That's an amazing streak. Congrats on keeping it going!
Streak running was exactly what got me over my initial barrier back when I was struggling with recurring injuries in beginner-level marathon training plans. I think the consistency of those easy runs really built up a foundation for more focused training in a way that the on/off schedules couldn't. I dropped the initial streak just before finishing a full year, but I have a feeling I'll circle back eventually when I'm running just to stay active instead of training for specific events.
I started similarly and I think the simple answer is “run more”.
It was not long after I reached the point I think you are at when I reached the magical “I can run at an easy pace forever!” I started pushing greater distances instead of speed and I got a lot faster as a result.
There are specific programs for each distance to decrease your times and prepare for a race, but they all kind of assume you can run several miles at an easy pace already.
Shockz are the best I’ve used, by far. I had a couple different kinds of non bone conducting in the past and the wind noise was always such a problem that I couldn’t use them on windy days, similar to what you mentioned.
If you haven’t tried Shockz lately, you might want to find a running store that carries them and give it another shot. I recently got the OpenRun, and was surprised that they sounded better than the 3 year old “Air by Aftershockz” they replaced. (My dog chewed up the old ones 🫠) The OpenRun Pro are supposed to sound even better, but are not cheap.
It’s long enough to be worth going. It’s enough distance to hold a warm-up, cool down, and whatever kind of tempo, fartleks, hills, or whatnot you’d like to toss in the middle. If you’re just taking it easy around town you can see some stuff. And I get done before I get bored.
1). Depending on where you are in the world it’s hot as fuck right now. For me, this morning was miserable. I kept my pace easy, I took a couple breaks, but I hit my miles. Sometimes the summer is something that you survive and then enjoy the endurance gains in the fall.
2). What’s your typical volume? Is a 7-mile run more than 25% of your weekly volume? If it is, you might scale that back. Overall, for a new runner, the most important thing is building your weekly volume. And it should all be easy. Try to get to 35 comfortable miles a week before you add in workouts or anything else. These will help, but not nearly as much as just running more. Specificity is a thing, after all.
3). Do you like running? I’m not going to try and talk you out of something that I really enjoy, but sometimes I take a brain break and swim, or ride my bike. I usually come back pretty refreshed. If you’re just beat, maybe give that a shot?
I switched all my running shirts to merino and depending on the intensity of the runs and outside temperature (so in fact just depending on how much I sweat) I usually can use one shirt for 3-5 runs before I need washing it. Just hang them outside to dry and air over night. Saves a lot of water and detergent and they are so much more comfortable and functional than any synthetic fabric. I also have an old nike polyester shirt which starts to stink after 30 minutes of use…
I run in merino at all temperatures. Sometimes that is above 30°C. For hot conditions I have shirts which are thin, have merino mesh parts and use a mix of wool and tencel. I don’t feel like overheating in them but of course sweat more than on cooler days. Good thing ist they dry fast and even when soaking wet don’t cool out as much as other fabric when you take a break or if it gets windy…
I wear glasses and use the shockz headphones. They’re comfortable for me and I’m someone that sometimes gets sore ears from glasses but never the shocks.
your ears aren’t mine but maybe see if you can loan a pair?
Whatever they’re experiencing, I have the opposite. It’s the numbers and the data that keeps me interested and focused. It’s learning to align what my body is telling me with what my watch is telling me.
If I lost access to smart watches, I’d probably not stay active
100% same for me. I’m a data geek. I don’t even need to actually be using the data to train by to get enjoyment just out of seeing it there. Seeing my averages change, or my monthly time grow, or just looking at the relationship between pace, cadence, and stride length. That’s part of the fun of it all!
Same, it was getting a Garmin that got me into tracking steps, fitness etc. I didn’t even run initially. I walked for 18 months first. Slowly progressing to jogging bits of it, then more until eventually I was jogging the whole circuit.
I’m no elite runner. The first kilometer of my circuit has a 130m ascent of staircase up an escarpment. It’s brutal and I love conquering it. But it stifles any hope of breaking time records.
I’m not a runner, but I lift and I’m very goal and data oriented much like yourself. I love to see objective measurements of improvement in what my body is capable of. I love track the sheer tonnage that I pick up off my basement floor then put right back down on my basement floor. I live to look back at my numbers from a year ago and see the difference and I think I really would lose a lot of my motivation if I couldn’t.
The COROS PACE 3 could be worth a look at for that budget. I love COROS. All the fitness metrics without any of the pseudo-health over-medicalisation BS of most other manufacturers. The only downside is that they’re almost entirely focussed on running (although you can log other stuff).
It always blows my mind that people just can’t tell themselves no. Notice you’re looking at your Watch for every little thing and don’t like it? Then train yourself to not do it. Jesus.
Not using any kind of data made me a better cyclist imo. At my peak this year I rode 80km daily on average and pretty fast. Keep in mind that I was overweight at that point, started out obese this year and that I've never been fit in my entire life. If you only listen to your body your body will take you close to its limits. The first time I felt that my mind wasn't capable of keeping up with what my body wanted to do was on my first 120km ride.
Currently I'm more focused on running and I'm still figuring some stuff out. I think I just got my diet right.
But I'm starting to look for fitness trackers now as I think that I'm getting to the point where I'll run into a barrier without tracking my performance in the foreseeable future.
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