Runstreak
To run every day, all year around, can this be a way to train for an ultra? Many ultrarunners also practise running a runstreak, which means running at least 1 mile (1,6 kilometers) per day. No rest days, not even after a long ultrarunning race. But is this a good way to train for your upcoming ultramarathon?
Read our article Benefits of a Runstreak
What does it mean to be on a runstreak? And how can this form of training actually increase your chances of becoming an ultrarunner? Training for ultrarunning can be done in many ways, this is one of our favorites!
What does it mean to “be on a runstreak”?
Being on a runstreak means that you run at least 1,61 km (1 mile) every day. The official rules are defined by www.runeveryday.com, the Streak Runners International, Inc., and United States Running Streak Association, Inc.:
”To run at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. Running may occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill.”
Why?
People may have many different reasons for going on a running streak, but we think that it’s actually one of the best ways to train for ultrarunning! You train as you did before you went on a runstreak, but on your “rest days” you run ever so slowly and not that long (but of course you can choose to run further than 1 mile if you like). Think of your runstreak as “recovery in motion” — who really thinks the best way to recover from hard efforts is to be completely still? We don’t!
Ellen Westfelt, one of our most experienced ultrarunning coaches has been on a runstreak for more than 6 years and she praises the training form:
My runstreak helps me stay ready to take on any challenge, any day. In some periods I only run about 20 minutes a day, but I’m still never further away from a 100-miler than a few long runs. It’s very easy to bump up volume whenever I feel like it. And also, running a little every day makes me recover so much faster from my ultrarunning races than before!
TIPS
Don’t over achieve
Don’t say to yourself (or to others!) that you should run longer than 1,61 km (1 mile) every day. So many people started streaking, but with a minimum of perhaps 5 km or 10 km per day. Those running streaks never last long…
Run slowly
Think of it as “recovery in motion” and run at a comfortable pace. Plan hard training sessions to, but don’t confuse each runstreak session with actual training sessions. Runstreak does its magic over time, not by running fast for 1,6 km.
Have fun!
Bring friends and maybe a snack!
Benefits of a Runstreak — we’ve collected our thougths on this matter in this article!
Runstreak is a good way to train for ultrarunning, especially for beginners. To start running more often, increases your volume with less risk of injury.
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