Today is day 2108 of my daily barefoot-style running streak. I have now covered 16,215.83km, which leaves 23,859.17km of the 40,075km lap of the world. Every one of those kilometres is part of a mission to raise £1M for children's causes.

I am normally positive about running. Running has changed my life, and I say so often. Today I am writing about the other side. There are times when running makes things worse, and running through illness is one of them.

What has been happening

About three weeks ago I picked up what I assumed was a cold. Then came fever-like symptoms, sweats, a temperature, heavy congestion and migraines. Toothache, cheekbone ache and pain behind my eyes followed. The initial prognosis is sinusitis, and I have never had anything like it.

I kept running every day, because the streak is what I do. Today I spoke to a medical professional, and her answer was direct. She did not tell me to stop. She understands what the commitment means after nearly six years of consecutive days. She did explain what is happening inside my body.

My immune system has two jobs. One is fighting the illness. The other is recovering from my daily running. Both draw on the same resource, and the illness has not had my body's full attention. She said, with the word "arguably", that this might have cleared by itself within a few days. Instead it has dragged on for three weeks, and my low immunity means there is now a chance of an infection. I am seeing the GP tomorrow. I hope for antibiotics and a return to normal life.

I am not the first version of myself to learn this

Looking back, this is a pattern. Over the streak I have had COVID three times, a calf pull and a hamstring tear. The worst was a broken foot. A suspected stress fracture turned out to be a full fracture of my third metatarsal. I kept the streak alive in a supported boot, which sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud.

I am proud of the resilience those episodes took. I am not proud of the judgement. Running on a stress fracture is how a stress fracture becomes a snapped bone. Running through a sinus illness is how a few days becomes three weeks. Both were my choices, and both cost recovery time.

What I used to believe

For years I told myself exercise was a catalyst during illness. Moving oxygenated blood around the body, driving immune cells to where they are needed. Some truth may sit in that idea in certain circumstances. This time the evidence points the other way, and I would rather say so plainly than defend an old opinion.

The lesson for me

Consistency and intensity are different things. My vision for this streak runs to 16.5 years, and a streak of that length depends on a body which lasts. If I treat every day as a test of how much I am able to push through, I risk the very thing I am trying to protect.

My rule has not changed. The streak ends on the day my body stops me, and not before. I have said this many times, and I mean it. Mind over matter has carried me through hard days. But I now ask a second question alongside the first: at what cost? Being stubborn about the streak and being sensible about my health are not the same thing, and I have confused them more than once.

Perspective matters here. The streak exists for children who need help. A body run into the ground helps nobody, and a body kept well enough to keep going helps them for longer. I will listen to what the GP says tomorrow and act on the advice.

If you run daily

If you run every day, or you are thinking about starting a run streak, take this from my mistakes:

- Fever, deep congestion or a body already fighting something deserves your full recovery attention. - A pain in one spot which gets worse day after day needs a professional opinion, not another run. - A long streak is built from many sensible days, and a few stubborn ones put the whole thing at risk.

I would like to hear your experience. Have you run through illness or injury and regretted the decision? Leave a comment on the video or reach out directly.

Where this leaves the mission

Day 2108 is done. 23,859.17km remain, and the £1M target for children's causes stays in front of me. Every person who watches, shares or follows helps put this mission in front of more people. If you believe in what I am doing, follow along. I will be back tomorrow.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/O_NdTtxGV14