Joyce Lee has been nicknamed “the woman who can’t stop running.” A proud JAMBAR ambassador, she has a 12.5 year streak of running at least a mile every day, fueled by community and her favorite organic energy bars! She’s completed 62 full marathons, more than a hundred half marathons, a 100-mile race and an Ironman. Joyce exudes positive energy, and can often be found running with friends, pacing races, cheering on others, and even singing the National Anthem at starting lines. Keep track of her streak on Strava, learn about her annual 5K, and make your day brighter by following her on Instagram (@fly.joyce).
How did running come into your life? What is your favorite distance?
I was a swimmer and gymnast before I ever started running. I actually used to HATE running! Even in my short stint with triathlon and Ironman, my swim stats were still stronger than my run.
I started running regularly in the fall of 2003. I was burnt out on swimming but still wanted to keep some cardio in my life. I ran roughly the same distance for the next seven years until I started itching to push for more miles in 2010. Before I knew it, I was up to 18 miles just jogging around the neighborhood not knowing my pace. I only knew the distance after I checked a map. My dream of someday doing a half marathon seemed too much within reach, so I decided to really go for it: I signed up for the Nike Women's Marathon. It was my first chip-timed race and I made every rookie mistake. I finished 5:25, time goals down the drain. My one-time bucket list race distance became a lifelong puzzle I wanted to crack!
Over the years, I've tried other distances and I still think my favorite is the 26.2 on road, 50k in the mountains, and the half-Ironman distances. They're long enough you can push hard and not be completely wrecked for the entire day. I like to say that they're the funnest kind of misery you can pay money for! It hurts during the thing, but when all is said and done, it's hard to look back and not feel so grateful for the grit, strength and resilience you have within yourself. Plus, the post-race meal and conversation with friends can't be beat!
Let's talk about your streak! What started as a one-year goal has been continuing for more than 12 years. What happened on day 366 that made you decide to keep going? Did you set another goal or just see what would happen?
On Day 366, I went for a run up Mission Peak in Fremont to reflect on the previous year (2013) and what I'd like to accomplish in 2014. The initial intention of the run streak was simply just to see if I was capable of some semblance of consistency. I made sure the goal would be simple enough to attain, and simple enough that if I didn't, it would seem ridiculous. So, I made the minimum daily run just one mile which would cover me the day after a big race or if I had a busy day. There's something about a hard set routine that makes me feel restricted and I tend to resist, which then would make doing this totally unsustainable, so I wanted to make sure that this would be doable for me if I simply committed to it. That was definitely a factor in my being able to keep this streak going for so long!
Back to Day 366. I'm not one who is comfortable asking for help or drawing attention to my birthday or celebrating accomplishments, so deciding to have a 5K running event/party to celebrate this milestone was out of my comfort zone. The fact that I was met with overwhelming support from friends and family near and far, and that there was enough money leftover from the registration fee (about $9 per person) that I then saw an opportunity to put this "change" towards positive change in the world and I donated the money to charity (The Children's Hunger Fund). My cup not only was completely full from the support of my community, it overflowed to fill others! I was so moved by this realization that I was compelled to keep the run streak (and my annual running event) going. How could I not? After a few years of the streak, it was hard to find a reason to stop and easy to find many reasons to keep going. So, there's no end goal besides "let's see how long I can keep this up!"
What is the closest you've come to not keeping the streak alive?
I can't say I've been in any situations where I came close to breaking my streak, even with lots of international travel. I have, however, found creative ways to squeeze in the streak mile. I think the most memorable one was on my birthday, Day 76, where I flew into Dallas from Tokyo just before midnight and had an all-day event for work the following day. Those who know me know that I am *not* a morning person. The thought of getting up early to run, then get ready for a day of suit-wearing was not appealing. It was thunderstorming outside and the hotel gym was under construction. I decided since it was after midnight and therefore officially the next day, I should just run inside the hotel to get the day taken care of. So, I did the thing that would make school hall monitors scream: I ran in the halls! I logged two miles on my Nike+ sportband and secretly hoped hotel management would say something to me about it just so I could respond with, "It's my birthday, I do what I want!" To my disappointment, it was just me and my running shoes laughing about how ridiculous this was. Runstreakers will attest that they've done equally silly things to keep their streak alive. There's nothing more hilarious than getting caught running in an airport terminal by another runstreaker - they know *exactly* what this is about.
What is your philosophy when it comes to nutrition? Can you describe what you eat on a typical day?
As someone who has struggled with eating disorders, I do my best not to be dogmatic about my nutrition but rather eat to feel good and nourished. Similar to my philosophy with my run streak, I like to take the approach that will keep healthy eating sustainable. So, I approach nutrition with a rough framework of the plate method I learned in a nutrition course at Stanford a few years ago: half of the plate should be veggies and some fruit, one quarter should be grains, one quarter should be protein. This is a really simple approach that lets you eat what you wish while maintaining a balanced diet. For the veggies and fruit portion, I have adopted the philosophy of "eating the rainbow" (no, not Skittles!) where I'm eating a variety of colors. This helps cover the micronutrients one would need without getting into the weeds of knowing how many milligrams of this or that nutrient are in each food. Plus, it makes the plate look pretty! I'm all about sustainability and understanding the science behind nutrition, but not everyone wants to go down the rabbit hole of nutrition. For me, the plate and eating the rainbow method keeps things really simple and easy to implement.
On a typical day, I begin with black coffee and an oatmeal mix (oats, plant-based protein powder, turmeric, black pepper, chopped nuts, seeds) that I put together ahead of time. My weekday meals typically consist of heaps of colorful veggies, tofu and some type of carb like rice or noodles. For snacks, I cycle through fresh cut fruit (apples, oranges, melons), berries, and for a savory fix- sourdough toast topped with seasoned whipped tofu (my version of a high protein cream cheese) or avocado, grilled olives and mixed nuts. I do have quite the sweet tooth and do my best to support local vegan businesses, so I make it a point to stop by my favorite vegan donut shop in San Jose once or twice a month for a sweet treat!
When do you eat JAMBARs? What is your favorite JB flavor?
JAMBARs are my favorite trail and post-run snack. There's something about having a sweet treat once I get to the top of a climb or when I'm back at the car after a long effort. My absolute favorite JB flavor would have to be Musical Mango. Not only does it taste great, but the bright color is always a mood booster!
Do you listen to music when you run? What artists/songs are mainstays on your playlist?
I don't usually listen to music when I run. The exception is when I do trackwork because it takes the edge off the pain! I cycle through various EDM stations on Pandora like Deadmau5, Skrillex, Imanbek, Martin Jensen, etc. That genre of music kept me dancing all night long in my college days, even when my feet were killing me, so I think that association really helps me get through a tough workout when I need to get down to business at the oval.
Can you tell us more about your annual running party?
What was meant to be a one-time thing is now approaching its 13th year! In 2013, I came up with the idea of having a race-themed gathering to celebrate day 365 of my streak. All I knew was that it had to be Hello Kitty themed and it would need to have a giant medal! 
What started with a handful of friends locally and my international running friends has become somewhat of a bookend to our year together. My running party has both an in-person element (a 5k at the park), plus a virtual element for my international friends and people who can't make it due to work/vacation or living far away. For the in-person party, I invite those who love to draw to arrive early to help with the sidewalk chalk drawing at the start and finish line.
Prior to the race, I also include activities like: signing and decorating my guest book with instant photos, stickers and markers; fun photo opps using big head cutouts I have of the characters I have in my current and past logos; and pre-race warmup and stretches. Before the race starts, we gather for a giant group photo and kick off the race with the national anthem sung by friends and volunteers (sometimes me), and some professionals too! The speedy friends vying for a podium spot will start in the front and they'll be led by a bike lead around the lake. Winners take home a homemade trophy created using Hello Kitty blindbox figurines I've collected over the years, as well as a prize box of goodies donated by my generous sponsors (including JAMBAR!). My run party welcomes all levels, families with strollers, and dogs too. All registrants receive a race number and early registrants get bibs with their name and requested customization too. Babies and fur babies receive complimentary bibs!
Virtual runners receive their goodie box in the mail ahead of time and can take their bib to their run location of choice to knock out their 5k with me in spirit. Over the years, I've seen runs happen in more than 10 countries, on cruise ships, the snow, on top of mountains and the beach.
Each year, proceeds are donated to various charities. I open the floor to suggestions and decide on anywhere from one to three charities. Over the years, we have collectively donated over $10,000 to different charities.
Hosting this event every year has really shown me how supportive the community is. I'm blown away each year by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm people express towards my run party.
What events are you training for/looking forward to for the rest of the summer/fall?
This past weekend, I paced the 4 hour 20 min group at the SF Marathon. This was my 6th time pacing this group and my 14th SF Marathon, 62nd marathon, fifth full marathon this year.
I recently returned from working on the staff for the Badwater 135 in Death Valley. I was part of the social media team and also have been the National Anthem singer since 2017. That's probably the coolest, most unique thing I get to do for the event. The week before that, I was crewing my boyfriend with my brother at Tahoe 200, and paced him for roughly 40 miles of his race. In the fall, I'll have the 20-mile "fun run" at Javelina Jundred, the big Halloween Running Party in the desert, Quad Dipsea at the end of November, and California International Marathon at the beginning of December. The latter two are part of a fun local challenge called "The Double Bastard,” which I'll be competing in for the second time. It's tough, but it's a type 2 kind of fun!
You’ve mentioned Hello Kitty - rumor has it that you're quite the fan! Can you elaborate?
When I was five, a friend of my parents gave me a small Hello Kitty doll and I just became obsessed! It was love at first sight! There was a store at Eastridge Mall we would always visit after ice skating lessons. Little by little, I amassed a collection of plushies, stationary, accessories, housewares, and even bedding. Now as an adult, I even have a Kate Spade Hello Kitty purse, arm sleeves by Asics, and running socks! Hello Kitty and Sanrio (the brand that makes HK) have a motto: "Small Gift, Big Smile." It's really something I've adopted into my own life. The gift doesn't just refer to material goods but kindness that you can pass on to others. I carry this with me, even when racing. When I'm tired and feeling defeated, I like to cheer on others and compliment runner's outfits and accessories. At that point in a race, people are usually in a pain cave too and a few kind words seem to help add more pep in their step. It's just a lovely feeling :).