luckily I escaped), and it left me feeling anxious and staying inside more, running less. And then, I got hit by the motorbike. I was tempted to take a break from outdoor runs and just do indoor circuit training and weightlifting. But I decided I needed to get back out and run, anxiety or not. And I am so glad I did.

Once my leg healed, I got back up and tried a run streak again. Despite battling with some anxiety to even get out the door, I continued to lace up my shoes and run. Some days I ran just a mile and other days I did speed workouts or endurance runs. My anxiety, which had hit many low points during the pandemic, became less intense. I found that just getting out of the house every day and seeing the people in my neighborhood, exploring the city, and staying active made me feel like my old self again. The looming fears of what if and what could go wrong were squashed every time I put on my running shoes and headed out to run.

My run streak has become a lot more than just logging miles. It’s been transformative. I feel less anxious, more motivated, and have more energy than ever. And I still lift weights regularly, participate in races, and sometimes my dog comes on runs with me (when it’s not too hot). I’ve even found it easier to focus on my writing and working from home, as the daily workout helps calm my mind. I’ve been streaking all summer now. Maybe someday I will even join the comma club (run streakers who run for 1,000 or more days).

Whether you decide to do a run streak for your mental health or for your physical health, I know that you will also get a lot out of the experience. So I want to share my tips on how to do a run streak and offer my advice as a running coach on how to incorporate sound training principles into your run streak. This way you can keep running strong for days, months, and even years to come.😊

Here are my top tips on how to do a run streak:

How To Do a Run Streak

Set a goal.

Decide how long you want to do your run streak. If you are a new runner or this is your first run streak, make sure your goal is attainable. It can be challenging but doable. You can always extend the streak if it goes well. My advice for beginning runners and people returning to running after an injury is to aim for two weeks for a run streak to start. Then you can add two more weeks to make it a month if you are doing well.

Be consistent.

When you’re doing a run streak, it is more important to make consistent efforts than to do long, intense workouts. It can help if you schedule your runs or do them at the same time every day. I usually recommend the morning as you will have more energy and be less likely to get distracted by other things than you would at the end of the day. Also, if by chance you miss your morning run, you still have time to make it up later in the day.

Recovery runs are everything.

Take plenty of active recovery run days. This can be a mile or two of slow running to allow your body to recover from harder running days or longer mileage workouts. I usually do at least three recovery running days a week when I am doing a run streak.

Follow the easy-hard training principle.

If you do a tough race or workout, follow it with at least one recovery day. On your recovery day, do a slow mile or two and plenty of stretching. If you still feel tired or sore after your recovery day, take another recovery run day the next day. These recovery days are key to preventing injury and allowing your body to repair itself.

Add miles incrementally.

This one can be hard because it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a run streak and try to run all the miles when you start. Focus on the long-term goal instead and build your miles gradually. As with a regular training program, you do not want to add more than 10% more miles to your program than you did the week before. So if you run 10 miles in a week, for instance, you can add one mile to do 11 miles the next week.

Listen to your body.

It sounds simple but many runners do not listen to their bodies. I have coached a lot of runners who pushed through pain and exhaustion and ended up injured. If your body is giving you signs of pain or exhaustion, listen to it. Do things to help your muscles recover like foam rolling and stretching, and putting your legs up the wall for 10 minutes (see more running recovery tips). And take recovery run days. Also, make sure your shoes are not too worn or old and they’re the right running shoes for your running habits and gait. This should help you ward off injuries, but if you do get injured, then, by all means, rest and go to a physical therapist.

Plan ahead.

Schedule when you will run each day and take into account your work schedule, family obligations, and the weather forecast. If it is supposed to rain, snow, or be extremely hot, you may need to shuffle things around to run at a different time than usual. Or, if you have access to a treadmill, you can run n the treadmill when the weather is bad.

Be generous with recovery days.

The most common reason people stop their run streaks early is burnout or injury. So taking recovery days is so important to allow your body and mind to recuperate. I’ve had days on my run streak where I feel like I got hit by a bus, and doing a very slow, easy 1-mile jog has been so helpful to recover and return more energized the next day. Sometimes I’ve felt sluggish for two days in a row and pushed hard workout days back in favor of more recovery days. And that’s ok. The key is to keep moving, just a mile.

Track your progress.

Tracking your progress is a great way to see how much you are accomplishing with your run streak. It will also help you to stay motivated on days when the weather is bad or you don’t feel great. You can track your progress the old-school way by putting a check on a calendar. And record your workouts with a GPS running app or GPS running watch. I use my Garmin to track my runs and I also share my progress on Instagram. Social media can be a way to keep yourself accountable and to get cheered on as you overcome obstacles to complete your run streak. Tag me on the Runstreet Instagram and I’ll be happy to cheer you on in your run streak!

I know you can do this. Happy run streaking to you. Here’s to many meaningful miles ahead. 😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

How to Do a Run Streak: Tips from a Run Coach