There are numerous runners throughout the US that have been continuously running for years – many over thirty years.  They are men and women that run at least 1 mile every day of every week of every year.  Mark Washburne, a 55 year old college professor from New Jersey, has run every day since December 31, 1989, adding up more than 33,000 miles.  Washburne is the president of the United States Running Streak Association (USRSA) an association established for people like Washburne that want to officially log their consecutive daily runs…

The USRSA was established in 2000, and has its own advisory board, website, membership form, and newsletter.

From the USRSA website:

The official definition of a running streak, as adopted by the United States Running Streak Association, Inc., is to run at least one continuous mile within each calendar day under one’s own body power (without the utilization of any type of health or mechanical aid other than prosthetic devices).

According to the USRSA, runners can run on roads, trails, treadmills or tracks, but not in a pool and runners must support their own weight and not use canes, crutches or banisters.

Any interested person may apply for USRSA membership, but no runner can have their running streak listed on either the active or retired running streak list until it has reached at least one year in duration.

Anyone interested in giving this a try?  Streak runners claim it is something they enjoy and all seem to believe they are healthier from their consecutive runs.  The USRSA website also contains an article by John Strumsky, who started the incorporated group, about the dangers of streak running.   It is informative and cautions about over exertion.

Mark Covert of Lancaster, CA is the leading streaker, beginning his streak on July 23, 1968.   That’s over 40 years of running every day!  Covert claims he has averaged 9 miles per day and that he just looks forward to the next run – not looking ahead to 45 or 50 years.

The hard part for many streak runners is not getting out for their next run, but rather when will they finally stop.  I guess stopping would be hard if you have 30 years of consecutive runs under your belt.  “Run, Forrest, Run!”