Run Streaker testimonial – Sarah Horrigan-Fullard

1. When did you start your run streak?

1^st December 2013

2. What motivated you to start a run streak?

I read about a challenge to run every day during Advent up until Christmas Day 2013 and thought it seemed like a good challenge, so I gave it a go!

3. Do you plan on stopping / do you plan starting another run streak?

No.  I love running every day.  It’s part of what I do.  Running every day has brought me lots of opportunities – I set up my own women-only running club (Notts Women Runners) during my run streak and we now have nearly 1000 members; I’ve made loads of friends; and I love having that little bit of time for me every day.

4. How do you fit it around your normal day i.e going to work, family, friends?

My minimum distance is a couple of miles – it’s less than 20 minutes of running, and I always figure that if I can’t even have 20 minutes to myself in a day, then something’s gone wrong!  After so many days of running each day, it’s not hard to find time to run.  Whether that’s running part of the way to work.  Running during a lunch break.  Running to an appointment.  Running with my children.  Running early or late.  There’s always time for a run.  Even when I’ve been on holiday, I’ve run – it’s a brilliant way to explore places and I just run before everyone gets up, so I don’t take any time away from anyone else.

5. Do you have any strategies/techniques that help to motivate you to go running everyday

I think the trick is not to over-think it and just aim to run again the next day.  By making it as ordinary as possible, it just fits in around everything else.  Plus, even when you have a bad run, you know that it’s just a blip and that a good run is just around the corner.  When it comes to getting myself up for an early run, I set my running stuff out by the bed and get dressed and out of the door as quick as I can before I’ve realised exactly how early it is!!

If I’m not really feeling like running, then I try to run with someone else.  My children have taken up running since I started my run streak, so I run with them regularly.  I also teach other people to run, so motivating other people to run motivates me as well.  I think that if you learn to focus more on enjoying what running means to you and less on targets and times, then it all becomes less stressful and something you just want to do.

I’ve run several 10ks, half marathons and a full marathon during my run streak – and as long as you don’t slavishly follow a plan and listen to your body you can set whatever goals you like to keep you motivated and challenged.

6. Why would you recommend doing a run streak?

Yes!  But it has to be a personal decision and doing one just because someone else did it probably won’t work!  I started mine with completing a challenge in mind, but discovered exactly how much I love running and am at the point where I just can’t imagine not wanting to run again tomorrow.  If someone told me I had to run 500+ days in a row it would be too much.  Aim to run today and be fit enough to run again tomorrow is a great way of treating running, so if a run streak gets you doing that, then go for it!

Click here to start your own run streak