Day 59: ran the lake, which is always fun. Today's excitement came in the form of almost going into the lake. I ran in between water in the channel and what looked like an ice fishing hole. As I got in between the channel and the water hole, I heard the ice crack everywhere. That was not the best sound ever. I gingerly got through and finished a good 3.6 mile run.

February was the 2nd straight month with a workout every single day. I almost hit the magical 50 workout mark in a month - a busy travel and music week slowed that down the final week. Still, 48 workouts in 28 days is pretty monumental for me.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going on a non junk food streak. No candy, ice cream, donuts, or fast food, including pizza. Running every day will be cake by comparison.

Day 52 was another run on the lake, which followed a fun bike ride on the lake. I got 5k in and I think I was at my very end of my rope because I wanted nothing more than to stop. The snow was softer so the going was tougher, which probably explains the fatigue.

Overall, I'd say I'm feeling as good as I've felt the entire journey. Still some soreness in my shins, but I expect that with so much running.

Day 51 was a fun run on the lake, which is FROZEN SOLID. While last time I struggled between worrying about falling through the ice and almost a foot of snow, this run was enjoyable. It was still slow, but it's slippery and I had a bunch of gear on since it was 10 degrees. Regardless, it was a great change of pace - I needed me some outdoors.

It was a 50 minute, 5 mile run. Perfect.

https://www.strava.com/activities/257599912

Day 50 - a nice treadmill stroll in mid afternoon. Didn't feel great or not, just sorta in the groove. I have continued to allow myself some extra calories - feeling so sluggish and irritable is really not the point of it all and I can accomplish my goals without starving myself. (<-- That was for me, not you.)

At any rate, when I get to this time next week, I'll have almost worked out for two entire months in a row. February may be a fairly prolific month in terms of total workouts and may go above 50 for the first time for any month (and during the shortest month of the year). Total hours is no big deal (running doesn't take nearly as long as cycling and I'm not doing any long indoor rides now) but 50+ workouts in four weeks is pretty satisfying.

Physically, I feel as good as I've felt. No soreness or even fatigue. That will change tonight - duathlons planned today, tomorrow, and Sunday (I doubt I've ever had a 17 workout week). Of course, that's only because I fell to 4th place in the weight loss challenge.

Day 49: Every day is a new day, and body is a mystery (at least to me). Today, day 49 of 2015, day 51 of the streak was a 7 mile 1 hour run. It was nice and easy at 6.7 MPH, then I ran some at 9 MPH, then down to 7.5 MPH to average 7 MPH. I felt great. It probably didn't hurt that I ate more today including some good carbs (Chipotle salad) for lunch. Was definitely happy I felt so good. I wanted to run fast today but held back (except for the 1/2 mi at 9).

Day 48: Well, it's been a couple of days in a row that it's been sorta tough. I think thinking about this streak is causing me more trouble that the streak itself. I mean, what's the difference between Day 1 and Day 48? Any given day is the same as the last but the cumulative effect, or just my own psychology is getting to me.

Thank again, it's more likely just running indoors too much. Don't get me wrong, I dig treadmills, but too much of anything is just uninspiring. I know, I know...I'm running every single day - how is that NOT TOO MUCH? Well, in the end, there are many places and terrains to run, each unique in its own way. Not so much with treadmills. They're pretty much the same.

Spring is right around the corner, but these next couple of week could be a challenge. On the other hand, I could just suck it up and run out in the cold.

Day 46: yesterday I ran a 43:05 10k (20:30 first 5k) and it took the wind out of me. For the 11 weeks (5th week ending today) going on right now, I'm also doing a weight loss challenge at Great Lakes Health and Fitness of Coldwater (MI). This means that in addition to running every day, I'm pushing extra calorie cutting workouts (mostly biking...actually, all biking). This is less than ideal, no doubt. In fact, considering I've gone from 181 to 167 pounds, I'm shedding muscle now too. Again, don't try this at home folks, this is year six for me and even so, it may still be dangerous.

So what does that last rambling paragraph mean other than I'm clearly not getting enough oxygen to my brain or some such physiological blah, blah? Well, it means that I'm getting tired. It's OK to be tired. Even for days at a time. I have repeatedly found that today's tired is tomorrow's "more fit." It doesn't mean I won't slow down - I will - but I won't stop. Today was  good example.

I rode a calorie busting hour on a spinning bike. At 70% of the max resistance (as measure by turning the resistance until it wouldn't go anymore and then going back three full turns) for 50:00 (plus 5:00 warm up and 5:00 cool down) it was a struggle. I find standing for long stretches simulates running, and I like that.

After the bike, I wanted to go home. And sleep. For a week. But that's now how it works, and that voice is so faint now that I can barely register it. Instead of slumbering, I ran at 7 MPH for 30:00, or 3.53 miles. I felt tired. My legs hurt (I have a little hip thing going on from yesterday). I should qualify something...my legs were sore, they didn't hurt. Hurt, to me, means broken or something's torn. Everything else is sore. Anyway, a tired and sore 3.5, but day #46 was a good one, as almost all of them have been thus far. (There were a couple single digit temperature runs in West Bend that I may not put on the "good" list, if I'm being honest.)