A Locomotive Engineer with a Passion for Run Streaks; An Interview with Michael Singer (@mike_runs_from_his_problems)

Name: Michael Singer

Day Job: Locomotive Engineer (Choo Choo Driver) for a large passenger railroad.

Instagram Handle: @mike_runs_from_his_problems

Let's talk run streak! You have a pretty serious one going at the moment. Can you tell us what your current running streak is and how long you want to keep it going?

Run Streak! I am currently at 509 (Now a whopping 588 since we spoke with Mike!) days and that counter is still rolling! I'm not sure how long this will continue for, but for sure I'm gonna keep it going as long as I can!

What made you start a run streak?

You know, I'm not too sure. I think I wanted to see what it would be like to run everyday. I started back in January 1 if 2019 and I actually only made it around 3 weeks before I got sick and had to stop. But when I bounced back I was more determined than ever just to see how far I could go. 1 week became 2. Then a month. Then 2 months. The 100 day milestone felt amazing and at that point I realized this was a chance for me to prove to myself, everyday, I could do something I never had before in my life.

What benefits have you found in starting a run streak?

Will Power and tenacity. What used to take all my strength, getting out the door, now was effortless. I mean let's not kid ourselves here, I still have those days where the hardest thing is getting out the front door. But now I have the willpower to understand that the second I do the run will happen naturally, and the tenacity to take that first step. And it applies itself to other aspects of life. When a scenario presents itself it's much easier to live in the moment and deal with the present. It is what it is. Now how do we handle the situation.

Have you been surprised by anything?

I've been surprised by so much!

I guess the biggest surprise that still gets me, is how I can have an amazing, effortless, enjoyable run one day and the next day be trying to figure out why my body just isn't in sync. I think every runner goes through these motions, it just still surprises me how often it happens to me. And I attribute that to the fact that I run every day.

Also, Pain! Lol. I guess my original thoughts about running every day is that it was going to make me more healthy and in less pain. Back then I didn't realize how much was actually involved in keeping your whole body in tune. Especially when it comes to running every day. From diet to strength training. I now have to do the daily stretches, try to include a yoga class once or twice a week, and the dreaded rolling sessions, and I even have a therapy gun to really help hammer out the stubborn pains.

Do you find balance through running? If so, how?

Running has brought me so much mental clarity and peace. I'm not sure if it's the endorphins it releases, or if it's just I don't have the extra energy anymore to frivolously spend on wasted arguments. I know if there's something I have to be concerned about, I take it with me on the run. Or, if there's some negativity I have to shake, I take it on the run. And by the end of the run I might not have the answer, but I've given myself plenty more perspectives on whatever it is I'm thinking about.

Tell us something the Instagram running community may not know about you?

I love when I get the chance to work with charities. I have been raising money for St. Baldrick's, a charity that supports research in fighting childhood cancer as well as donating my hair every other year to Wigs For Kids. Wigs For Kids is an organization the takes in donations on hair and makes wigs for children who are going through chemotherapy and have lost all their own hair in the process. It is so fulfilling to not only work with these organizations but to also meet some of the children that benefit directly from the services they provide.

Favorite Alter Ego Running product and why?

I Love my "One Mile At A Time" hat. It is an, on the nose, reminder every day that every run is to be enjoyed, just one mile at a time. Whether I'm running one mile that day or 30. Just be in that moment. Just being that mile.