Yo run gang,

It's a combination of things that get us out the door and running each day, one that fires me up big time are stories of inspiration. It's a gift to encounter bigger than life people living and performing on the edge, way beyond my comfort zone, I believe it helps inch my edge a bit farther out, make the power of inspiration part of your training! May I invite you to a night of inspiration!

After being stuck in a Nairobi airport for 2 days while volcanic ash caused 16,000 flight cancellations across Europe, Kenyan runner Philip Lagat finally arrived in Iowa for the 101st edition of the Drake Relays after 20 hrs of constant travel.

This was on April 24th, 2010, (yes, 3 days ago). Philip lined up next to the great Bernard Lagat (no relation) who is the 2008 Olympic Champion in the 1500m and has run the 2nd fastest time ever for this distance. This race was Phillip's second mile race in his life on a track. Philip finished the race in 3rd position with a scintillating time of 3:57.55, just behind Bernard Lagat, who was beaten by yet another Kenyan wonder runner named Boaz Lalang. This performance demonstrates that Philip is one of the greats with a talent level that ranges between the 800m to the 1/2 marathon, and what we are offering is a chance to hear his story first hand.

Come and join us at Running Fit's Ann Arbor store headquarters at 5700 Jackson road, Ann Arbor, at 7 PM, Thursday, May 6, 2010. Hear his story, get his autograph, and meet a Kenyan runner who has travelled thousands of miles to make a better life for himself and his family. A donation of a couple bucks to Phillip is appreciated to help with his journey.

Run inspired,

Randy Step, an obsessed runner who stands in awe, then heads out the door to do homage.