OPINION — Is stuck in a 21 Day Rut a bad thing?

By Dex Tooke

If you wake up every morning and stick your left leg in your pants first, then one day you wake up and decide to put your right leg in first, do you know what is going to happen?  You will probably fall on your behind.

But if for 21 days in a row, 21 days consecutively, 21 days without missing even one day, you wake up and forcefully put your right leg in your pants first, do you know what will happen if on that 22nd day you try to put your left leg in first?  You will probably fall on your behind.

It was 1978. This was back in the sitcom days of All in the Family, WKRP, Happy Days, etc.  I was 28 years old, I was a 2-pack a day smoker and had a habit of hanging out in bars.  I decided I needed to take better care of myself so I went to the Memorial Track here in Del Rio and was going to run a mile, just to stay in shape mind you.  

Well guess what?  I couldn’t run a mile.  I couldn’t even run a 1/4 mile before I was gasping for air.  

I had a friend who was a believer in the 21 Day Rut.  He told me to go out to Memorial Track for 21 days straight and run the straightaways and walk the curves.  If I missed a day I had to start over.

So I did.  For 21 days straight.  Everyday.  Didn’t miss a day.  

After forming my rut, I decided to try to run a complete lap.  I could.  Then I decided to try a full mile and I did.  

Then my friend told me, “Dex, you need to run for 30 minutes straight.”  I replied, “30 minutes straight!  You are crazy! Nobody can run for 30 minutes straight.  That’s an entire television show!”

But I did.  For the next 21 days I ran for 30 minutes straight.  That was it.  I put down those ciggs and haven’t smoked since.  I began running 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, marathons.  

I ran the Boston Marathon.  Heck, I even began running ultra marathons.  I ran 101 miles in 24 hours around a 1/4 mile football track.

I’m a big believer in the 21 Day Rut system.  I believe it can change your life, your body and your attitude in 21 days.  Break bad habits, start good habits, do something positive with your life.  

Twenty-one days can change YOUR life.