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In a world driven with streaks on social media updates, Goshen College’s 27-year-old Head Athletic Trainer, Jaelyn Rufenacht, created her own, healthier sequence: running at least one mile every day for 1,000 consecutive days.
A former Goshen College softball player with a degree in exercise science, Rufenacht began her journey in 2021 while pursuing a master’s degree in athletic training at the University of Indianapolis.
Initially, she aimed to run daily for just 30 days to prepare for a fitness test.
“As a former college athlete, I didn’t want to embarrass myself.”
But after 30 days, she decided to keep the challenge going.
“I felt really good after the runs."
By June 2021, Rufenacht aimed for a 100-day streak. Once she reached that, her goal stretched further. In September 2022, when she hit 500 days, she set her sights on 1,000.
“When I thought about not running, I would think how upset I would be about it later. In the end, I just really wanted that feeling of accomplishment.”
Rufenacht ran through 11 states and two countries, often adjusting to hectic schedules.
“If I had a really busy day, there would be times where I ran at 4 a.m. or 10 p.m. To do that after all you want to do is crawl in bed after a long day is demanding.”
Running offered her mental clarity, a rare “10 minutes when nobody bothered me.”
On her 1,000th day, January 26, 2024, Rufenacht ran 10 miles to celebrate. Reflecting on her journey, she said:
“On the last mile, I shut down my music and thought about how 1,000 days had led up to this moment. It was just me by myself, exactly how I started it.”
After her challenge, Rufenacht took a break but has since returned to running. Now, she looks forward to future goals.
“I want to run a marathon and would also love to do an ultramarathon on a trail.”
Check out her full story here!
