Community honors Portland woman, business owner, who has run every day for 15 years

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Paula Harkin is the owner of Portland Running Company and Run With Paula Events, and 15 years ago this weekend, she decided to run at least one mile every day.

Around 50 guests showed up at The Run Pub in northwest Portland on Sunday morning to participate in a group walk and run to honor Harkin’s achievement.

Over the last 15 years, she has covered more than 33,460 miles and competed in some of the most famous marathons in the world, including Boston, New York, and London.

She decided to start her running adventure after suffering from Achilles tendon injuries.

“I was having a hard time and I was trying to figure out how I could keep running, so I decided instead of going long and far,” Paula Harkin said. “I would just go for one mile until I got a little bit better, and slowly but surely I did, and so I kept my running streak going for that first year and I just kind of basically kept renewing it. The streak and myself, we just kind of keep each other alive I think.”

The challenge hasn’t always been easy.

“Being sick or injured or hurt, tired after a marathon, you definitely don’t want to go running the next day, you want to take a little break,” Paula Harkin said.

Sunday was also her 22nd wedding anniversary with her husband Dave Harkin, who’s watched every step of the way, and has reached a three-year streak himself.

“When Paula crested the three-year mark, the five-year mark, the 30,000-mile mark, each time it’s the most incredible, most amazing thing,” Dave Harkin said. “And as her supporter, I’ve seen her do it in a lot of different conditions, I’m just very impressed and it’s inspirational, too.”

For Paula Harkin, what started as overcoming an injury has become a connection to travel, new friends, and mostly, to herself.

“It’s just something that I do for myself every day, I feel like it’s something I can do and that running is a gift to me,” she said. “If you can go out and run, then you should go out and run or walk. It’s just so good for you mentally, physically, and socially. There’s so many things that it can bring a person, and you just get stronger bones, you get stronger muscles, you become your best self through running.”

To start or keep track of a running streak, people can visit the website runeveryday.com to learn more.

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