I’ve heard that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Start an exercise plan, quit smoking or get more fiber in your diet — keep up your positive behavior for just a few weeks and you’ll be much more likely to stay with it beyond that.
The tough part is turning that short-term habit into a lifetime obsession. With running, once I got back into training for about a month, it all started coming back to me. I now realize why I loved running in the first place. I enjoy the competitiveness, the races, the personal bests and the “runner’s highs”, but the best part is the enormous level of support the running community provides to runners of all skill levels. Runners have a thousand reasons to keep training and racing, but without the community behind them they are much more likely to give it up. Support comes in many forms – dailymile.com is like Facebook for runners/bikers, giving them a chance to connect with other athletes, share goals, track their workouts and encourage each other to keep up the great work. The Badgerland Striders in Milwaukee, one of hundreds of running clubs across the country, coordinates races, provides volunteer opportunities and organizes marathon training buildup runs on Saturday mornings leading up to the Lakefront Marathon.
If you truly want to get beyond those 21 days, don’t do it alone. Find a person, a group, a network or a blog where people just like you are hanging out. You don’t need to wait until the New Year to make a resolution!
