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Comment by pinkmuffinere | Hacker News Reader

I don’t feel strongly on either side, but I do want to point out that “I am not proud of running when I have the flu” immediately suggests a course of action that could make you more proud. It seems that not-running when sick would make you happier? Is it really worth doing just for the completionism?

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i am not sure about the OP or the motivation and I am not a Streak runner/mover myself, but I do see the appeal of it, that will keep someone moving and exercise more or less consistently. Overall maybe the bad it is doing on bad days, is compensated with the good it is doing on good/average days. It is a long term motivator. For me now that i was cycling about 2-300km per week last year, going to nearly 0 this year so far because life and stuff, makes it pretty hard mentally to get back into the saddle, because of reduced performance, fatigue and just the general feeling of what it felt like to be in a faster group ride that I would get dropped from and i need to work my way back up there in performance and endurance. Having a streak going might have helped with this.

The way I see it is this: maintaining a run streak can be hard, but what is even harder is taking rest days when needed and every time get back on it. The (amateur) runners that impress me the most are those that keep running for years, decades, not through some neverending streak but through determination. The skill to abort a long run streak without quitting running is admirable.

Ok, happy for you that you have the intrinsic motivation.

You seem to be equally intrinsically motivated to tell me what to do and not do based on your experience.

I am not describing my own motivation, nor am I telling you what to do. I am only describing what to seems to be the most difficult thing to do. It matches well the expressed view that "if I break the streak I might stop running for good".

Sorry if you feel pressured to do anything.

Apology accepted, and mine was an over reaction too, sorry. Just that opinions are very high in this thread in general.

I drink coffee too, if someone wants to take a stab at that.

The intersection of exercise and identity is indeed a sensitive topic for many, myself included. We are all just humans doing our best.

Then I would loose my streak and the magic would disappear.

I am not a pro athlete. I think there are many days where athletes go beyond what they should to win some gold medal in some competition.

This is for me only and I am fine with it.

Can you tell me what you think you'd do?

Ya, that's fair, arbitrary motivators are arbitrary, but they still give motivation. I strongly dislike running, so if it was me I think I would give up once I get sick, or likely would not start the streak to begin with. I'm not saying that's the right solution, just trying to address your question.

Perhaps I misunderstand and misread and then dislike what I feel about that first sentence.

I take it to express fear of losing the streak and fear that the magic would disappear.

It's the feeling of fear as motivation that I dislike.

Probably not for you then.

I think what's important for me is that for me this does not feel at all unhealthy. It is more a way to maintain a good habit, like brushing my teeth.

And I don't feel like I need to be saved by anyone.

Some days I run farther but most days I run 2 miles. As much as a lunch break allows.

> And I don't feel like I need to be saved by anyone.

You seem to have read what isn't there.

I was attempting to check if I had read what wasn't there.

And perhaps I did, if it's "more a way to maintain a good habit".

When less-than 3 times-per-week my run-habit will feel unfamiliar. When transitioning from distance runs to intervals my run-habit will feel unfamiliar. After a 10-day vacation break my run-habit will feel unfamiliar. And soon it feels familiar again.

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