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PROVO — We all have habits; some are better than others. One Provo man is taking his habit to a whole new level.
It's called "streak running," and it's all based on the honor system. The rules are simple: lace up your running shoes and run at least one mile each day to be a part of the United States Running Streak Association.
For 30 years, Jeffrey Shumway has taught in the music department at Brigham Young University. Half notes, quarter notes, playing musical numbers — he keeps time, all the time.
"I think there's something a little bit obsessive about both being a musician and running, and that little bug inside of me has kept me going in both areas," said Shumway.
In October of 1999, he laced up his shoes and started running. His first streak lasted 10 years before his health stopped him in his tracks.
"I had a big pain in my gut, and I had to go to the hospital and went through major surgery," he said. "I begged the surgeon to let me run a mile on the treadmill or something, but my life was in danger at that point."
His streak was over, but there's one member of the family who never stopped running: his wife Diane.
In between flights, we put on our running shoes and went running up and down the corridor of the Tokyo Airport.
–Jeffrey Shumway
"This is my 5,404th day," she said. "On May 26, I will be 15 years."
Diane Shumway is ranked tenth on the list of women streak runners in the country.
Jeffrey is healed and well on his way to a new streak. Friday was his 1,904th day in a row, which is a little more than five years.
Nothing stops the couple including rain, snow or the International Dateline.
"In between flights, we put on our running shoes and went running up and down the corridor of the Tokyo Airport," Jeffrey said.
The Shumways are both in their sixties and say they have no plans to stop their streak.
"Without each other, we wouldn't be doing this," Jeffrey said. "We inspire each other to keep going."
