#RWRunStreak: Let's do this?

To streak or not to streak, that is the question.

I've long been outspoken against running streaks. I thought them unnecessary, at best, and risky at worst. Running seven days a week was sure to open one up to injuries, burnout and fatigue at a time when added stress is the last thing a person needs. (Kim had a great post about why not to streak last year!)

Yet, when Tami posted on her Facebook page that she was taking on the holiday challenge from Runner's World, I surprised myself by thinking about it. I think it was because she was putting her own spin on the streak — one didn't have to run every day but should do something every day from Thanksgiving to New Year's, whether it was cycling, yoga, PiYo, running or aerobics. I exercise six days a week out of habit so adding another day wouldn't be so bad. If anything, it might give me the incentive to incorporate the PT hip exercises I've been talking about for the past two weeks.

Note: I don't need to do the hip exercises but I've noticed the pregnancy hip spread, some general weakness and change in my gait. I think stronger hips could help the latter two. 

I thought and thought about it but never made it official. I considered myself a silent observer/participant in the madness. I ran on Thursday but I would have done so anyhow. It was an arduous way to kick off whatever I was thinking about — 5 miles around the west side of Cincinnati during which I stopped on hills to catch my breath, curse the terrain, get frustrated with my watch that hadn't picked up satellites and bemoan my growing belly.

On Friday, my grandma kept Miles while Mark and I went to a cycling class at the Y. The class was OK but I felt bored through much of it even though I was working and liked the music. Had it not been rude, I would have chatted with Mark the whole time but instead, I found myself thinking about the streak.

"I could run one mile after class," the wheels turned. "It wouldn't be so bad." And so I did. I ran a mile on the treadmill after class while Mark did core work. The exercise once a day streak was looking to become a full-fledged #RWRunStreak.

I had planned to run both weekend days, logging 5 miles after we got home Saturday and doing 8 with my friend on Sunday.

Four days in and completely uncommitted, I was still streaking.

I figured today would be the test. If I ran today, I would do the streak. Yet, after logging a mile before teaching Rip because I had time, I'm feeling just as ambivalent as I had before. I can't put my finger on why but I am.

The pros:

• It will help me keep up weekly mileage while dropping back some of my weekday runs.
• It might be nice to have something positive to focus on during the holidays, which can often be a hard time for me. 
• It gives me a good reason to get out with Denali.

The cons:

• I am not training for anything and haven't for some time. The idea of having to do something is not always fun.
• I'm halfway through pregnancy and need to start thinking about if and when I need to cut back, even if it's just a smidge, Now is not the time to add things to my plate!
• It's cold outside, and it seems silly to get all dressed up to run a mile.

I have a run date tomorrow, which will bring me to day 6, so the next test is Wednesday. 

What are your thoughts? Are you streaking?