2018-11-01 - The ugly running days
November weather is usually consistent - Consistently MISERABLE! Yes it's the start of what I call the off season, but a goal of getting out the door at a minimum of every other day is in order. No mileage goal needed, once you get out the door that part works out fine, just get out the door. Remember, all runs are good runs once they are over! Yes, I do repeat the important stuff!
Pull em' on, lace em up, and you know what,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner. An often wet, cold stumbling through the dark runner but always happy I got out the door.
PS: Speaking of November... join us Thanksgiving morning in downtown Ann Arbor for a turk-tacular time! Trot 5K or 1 Mile before the feast. Long sleeve shirts to all pre-registered participants, medals and hot chocolate to all finishers! Register now!
PS: HO, HO, GO! Naughty or nice, walker or runner, come breathe in the December night air, burn a few holiday calories and give back to others! The Holiday Hustle on December 8, 2018 is a festive dash around Dexter that will get you in the holiday spirit. Knit beanies to all entrants and medals to all finishers. REGISTER NOW!
2018-10-24 - Gobble, gobble, go!
For most of us, after October all the serious running is behind us until sometime in March. We stay consistent and get out the door but don't follow a hard schedule. Time to lick the wounds and let the body rest up! The fun holiday and winter races will help keep us in the game and give us a reason to get in the daily run so they will be... FUN races! That said, more people will lace up their shoes on Thanksgiving day than any other day of the year! The Turkey Trot rules the event world, one of running's greatest traditions. If you have not started this tradition with your friends and family, it's time to be the catalyst and get it started! A turkey Trot finish will earn you an extra helping at the table and a spot on the couch!
Give thanks to the Trot,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who invites you to join me and 4,000 of my closest friends at the Downtown Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 5K and 1K on Thanksgiving morning!
PS: HO, HO, GO! Speaking of holiday fun... Naughty or nice, walker or runner, come breathe in the December night air, burn a few holiday calories and give back to others! The Holiday Hustle on December 8, 2018 is a festive dash around Dexter that will get you in the holiday spirit. Knit beanies to all entrants and medals to all finishers. REGISTER NOW!
2018-10-17 - You are an athlete!
As runners, we are not armchair quarterbacks wearing a jersey with someone else's name on it, we are the players! An athlete is someone who trains and gathers knowledge to be better at their sport. You are an athlete! When you line up to race, the spectators, the people on the sidelines, are cheering for YOU! You are out there setting the example, inspiring others and working to be a better you. A personal best at 5K is a heck of a lot more meaningful to us than the weekend stats of some quarterback throwing 200 yards. You are the real deal! Now get out there and train.
Can I get your autograph?
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who thinks you should be wearing a jersey with your own name on the back!
PS: GOBBLE GOBBLE, ATHLETES! The temps have dropped and the holidays are right around the corner. Join us on Thanksgiving morning for a 5K or 1K trot around downtown Ann Arbor at the Turkey Trot! Hot chocolate at the finish, photos with Santa and Turkey Tom, long sleeve shirts to pre-registered participants, custom medals to all 5K finishers and festive medals to all 1K finishers. FUN BEFORE THE FEAST! REGISTER NOW!
PS: HO, HO, GO! Naughty or nice, walker or runner, come breathe in the December night air, burn a few holiday calories and give back to others! The Holiday Hustle on December 8, 2018 is a festive dash around Dexter that will get you in the holiday spirit. Knit beanies to all entrants and medals to all finishers. REGISTER NOW!
2018-10-04 - Run like in days of old
Ah, the good old hunter and gatherer days, today's life is busy, complex and stressful. The daily run lets us shed the mental load as the miles add up. The head clears from 1,000 thoughts at once down to a clear mission of movement. What would we do without running, this simple, physical and psychological gift? No need to think about it, unplug and hit the run reset button, peace is just a few fast steps past the front door.
Run like in days of old,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, born a million years too late, wishing I could be running naked with a club chasing down breakfast. Wait, what am I thinking, I guess I could still do this!
PS: The temps are sporadically dropping and you know what that means... fall is HERE! Join us at one of our FALL FAVORITES!
Scrumpy Skedaddle 1K, 5K and 10K
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT NOON!
Orchard running, hard or soft cider, all you can eat pancakes and live music!
October 7, 2018 Flushing, MI
Run Scream Run 1 Mile, 5K and 10K
Costumes, cider and donuts, OH MY!
October 13, 2018 Ypsilanti, MI
Ann Arbor Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot
5K and Tot Trot 1K
Turkeys, swag and TROTTING!
November 22, 2018
2018-09-27 - You can only run too much
The fall long run season is upon us! Many of us will be running marathons, half marathons, 10K's or whatever we each consider long in the next few weeks. Perhaps in Detroit, Chicago, Twin Cities, New York or some other exciting location! Now is not the time to cram for the exam. Now is the time to get into our heads that there is no such thing as being under trained. Schedules we follow are only rough guidelines, we all get in the miles we can based on what life puts in our way. The training we get in is only a part of the equation. Some of us will do all the work before race day, some of us will do most of the work on race day. The important thing is our determination to finish. Time to avoid negative people and negative thoughts, the adventure awaits! When things get tough, smile and remember this is what we do for fun! You can finish your race with a lot less training than you think as long as you are rested and healthy. Less might be more at this point, finish up your training by running smart.
Get excited and smile,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who admits I wrote this to remind myself that the miles I ran to get ready are all the miles I need to finish, no matter how few those training miles may seem!
PS: The temps are finally dropping and you know what that means... fall is on its way! Join us at one of our FALL FAVORITES!
Scrumpy Skedaddle 1K, 5K and 10K
Orchard running, hard or soft cider, all you can eat pancakes and live music!
October 7, 2018 Flushing, MI
Run Scream Run 1 Mile, 5K and 10K
Costumes, cider and donuts, OH MY!
October 13, 2018 Ypsilanti, MI
Ann Arbor Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot
5K and Tot Trot 1K
Turkeys, swag and hot cocoa!
November 22, 2018
2018-09-19 - Surround yourself with runners
To enrich your running life and to ensure your motivation, might I suggest that you surround yourself with runners. For sure you want to have all medical professionals in your life to be runners, that is, your doctor, dentist, ob/gyn etc. They will understand they are dealing with a runners body and will have insights that others might misdiagnose. This is a good spot for a shameless plug for John Farrah my dentist, and my Doc, David Bach, both in Ann Arbor. For hair care, how can you beat talking running with your stylist? Nichole Minor at the new Zev Salon, conveniently located next to Running Fit at 5700 Jackson Rd., Ann Arbor! Talk running, get motivated and then shop... how can you beat it! Seriously, if your insurance agents, realtors, financial planners and all the people you deal with on a daily basis are runners, you will have the support and understanding you deserve... and up your chances of running out the door for a lifetime!
Live, love, run,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who puts his faith in those who run!
PS: To keep a balanced life, consider a bit of strength and yoga... Another shameless plug! My running friend Tod opened SPENGA in Ann Arbor, a 60 minute workout that combines 20 minutes of spin, 20 minutes of strength, and 20 minutes of yoga! The perfect way to stay injury free and balance out your running life.
PS: The temps are finally dropping and you know what that means... fall is on its way! Join us at one of our FALL FAVORITES!
Scrumpy Skedaddle 1K, 5K and 10K
Orchard running, hard or soft cider, all you can eat pancakes and live music!
October 7, 2018 Flushing, MI
Run Scream Run 1 Mile, 5K and 10K
Costumes, cider and donuts, OH MY!
October 13, 2018 Ypsilanti, MI
2018-09-12 - Use it or lose it
By just knowing you are reading this, I can assume you are living a fitness lifestyle, or are at least working toward living one. Either way you have, or had, the courage to start. You made the hard first steps toward becoming a lifelong athlete and are reaping the physical and psychological rewards that come with it. Bravo! I recently met up with an old friend who could not keep up with our active weekend activities, fun physical stuff like a bike ride, swim, yoga, a hike ... Stuff we runners can do with little effort. He was upset with himself and the years he has neglected his body. The pain and frustration on his face and in his frustrated comments to himself made me realize how fortunate we are to be on the right path, to run for the pure joy of running and the satisfaction we get (or are beginning to get) from sweat and sore muscles is the fun part of our daily lives, not a chore, punishment or some dreaded necessary fitness routine... but the highlight of our amazing lives!
You are amazing, and will continue to be if you get out that door!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, hopefully setting a good example while living it up!
PS: FRIENDS OF THE GOAT FLASH SALE! The cooler temps have me feeling fall festive... use coupon code FALLFESTRF18 for $5 off one of the following fun upcoming fall races!
SCRUMPY SKEDADDLE 5K & 10K
OCTOBER 7, 2018 - FLUSHING, MI
RUN, SCREAM, RUN 5K, 10K & 1 MILE
OCTOBER 13, 2018 - YPSILANTI, MI
TURKEY TROT 5K & 1K
NOVEMBER 22, 2018 - ANN ARBOR, MI
Code expires at 12:00PM on Friday, September 14, 2018.
2018-08-29 - Don't skip today's run!
I am amazed how the miles fly by when the senses are fueled with the smells, sights and sounds of a country dirt road, a summer single track trail through the woods or even running down a subdivision street that is waking to a new day. Dang, that about covers most runs... So, why do the miles seem to crawl by some days on these same roads and trails? The answer, none, but...
Don't skip today, it may be the best run ever!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is ready to roll the dice each day and see where they land.
PS: Join us this fall for a run that might just be your best run ever in Flushing, MI on October 7, 2018. The Scrumpy Skedaddle 1K, 5K and 10K have awesome swag, hard or soft cider when you finish and an all you can eat pancake party with live music!
PS: After you've filled up on pancakes and hard cider you'll be feeling all the festive fall feels! Grab your favorite costume and head to Ypsilanti, MI on October 13, 2018 for RUN SCREAM RUN! Wiard's Orchard is the perfect backdrop for this 5K, 10K and 1 Mile run/walk! Sweet shirts, fun medals and CIDER AND DONUTS round this fall favorite out.
2018-08-15 - Constant forward movement
I attended my first NASCAR race and watched from the pits, it reminded me of the transition area of a triathlon where every second counts ... And is counted. When you get your overall time in triathlon, it gives you, swim time, T1 time, transition one, that is the time it took you to get out of the water and bike out of transition. Then bike time, then T2, the time it takes from when you get off the bike to the time you run out of transition, finally, your run time and overall time. It can be humbling to see how our transition times compare but also motivational, inspiring us to practice transition and to get better. In running, like these other events, every second counts. My mantra in events, especially long events, is to have "constant forward movement." As runners, it can be helpful to practice eating and drinking on the run. Might I suggest opening a sport gel or bar while running during training and most importantly, grabbing a cup of water. It's not uncommon to go through an aid station and having a runner come to a complete stop in front of you to drink a cup of water as you have to dodge around them. I suggest you practice grabbing the cup on the go, crushing the cup closed so there is no air left so you can put it to your lips and suck it down. I know most of us are mid packers and are not on the hunt for the win or even an age group award but our overall time, our personal records, are important to us, every second counts. These are the numbers that get us out the door and motivate us to be better at our sport.
May your forward movement be constant,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who won't be able to go through an aid-station or transition without thinking of the pits at NASCAR.
PS: The 6th episode of the Obsessed Runner Live is in the can! Hopefully these 6 minute clips will help you get your butt out the door! Heck, you can watch all 6 in about 30 minutes. Please share if you enjoy them. Thanks!
2018-08-08 - Don't let the good economy keep you from running!
It's a busy life and there are a million things competing with our time. An interesting statistic - when the economy is good and people have extra cash, they buy new toys like boats, motorcycles, large flat screen TVs, vacation homes, all kinds of stuff that cuts into the precious time we have for our health. Our bodies can easily get put on the back burner as we get distracted by stuff ... Stuff that gets old quickly but even then can continue to get in the way of the daily run. Consider this a heads up, a reminder of how easy it is too lose the things that are precious.
Keep your run, your sanity and your fitness first,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, watching out for my run ... And yours!
Run, then reward yourself,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, chocholic and wine snob... cheers!
PS: WE WANT YOU ON THE UNCORKED CREW! Join us between the vines on Saturday, August 18, 2018 in Jackson, MI at Sandhill Crane Vineyards for a volunteer experience like no other! Volunteers receive a sweet Uncorked Crew shirt, a $30 coupon towards a future RF Event and a ticket to the post race wine pairing party! Give back and be a part of a great event!
PS: Run and raise a glass with us one final time in 2018 at the Scrumpy Skedaddle 5K and 10K! This fall run through the orchards on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at Almar Orchards in Flushing, MI with hard or soft cider, all you can eat pancakes, live music and more is sure to become an annual tradition! Custom shirts to all entrants and sweet bottle opener finisher medals make this a can't miss event.
