With an apparently needy ego, I checked out the www.runeveryday.com website last evening, selfishly searching for a pat-on-the-back for my accomplishments. As I continue to run every single day of my life, I often wonder if it’s really worth it? Is it keeping my weight under control? Is it improving my health? How do I compare with other Oregonians who are involved in this same daily discipline?

Each of us that is current member of the USRSA (United States Running Streak Association) has run at least a mile every day for years. However, the distance we each choose may vary. Throughout my ten years of doing this, for example, I’ve gone from a two-mile minimum daily commitment to recently a more aggressive 3.1 mile pledge. I’ve always maintained that the first mile is always the worst and each mile after that somehow gets easier. There is a definite rush that sometimes occurs, scientifically attributed to endorphins. This feeling, as well, varies with the individual and the level of exercise. Running is definitely a deeply personal experience and psychologically addictive. I should make it clear that we are not the same group of people that runs naked through the streets or interrupts a key sporting event wearing nothing but sneakers.

My 3.1 mile (5k a day) distance streak hit 100 days today, while my overall streak extended to 3,572 (9.780 years). This longer daily distance is becoming a bit of a strain, without the one-mile fall-back option. I know there are other runners that may average as much as 8 miles a day, so it’s probably not fair to compare my efforts to theirs. However, I still tend to be competitive and need to know where I stand relative to others. There are currently 1,175 runners participating in the USRSA everyday challenge that have completed at least a year of activity. I’m number 206 on that list, although the organization has shown me as low as #203. This can only mean that others have recently joined because I can’t be passed by those already on the list unless I break my streak. On the other hand, I can only move up the list through patience and attrition – not harder work!

Whether it’s running a marathon or accomplishing a business goal, taking smaller bites is always the key to success. Over the past 100 days, I’ve run the distance equivalent of Washington to California, crossing all of Oregon at 5k a day. In nearly ten years of streak running, it’s been more like 8,000 miles, averaging just over 2.2 daily miles. While I’m number 206 overall, I’m #3 in the State of Oregon.

In order to make myself look better, and make other shameless comparisons, I’ve created a table of Oregon streak runners:

OREGON STREAKERS

RANK   AGE     NAME                                    CITY                   YEARS
#70         61     Dan Pereira                          Portland              28.00
#143      51     Tony Kelly                             Portland              12.50
#206      67     Mike Johnston                    Portland                9.75
#208      53     Paula Harkin                        Portland                 9.75
#309      52     Ellis Hamilton                      Hillsboro                7.10
#349      57     Wendy Berton                     Lake Oswego      6.70
#408      45     Basim Nasr                             Bend                        5.70
#444      29     Cory Carl Bomberger      Ave Maria             5.30
#454      31     Andrew Olson                      Lake Oswego      5.10
#467      64     Lindsey Martin                     Salem                      4.90
#483      43     Erica Kimball                         Portland                4.80
#521      36     Heather Kolbo                     Portland                4.70
#554      38     Steve Walters                      Tigard                      4.40
#641      54     Jenni Keagbine                    Portland                3.70
#710      51     Julie Van Amerongen      Portland                3.40
#749     43      Jodi Stilp                                  Newberg              3.20
#764     54      David Hacek                          Albany                   3.00
#984     17      Shea Van Butler                  Portland                1.80
#1081  44      Tom A. Mittelstadedt       Portland               1.50

My bragging rights now officially include being the oldest Oregon streaker and the only one named Mike, a rarity on any list. There aren’t even any Johnsons, let alone another Johnston. Dan has been at it for 28 long years and Tony over 12 – congratulations. Both of these leaders are also from Portland, so there’s no advantage there, and I’ve not met either one of them. I have associated with Paula, Wendy, and Tom. At one point, I was #1 in Austin, Texas, but far down the list of Texans, before moving to Oregon. If I examined the main list carefully, I’m sure I could find a street, city, county, or even state where I could be the lead streaker.