Yo Run Gang,

God has truly spoiled me rotten and if life ends tomorrow, Ill leave as one happy camper. That was the feeling I was left with after this mornings run. Runners World posts a photo and route each month called Rave Run, every so often I encounter a rave run and it happened today. Im writing this from Baraboo, WI, the site of the July 11th summer stop on the Dances with Dirt (www.danceswithdirt.com) extreme trail running tour. My run today was up and down 600 piles of boulders in a place of glacial wonder, I can compare it to no where I have been. It was a run filled with incredible vistas and natural beauty on a clear, crisp morning A Wednesday morning I might add, and Im working, and spoiled. Thinking back, my last run to qualify as Rave was on a snowy dark evening in February when I ran 6 miles of half mile loops around the industrial complex where Running Fits headquarters are. The loop is plowed, lit and has no traffic after 5 PM. Running loop after loop with a light snow falling, just me, my thoughts and the mantra of footfalls. I finished the run like waking from a dream, I had planned a quick 4 miles but realized time had slipped by me and I was at 6. I love this sport, it constantly amazes me.

Join us in Baraboo July 11th, a 7 hour drive to a place that will capture your soul, I promise. Ultra runs from a half marathon to 50 miles, or grab 4 friends and run the extreme relay. Each runner runs 3 legs averaging 3.5 miles each. Cheap camping or $99 rooms at Devils Head Ski Resort. More information is at www.danceswithdirt.com.

Randy Step, an obsessed runner headed back to work. Ha!