2019-04-03 - I can, because I run
A wise old runner said, I don't run because I can, I can because I run. Our fitness level gives us access to so much life has to offer. We can fly up a flight of stairs or park in the far corner of the lot at Costco and not be in the tangle of cars vying for a front row spot. We can visit New York City and take in all the sites on foot, even walking from Battery Park to Central Park. Yes, running can add years to our lives and life to our years. Really, a new study shows a fir 75 year old is twice as likely to live to 85 than somebody with a sedentary lifestyle.
Get out the door today, so you can get out the door forever!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who was amazed to find out the results of a study that showed those who ran in the Martian Invasion of Races experienced better sex lives, made more money and were found to experience more joy and happiness than dead people! Enter here and live it up!
P.S.: DAYLIGHT. SUNSHINE. WARMER FORECASTS. Any of these things have you feelin' good? Turn your face toward the sun, breathe in the fresh air and let yourself feel inspired for a big year of FUN and RUNNING! Here are some fun favorites to add to your list:
Hightail to Ale 5K
Atwater Brewery - Detroit, MI
May 10, 2019
BEER, RUNNING... DID WE MENTION BEER!
Oberun 5K
Wiard's Orchard - Ypsilanti, MI
June 21, 2019
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with a 5K run/walk to a beer garden!
2019-03-27 - Yikes, spring running!
It has been an odd and brutal winter. Spring seems to have taken us by surprise and it's hard to wrap our heads around the idea that it's time to line up and enjoy some races! CHARGE!!! Next up will be the Martian Invasion of Races, the 5K and 10K courses are perfect for those of us not quite ready for a spring Half or Full Marathon! I've run plenty of events in my life and can say that the Martian 10K course is a great one. It starts with 3 miles of stately old Dearborn neighborhoods followed by 3 miles of a wide, winding paved path through woodlands skirting the back of The University of Michigan Dearborn and past the Fairlane Manor, an architectural gem built by Henry Ford and his bride Clara at the turn of the century. The races start and finish in the heart of downtown West Dearborn and many bars and restaurants in town have post-race discounts and specials for those wearing a race medal!
It's time to COMMIT and RUN,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is digging a bit of sunshine and looking forward to the upcoming invasion.
P.S.: DAYLIGHT. SUNSHINE. WARMER FORECASTS. Any of these things have you feelin' good? Turn your face toward the sun, breathe in the fresh air and let yourself feel inspired for a big year of FUN and RUNNING! Here are some fun favorites to add to your list:
Hightail to Ale 5K
Atwater Brewery - Detroit, MI
May 10, 2019
BEER, RUNNING... DID WE MENTION BEER!
Oberun 5K
Wiard's Orchard - Ypsilanti, MI
June 21, 2019
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with a 5K run/walk to a beer garden!
203-21-19 - Fight the good fight.
After the brutality of an endless winter, it only takes one nice day and then we hardly need a motivational push out the door to get in the run. The reality is that we will quickly forget the cold and start blaming the heat, our busy lives or whatever excuse we need to knock back the priority of our daily run. Our health is everything and the run is a big part of it, not just the run itself but the healthy changes in lifestyle we make due to our commitment. We all know how easy it is to lose focus when we are not facing a health crisis, then, one day, we wake to see a person in the mirror we never thought we'd be, or worse, wake up to one of the many diseases caused by poor choices. Yikes!
Hang tough and get your butt out the door,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner with as many excuses as can be imagined, continually digging myself back to the surface to fight the good fight.
P.S.: DAYLIGHT. SUNSHINE. WARMER FORECASTS. Any of these things have you feelin' good? Turn your face toward the sun, breathe in the fresh air and let yourself feel inspired to kick off spring at the Martian Invasion of Races! Only 3 week to go, REGISTER NOW for the Martian Invasion of Races 5K, 10K, 13.1M, 26K or 26.2M on April 13, 2019 in Dearborn, MI! Or check out the other race dates below--beer adventures, trail adventures, tri adventures and more!
2019-03-13 - Pointless runs
Yesterday I had a fun point to point run, something I don't do often enough. There is a strange motivational quality to running someplace as opposed to ending up where you started. I guess that makes sense at some level. Due to the nature of a point to point run, once you start, it's kind of like you are all in, if you're headed home or to work or whatever, you will need to finish this run no matter what. With the high winds we've been having, running point to point can make for a pleasant run on an ugly day. That said, yesterday was a beauty and my run was a bit uphill and into a light headwind, still, a rewarding run all around, adding to my sense of accomplishment and sense of adventure. I need to remember to ask more often, "Hey, which way are you headed? Do you mind dropping me off along the way?"
Turn your loop into a straight line today,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, keeping it fun and getting it done.
P.S.: There is some warm weather in the forecast which means there is RUNNING in the forecast! There is less than five weeks until our favorite OUT OF THIS WORLD race weekend. REGISTER NOW for the Martian Invasion of Races 5K, 10K, 13.1M, 26K or 26.2M on April 13, 2019 in Dearborn, MI! Don't miss glitter fill finisher medals, custom technical shirts to all entrants and a day filled with more Martians than you can imagine.
2019-03-07 - SUCK IT, Winter!
Baby Goat here... The Head Goat is out of town and I've gone ROGUE!
Let's face it, people, this winter is never going to end! I'm cold, I'm tired, and I do not want to get my butt out the door! I'm tired of washing my running jackets, I'm tired of hunting for the perfect hat for the specific temperature of the day, I'm tired of wet socks... So you know what winter, SUCK IT!
Let me explain to you what I just did there... When I was a high school runner I invented a little game called "1, 2, 3, complain." The concept was very simple, on those days I just didn't want to do it, I would say "1, 2, 3, COMPLAIN" and spend the first minute or so of my run complaining out loud. So put your shoes on and get your butt out the door, start your run by shouting about all the things you're sick of... maybe even throw in a SUCK IT, WINTER! It will get you giggling, you'll have gotten all that nonsense off your chest and you're already through the hardest few minutes of your run.
Dig all your winter gear out and get out the door,
Baby Goat, an admittedly (not quite as) obsessed runner... who can't wait to tell winter how I really feel tonight!
PS: Show winter you're over it as loudly as possible by joining us Sunday morning, March 10th for SHAMROCKS AND SHENANIGANS! The temps are actually looking up! Online registration closes tomorrow at NOON, so REGISTER NOW FOR 5K or 1K. All of the proceeds from Shamrocks and Shenanigans go to Save A Heart supporting patients and families at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center.
2019-03-01 - Running is pure, true and simple
The daily run is not liberal or conservative, has no religious affiliation and has no enemies. The daily run can help lower blood pressure, contribute to cardiovascular health and has many other physical and mental health benefits. Rich or poor, in good times or in bad, the daily run is accessible to us all. Running events are celebrations of the human spirit, bringing together millions of people that support each other and share common goals and aspirations.
The daily run is yours and is just outside that door,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, can you tell?
PS: We had a very human moment yesterday, If you saw on Facebook and in your e-mail that you had until the end of the day yesterday to sign up for the OBERUN YPSILANTI EARLY BIRD PRICE... we were aaaaalmost right. February is hard... right?! So.. BONUS! You have until the end of the day TODAY to pay the early bird price for the Oberun 5K in Ypsilanti, MI on June 21, 2019. Summer, friends, fun and OBERON!
2019-02-20 - The run upstages the weather!
The RF Events Crew on yesterday's sun, fun run!
It doesn't take much, sunny, 20 degrees, no wind, decent footing and the run takes center stage, not the weather! No doubt the pure crap days make my comments about today's run ring true. That said, we are over the hump as far as winter, in a couple weeks it will be time to ramp things up and stick to a plan that will get us to our goals. Here are some schedules to get us ready for the Martian Invasion of Races on April 13th, take a look at what seems realistic and jump on board! If you are thinking you wont be quite ready for 10K, sign up for 5K and plan on run/walking but getting out there and getting it done! Commit today, a race looming ahead will give you that extra push out the door!
Yikes, you can do this!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who also suggests getting your fire lit by joining us for a running film festival on Saturday afternoon, March 9th. The inspirational films and incredible cinematography showcased at the Trails in Motion Film Festival will work magic on our inner runner. I'll be introducing the films and we'll head out for a beer after, join me!
2019-02-13 - Run THROUGH it
(to the tune of We're Going on a Bear Hunt)
We're going on a winter run!
We're gonna log some big miles!
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared.
Uh oh! SNOW!
Deep, slushy snow!
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH IT!
With a little preparation a snowy run is the perfect addition to your training... Think of it as a totally unexpected bonus! Layer up your moisture wicking clothing, throw on some traction devices and get your butt out the door. The varied footing of snowy miles work your ancillary muscles and connective tissues to enhance your balance and stability, making you SUPER STRONG... stuff you can't get on a treadmill! When the spring run season hits you'll be totally prepared and you'll get to skip that getting "back" in shape phase!
we've got to go through it,
Baby Goat (Stepping in while the Goat works his ancillary muscles on the sandy beaches of Jamaica), an admittedly
not quite as obsessed runner who will be humming about deep, slushy snow while I strap on my Yak Tracks tonight!
P.S.: After you get out for your snowy bonus run... Set a spring goal! The Martian Invasion of Races presented by Blue Care Network on April 13, 2019 will inspire you to dream of your finish line moment as you head out the door each day. Commit, train, SUCCEED in the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, 26K Combo or Full Marathon... you can even recruit your favorite young runners for the Kids' Marathon!
2019-02-06 - Running sucks.
Monday had me feeling tired and low after a long but rewarding Super Bowl Sunday, a day that started with a 4:30 a.m. alarm to help put on the Super 5K and ended with me on the couch, late in the evening, toasting Tom Brady and the Patriots. I headed out on my run into a very gray, 45ºF day with an icy rain on muddy, shoe-sucking, flooded trails. I got in what was, for me, 5 very tough miles.
On days like these, it takes what seems like a super human effort to drag ourselves out the door. But we head out anyway, knowing that we have chosen a difficult and extreme sport, in fact, a sport that is considered punishment in other sports. We get it, actually. It's the reason we run. I left the house in a bit of a depressed funk and returned feeling heroic. Yes, a hero only to myself, but a powerful lift in my spirits, more than any drug could match.
May we get out the door forever,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who knows that running sucks, and that's fine by me.
P.S.: Shake off your own gray, 45ºF funk by setting a spring goal! The Martian Invasion of Races presented by Blue Care Network will inspire you to dream of your finish line moment, or that COSMIC GLITTER finisher's medal, as you head out the door each day. Commit, train, SUCCEED in the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, 26K Combo or Full Marathon... you can even recruit your favorite young runners for the Kids' Marathon!
2019-01-31 - Sneak in some miles
After a couple of days of YIKES weather, It looks like we're in for a bit of a break this weekend. I always say, run smart but don't let the weather get in the way of your run, dress for it and adjust the distance or course to make it safe. That said, when the weather, the schedule, or anything that makes the run go well is in your favor, sneak in some extra miles. Not only will you be adding some miles to the log you might have lost to bad days, but a bit of longer run, especially in winter, does wonders for our mood and self-esteem. The power of a good run can leave us with a smile that can lingers for days! Now for a shameless plug, how about joining us at the Super 5K on Sunday morning in Novi with predicted temps in the high 40's! Not only will you get a Super Pint glass and medal that will prove you earned your spot on the couch during the game, you also get a warm running beanie! Perhaps get in a mile warm up and a cool down to sneak in those precious extra miles!
When the going is good, keep going!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who understands the old farmer who makes hay while the sun shines, but also gets the point of, when going through hell, keep on going!
P.S.: Time to start thinking about your spring goals! Put our favorite spring tradition on your calendar, Trail Marathon Weekend! This Michigan classic is now in its 33rd year! Join us April 27th and 28th in Pinckney, MI for 5 Miles, 13.1 Miles, 26.2 Miles or 50K! Wooden medals to all finishers and cozy patch beanies to all entrants!
