What I’ve Learned From Seven Years of Daily Running

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By the end of this year, I will have been running every day for seven years. Has it been easy? No. Has my running improved? Also no. Do I have any intention of stopping? Absolutely not. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way – including the pros and cons of keeping up daily running without rest days.

Why I Started Running Every Day

I started running daily because I was training for the Brighton marathon. I’d been finding it hard to motivate myself to get out running, so going out every day took away the decision of whether to go or not. I’ve read a lot about how much easier it is to do things due to habit rather than relying on motivation. This absolutely worked for me.

I thought that when I finished the marathon, I’d probably stop running daily. Not least because running the day after a marathon is never pleasant. However, life had other ideas. Having started running at the beginning of 2020, Covid put a stop to my planned marathon in April 2020. It was rescheduled to October 2020, so I kept training. Then it was put off to April 2021, and on I went, finally running the Brighton marathon in October 2021 when it was eventually allowed to go ahead.

By this time, I was just short of two years of daily running. I couldn’t really imagine stopping just before the two year point. Plus, Brighton is an absolute joy of a place to run a marathon because I was able to get in the sea both the evening before my marathon and within about 10 minutes of finishing it. The latter was fully clothed. But it did stop me from aching too much, meaning that my running streak could continue.

The Risks of Running Every Day

You don’t need me to tell you that running every day puts repeated strain on the feet and lower legs. So, it is important to pay attention to niggles before they develop into more persistent injuries.

One problem runners can experience is plantar fasciitis, which typically causes pain around the heel and arch of the foot and can be particularly noticeable when taking the first few steps after resting. According to the NHS guidance, wearing supportive, well-fitting footwear can help, and plantar fasciitis inserts are another option for adding cushioning and arch support to suitable running or everyday shoes. Inserts won’t necessarily address the underlying cause of plantar fasciitis, so persistent or worsening pain is worth getting assessed rather than simply continuing to run through it.

I’ve also written separately about how I try to avoid injury and illness when running every day.

Has Running Every Day Made Me Slower?

The other result of running every day for me is that it has actually made my running slower. These days, unless I’m sprinting when playing rugby or cricket, I have started running quite slowly. There are a few reasons for this, and they won’t apply to everyone so I thought I would list them here so you can assess whether the same thing might be a risk for you.

• Due to starting when I was training for a marathon, I was naturally running quite slowly – aiming for marathon pace rather than improving my 5k/10k pace.
• I run with my dogs. I really do not have enough hours in the day to take the dogs out walking twice and fit in a run, so the dogs ran with me. This was fine when it was just me and Bubbles (a brilliant runner who ran the Gower ultra-marathon with me years ago). However, Marco the husky likes a slower pace. He has to stop and sniff/pee on absolutely everything, which does not help with my pace.
• Running is often my “rest” activity. I also do competitive swim training three times a week, go to the gym twice a week and play water polo, rugby and cricket. So on a day when I’m already doing one or more sports, a short, slow run is the way forward.

Do You Need Rest Days From Running?

Most running plans include rest days to give your body time to recover between sessions. Clearly, I don’t take rest days from running in the traditional sense, but that doesn’t mean I run hard every day.

Over the years, I’ve learned to treat some of my runs as active recovery. If I’m tired, have done a hard swim session or played another sport, I’ll keep my run short and deliberately slow. For me, the important distinction is between running every day and training hard every day.

I wouldn’t suggest that everybody should start a running streak or ignore their body’s need for recovery. Rest is an important part of training, and what that looks like will depend on your fitness, training load and any injuries or health concerns. My approach is simply the one that has allowed me to maintain my running streak while continuing to take part in the other sports I enjoy.

Running Every Day for Seven Years: The Pros and Cons

Problems I’ve Faced While Running Daily

Unsurprisingly, the most difficult times to run have been when my health has been poor. Having never really experienced poor health before, I’ve experienced quite a bit of it over the past few years. Many times I’ve thought I was going to have to stop running. But “just one more” kept me going and to my surprise, the run streak continued.

For around 12 months I suffered from gynaecological issues that caused extreme blood loss. This resulted in a severe lack of iron and subsequently surgery under a general anaesthetic. The iron deficiency manifested as shortness of breath and coughing whenever I exercised. Running two slow miles felt like a marathon.

I was sure I’d have to stop running when I had surgery, but on the morning of the operation I went out early and ran a mile. The surgery was a day procedure and by the following afternoon I’d recovered enough to run another slow couple of miles. The run streak was saved. Note: I obviously wouldn’t recommend running after surgery. I was lucky that mine didn’t require much stitching so I think the risk was probably lower. If I’d asked advice from the surgeon, she definitely would have said not to run the next day.

Other issues have included the usual colds, illnesses, hangovers, post-covid jab malaise, knee pain, ankle pain and the usual day to day complaints that we all suffer from. Interestingly, I rarely seem to pick up the germs the children bring home from school. Whether running has anything to do with that I have no idea, but I’m certainly grateful for it.

How I’ve Benefitted From Running Every Day

Whilst I’m not the strongest person in the world and I could definitely do with losing a bit of weight, daily running has helped me to stay fit. As a result, I’ve been able to take all the opportunities that have been offered to me. Playing sports, doing charity walks and generally living life to the full.

I never have to think about whether I’m going to go for a run, it’s a part of my day. It has kept my dogs fit, kept me healthy and given me a reason to go outside even on the most difficult days. It’s a great mood booster and an amazing way to refocus during the work day.

When possible (when it’s not too hot), I run at lunchtime. As I work from home, it would be very easy not to leave the house on a day-to-day basis but every day for the last seven years, I’ve got myself up and outside.

Whilst I wouldn’t recommend daily running to everyone, it has been the best thing for me. Nike have a great article about the pros and cons – but personally I’m planning to continue.

What Seven Years of Running Every Day Has Taught Me

Seven years of running every day has taught me that consistency doesn’t have to mean running faster or further. For me, it simply means getting out there every day and adapting my run to whatever else life throws at me.

If you’re considering starting your own streak, I’ve written more about the benefits of running every day, as well as my experiences of training for a marathon and taking on longer challenges like the Gower 50 ultra-marathon. My running looks very different now from when I started, but one thing hasn’t changed: I still have no intention of stopping.