It’s my birthday today, which is always a wonderful time for reflection.  As I “age up,” I renew my commitment to undertake behaviors that will allow me to be Younger Next Year – the title of a great book that I recommend to all.  As a runner, you’re said to lose a little time on your mile each year.  While this may be the hard science of it, I’m not going down without a fight!  I don’t believe that any of us should give in to decline and deterioration – in our personal health and fitness or in the health and fitness of our firms.  Instead, we encourage individuals and firms to always strive to get better. To make little refinements each day to deepen relationships, expand networks, embrace new ideas, develop new skills and elevate our overall performance.

That’s why, several years back, I began practicing an idea I read about in my Runner’s World magazine.  One of their editors shared a story about a holiday running streak he engaged in, running at least one mile every day from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day each year.  He shared that while his peers were expanding their waistlines eating holiday goodies (and being “too busy” to work out), he was maintaining his fitness through the daily discipline of exercise.  He also shared some of the heroics he pulled off to maintain the streak, including running one night before dinner with friends in his business clothes.

I was sold!  The first year, I did the streak alone and found it gave me great energy and relief from stress, something challenging to focus on, and, by New Year’s, an opportunity to be fitter. I had a few close calls where I had to run at night after holiday shopping and a big fancy dinner or when I ran in an airport because my day was too packed to fit it in anywhere else.  Turns out, I loved the streak so much that I kept “streaking” into March.  The second year, I started a Facebook page to invite personal friends and family members.  My husband and a few of my kids joined in.  Finally, I had others to commiserate with.  That year, I caught a nasty 24-hour bug during the streak, yet still managed to drag myself downstairs to the treadmill in my pjs to get the one mile in anyway.  The streak is a perfect forum to practice being #unstoppable in the face of real obstacles.

Fast forward to 2016, when my partner Tamera suggested that we bring this tradition to our work community and offer our team members, clients and colleagues the opportunity to engage in a community dedicated to stay fit over the holidays.  We did so and offered a fun, long-sleeve shirt to those who signed up and finished the streak.  We were happy to send those shirts to more than 20 people who went on the Holiday Streak journey with us last year.

That brings us to today, my fifth year of holiday streaking. Provided you’re medically cleared to participate, we’d love to have YOU join us in this Holiday Exercise Streak.  To qualify, sign up here by filling out the form with your contact information and t-shirt size, and post a message to the ConvergenceCoaching Holiday Streak Facebook page that “you’re in.”  Then, complete ANY form of exercise for an equivalent of at least 1 mile of running (so walking, swimming, biking, cross-fitting, rowing or whatever cardio that’s best for you) every single day from Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day. Every Thursday, we will post updates and share pictures on the Holiday Exercise Streak Facebook page.  We encourage you to do the same. Like and follow the page to see our progress and post your pictures, videos, updates to tell your exercise streak war stories, or success stories, to encourage others or just to let us know you’re still in.  Finish strong after New Year’s and we’ll send you a streak shirt in January.

And, your friends and family are welcome to join!  Send them the link and invite them in. We’ll provide the 2017 streak shirt to the first 200 people who register for and complete the streak.

What do you think of this idea?  How do you illustrate being #unstoppable?  What are you doing to stay fit?  Share your comments with us – we’re interested!

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to run and exercise in a virtual community with others!