1,000 Days of Opting Outside

It all began on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2020.

I was slated to start another Runner's World Winter Run Streak that very morning. The Run Streak officially starts on Thanksgiving Day (and goes through New Years Day), so I was primed and ready to go.

That particular run streak was going to be a significant one, due to the fact that I was just coming off a 2-month running sabbatical (recovering from my first-ever stress fracture). Like all run streaks, I'd planned to do my usual 3-4 runs per week, and then do a very easy-paced 1-mile run on all the days that would usually be non-running days. The big difference, that year, was that most of my "regular" runs would be short and easy-paced (no speedwork or long runs on the weekends) since I had to keep things very conservative on the recently recovered foot as I rebuilt my running base.

The run streak went off without a hitch, but then I got a wild idea once January 1, 2021 arrived...

I had seen something on social media about doing an outdoor fitness streak for the month of January, and I was most intrigued. For the past several years, I'd done all of my winter streak runs outdoors. If I were to take on this outdoor challenge, of sorts, I'd already have a jumpstart on it (I'd already been doing all of my "winter streaking" outside, since that first day back in November). This new challenge had the minimal requirement of 15 minutes of daily activity outdoors. Easy-peasy, right?

As I recall, I think this challenge began as a January thing; a way to motivate and inspire people to start the new year with a moderately easy fitness objective - daily movement! Adding the element of doing these daily movements outdoors upped the ante a bit (especially for those of us in the Midwest), because our winters aren't exactly mild. We all know how much I detest the cold weather, so I viewed this challenge as a means to conquer the bitter cold, but on my terms.

January 1, 2021

So, January 1st was not only the end of the 2020 RW Winter Run Streak, but also the beginning of a new quest - Opting Outside on a daily basis.   

I'll spare you all the daily selfies (there were 1,000 of them, LOL). But I will share a few highlights of the journey...

Many of these daily outings were tough, mentally. The winter days are usually pretty cold in Iowa, so mustering the motivation to layer-up and head outdoors, everyday, often had me questioning just how badly I really wanted (or even needed?) the bragging rights of this quest. Often times, those daily #OptOutside obligations were a very brisk 1-mile trudge through unplowed streets with sub-ZERO wind chill. But you know what? A mere 15-minute jaunt was over and done rather quickly. Often times, that "minimum" 1-mile walk morphed into something longer.

As much as I dread the cold of winter, the rain and sporadic weather of spring was equally annoying on many a given day. I mean...we're talking winter-like temps, wind, and rain. Oh, and did I mention wind? It's a given I don't pay much homage to the treadmill, so most of my runs happen outdoors without issue. But on those non-running days, I still had that (self-imposed) obligation to take the recovery walk(s) to the city streets.

Hands-down, the summer season was a no-brainer for me. I love the heat and the extended daylight of the summer. Let's not forget, in those warmer temps, I also had the option of taking the bike for a ride on my rest/recovery days. 

The fall season was fairly easy to accommodate the outdoor fitness as well. Granted, the wind certainly intervened a few times, requiring an extra layer or two. Also, the dwindling daylight meant I needed to be mindful of being visible if I ventured out in the pre-dawn hours or after sunset. But, it was nice seeing the change of colors on the trees and smelling the comforting scent of bonfires.

Nonetheless, I made a commitment, and I stuck with it. It's crazy to think this little conquest took me through three winters, facing my least favorite weather conditions, head-on. Of course, it also had me dealing with a lot of wind (through three springs and two fall seasons). But, I'm ever grateful for the three fabulous summers that played a huge part in this victory. 

A couple of significant pics:

April 9, 2022...Day-500!

August 21, 2023...Day-1,000!

Related post:

#OptOutside Streak - 500 Days!

So, where to go from here? Well, onward, of course! You didn't really think I'd be finished with this, did you?

Have you ever taken on any kind of a streak, whether it be running, walking, or just daily movement or fitness? If so, would you consider attempting to maintain that streak long term? 

  I'm linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up

 

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