I don't believe we should ignore the problems of the world but it helps to leave them behind and head out the door for a head clearing run. It may take a mile to turn off the noisy part of the brain, kind of like trying to fall asleep, it sometimes takes a conscious effort to unhook. I have found having a mental checklist helps the process, a systematic way to live in the moment. After a while, the habit becomes second nature, a part of my run. I'll shuffle along for a minute or so, then do a form check, I hold in my abs and get my posture straight, add a bit of a forward lean, make sure my cadence and my turnover are quick so I won't over stride. Next, it's time to look at my surroundings, take in the smells, the sounds and the sights ... If I'm lucky, this part will go on until the run comes to an end. Darn.

Break Free,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who still has yesterday's muddy country road run etched in memory to go to anytime I might need it today.

PS: Run and give back! Shamrocks and Shenanigans is just around the corner. Join us March 15th in downtown Ann Arbor for 5K or 1K... you'll get your run in, and do some good! All proceeds from the Shamrocks & Shenanigans are donated directly to Save a Heart, an organization that raises funds to benefit patients and their families at the Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Register now!