Lessons From 100 Days of Running
100 days of running consecutively with NO REST, for some people seems wild. But for a small minority of athletes it is just another day at the office! In this article I'll explain why I decided to run EVERYDAY; & some of the unintended lessons I have learned along the way.
Running Everyday?
Immediately prior to my 100-day run streak I had 6 weeks of inactivity recovering from an injury - a small stress fracture of a small bone below my ankle & severe ligament damage, from running my first 100 mile ultramarathon.
I decided during my immobility that I would do everything in my power to mitigate weaknesses in my body, & to avoid such Injuries ever occurring again.
Ultimately, my stress fracture - as per almost all other injuries/niggles, are the direct result of a weakness discrepancy in your body.
As soon as I was load bearing I gradually replaced my morning walks with a slow jog until the strength in my foot returned.
As part of my new mitigation strategy I decided that running everyday would be my new goal.
It should be noted that prior to my injury I had already built a regular routine of running 4-5 days per week, so the additional 2 extra days wasn't really a huge jump - to provide some context!
So, for the last 100-days I have ran consecutively with ZERO days off!
For anyone who's interested in data, I ran a minimum of 5km per day with a maximum of 56km when I completed an ultra marathon, which worked out at a mean of 9km per day/70km per week over the 100 days (with a total of 13,612m of elevation/851m weekly average).
(I know plenty of people who frequently do much more than this, but to come back from an injury & without a specific purpose for training, I am pleased)
Prior to starting this new journey, I read a lot about the changes that happens to your body, & how elite athletes have conditioned their bodies to maintain regular high-volume, 7-day training programmes.
I have been amazed at the extent of the changes in such a short time, & the learning opportunity I gained from my experience. This article seeks to highlight some of these lessons.
1. Rest Vs Recovery
One of the first questions I get - usually from non-runners, is 'what about rest days'? 'Rest days are important for your recovery'! To which I wholeheartedly agree... in principle!
What I've learned from the best athletes on the planet is that there is a huge difference between REST & RECOVERY. Oftentimes the two are mistaken!
An elite swimmer will not avoid the pool the day before an Olympic final, just as an elite runner - such as Kipchoge, Kilian or Courtney etc. will not avoid the trails in the lead up to a race.
Rest is usually understood as complete inactivity - put your feet up & relax!
Recovery is the opposite of inactivity! In fact, active movement is recommended as the best means of recovering/preparing your body.
The crux of the debate comes down to conditioning!
The more you do something, the stronger, & more efficient you get. The issue people face is that they do too much too soon, too fast, which results in injuries.
As someone who loves trail running, & is a recent convert to road running, my experience is that:
Trail runners love the long easy runs (especially ultra runners) - often a bit too much.
Road runners love the hard best effort PB's - which can become a recipe for pain.
When too much emphasis is focused on running a certain way, the risk of overuse injuries occurring, increases.
The best way to develop conditioning is to strike a balance between the two - I follow the 80/20 principle.
80% of my runs easy-moderate effort. 20% hard effort, throughout a 7-day cycle.
Coupled with no more than a 10% increase of mileage volume in an average week.
By following this philosophy over a consistent period of time, with patient effort you can develop the conditioning to find REST in your recovery days.
For a non/beginner runner who has yet to develop a strong aerobic baseline (cardiovascular fitness), every run feels like a hard effort! However, with time & consistent training, the level of effort decreases & your body builds the tolerance toward the mechanics of running.
I say all this to say that although I didn't take REST DAYS, there were days that I could REST. It is on these easier - lower volume, days that I gave my body time to RECOVER.
I have come to believe that a 7-day training programme isn't just limited to elites. In fact, it is open EVERYONE who has the desire, & is willing to put in the patient, consistent work to build the conditioning.
The benefits of doing so are worth the rewards - if, of course, personal performance is high on your agenda!
2. Physiological Adaptation
I have heard it said by others who have set out to do far more insane challenges than this, that over time your body begins to adapt to the new stress/stimulus you put it through.
'Form follows function. Function doesn't follow form' - to quote Ross Egley.
This was the experiment I sought to test on myself!
Over the 100 days, as expected, it wasn't plain sailing - I have managed a number of niggles/injuries along the way.
Obviously coming back from a foot fracture - & 6 weeks of no-running, my body had some re-adjusting to do before I could be back up to prior fitness. This included frequent sharp pains that would shoot up my foot intermittently for the first 3-4 weeks.
Also at the early stages, I had a swollen big toe knuckle due to purchasing an ill-fitting pair of shoes, that was so painful on trail descents I would think I was being bitten by a snake. Simply putting on my trainers before a run was agony!
I've suffered from hamstring strains, ever frequent calf strains, Achilles tendonitis on both feet simultaneously, & more frequently a trapped nerve in my shoulder from the gym.
Interestingly however - & with a stubbornness to keeping testing this common idea, each of these injuries, niggles, or pains, simply came & went - almost without recognition!
Also thanks to regular strength training of course!
Other than a few minor wear & tear niggles that frequently resurface, almost all of these resolved themselves at various stages of the 100-days.
The consistent stress of running everyday was almost like my body simply realised that this was the new normal, & thus adapted accordingly.
Today, my weekly running volume is almost back up to pre-injury, logging good quality miles in the trails & on the flats, & my body is stronger than ever. It is injury free & moving better than ever before.
Additionally, from a cardiovascular perspective my Resting Heart Rate (RHR), & my aerobic Heart Rate (HR), significantly reduced by around 12% RHR/ 8% HR - which equates to a sizable 10% decrease over the 3 month period = a stronger aerobic base.
Alcohol consumption (which also i've significantly reduced), sleep, tiredness, diet, stress & fatigue all contribute to our overall RHR. This further highlights the previous point: although I have regular physical output, my body is still able to rest & recover.
The physiological adaptation in such a short period has far exceeded what I thought possible since starting my 7-day running routine. There has been a notable transition to new levels!
3. Finding New Levels
To provide context of my running journey to date, I have been running consistently for ~3 years. During which I have developed a regular routine that has supported me in completing multiple ultramarathons.
My focus has always been on trail running - with a love for running in the mountains. Until recently my training has centered solely around building endurance to run far - which has worked!
However, as with lots of trail runners, speed was never really my desire. The result: I could run all day - just not very fast!
It was only in early 2023 that I decided I want to take my running to the next level - with a desire & belief to become competitive. Competitive in the sense of trying to push my personal best efforts!
Up until the beginning of my 100-day journey (equating to 2.6 years of consistent training), my easy pace was around 8.30-9-min mile maintaining a baseline HR of around 151HR.
This isn't hugely fast in speed standards, but I was happy because speed was never my focus.
However, during the 100-day journey I have been shocked to notice a sizeable leap in performance - albeit because I have also introduced lots more speed-work, which is also a moderating factor.
Today, my easy pace is around 7-7.30-min mile - maintaining an average baseline HR of around 139-142HR.
What does this mean? My easy runs have got significantly FASTER & EASIER. The result = I am able to run further, much faster, for much longer than I could before.
It seems that during my 100-day running journey I have entered a NEW LEVEL of my own potential.
The previous ~2.6 years have laid the foundations that have been built upon during this three month period. As a result I have been able to obliterate some existing PB's, while also finishing top 20 in a 35 mile ultramarathon race - while still getting up & running the next day.
I know there are multiple factors coupled with a long period of consistent training up to this point, but I equate to making the decision to run EVERYDAY as a significant portion of my recent progress.
A clear sign that my body has GAINED strength & not LOST it, during this time.
4. A Way of Life
Another common question I get is 'how do you find the motivation to get up everyday for a run'?
The answer is simple, but a strange one that I could have never comprehended before starting this journey.
There comes a point when it is harder NOT to go for a run, than it is to get the job done.
When there is no longer an excuse that exists - other than a broken leg, as to why logging the miles cannot be achieved in a given day, it becomes no longer about being motivated or how I feel, but a way of life.
Moreover, there comes a point when your whole ecosystem adapts to this new reality. The question no longer starts with, can I run today? The question evolves to, when can I run today?
I am usually an early morning runner, but if & when I need to travel somewhere, if my body feels slightly more sore than usual, or if I'm feeling under the weather, I have no issues altering my day to log my miles later in the day. .
My family, friends & colleagues no longer question IF, but WHEN I'm getting in my run!
The biggest inspiration I receive is when I see friends & colleagues & they tell me what number run-streak I am on - with an eager excitement to see it increase.
Moreover, the messages, questions and stories of inspiration I have received from people on social media who have been inspired by this journey, is enough to keep me logging the miles everyday.
I simply don't need motivation to do something that has become part of who I am. Running everyday has become a WAY of LIFE.
Now What?
I originally set out on this personal experiment to see if 'form really does follow function'. I now believe it does!
I have the firm belief that you don't need to be an elite athlete to build a regular 7-day training programme. All you need is the desire & a willingness to put in the work to achieve your goals.
Most people trip up at either of these hurdles before ever achieving their own potential!
At the beginning of 2023 I decided that I have the belief in what it takes to become a competitive athlete - competitive against my own potential..
Ultramarathons are my main focus - the longer the better, with some great races in the calendar for 2024 already.
However, with my recent emerging interest in speed, my goals are quickly evolving to see some short distance races finished with PB's in the near future also. By the end of 2023 I am aiming for a sub 40-min 10km, with a push to race a half marathon early 2024.
All of which I believe will equip me for strong performances in ultramarathons.
With that, my original goal to achieve a 100-day run steak has now changed.
The NEW goal is to run 500-days with no breaks.
As it stands therefore I am at day 111/500 of my new goal. .
WHY? Because I have had a taste of success, & I truly believe for those who are wired for performance, increasing volume is absolutely essential - especially if you wish to be ready for anything at moments notice!
I'm not sure if its achievable, but I'll never know if I don't try!
Closing Thoughts
You may be thinking, 'Great for you, Ross, but I have no desire to run 1 day a week - never mind 7'!
That is totally fine. I am running my own race & following my own journey - which will be different from yours. This has been my experience, & was just a way to highlight how it has benefited me.
However, if you don't like running, or prefer another activity, why not set yourself a challenge to increase your volume or intensity towards it?
You could start by inclemently adding an extra day, an extra session, or even start something new for the first time to set yourself a new goal. If you like running, bikes, gym work, swimming or even walking, there is always a way to make it work.
If you have the consistent patience to commit yourself to the long-game - to make incremental changes, eventually you will be amazed by what you can achieve!
At first it will be hard. You will definitely need to persevere. But it will be worth it!
Unfortunately, there are so many that have yet to discover their own un-tapped potential, due to a belief that certain activities or philosophies of training are limited to a small percentage of elites.
The best is yet to come!
Thanks for all your support.,& be sure to follow my progress on instagram: r_coulbeck.
Much love, Rossi