July 7, 2009 - Time to shake things up!
Yo Run Gang,
As the racing season slows down and the long summer days add up, I hear fellow runners talking about feeling burned out by the daily running grind. I usually give my normal calm response, NO WAY! How can anyone burn out on running, the perfect activity for mind, body and life itself? Time to shake things up!
If you normally run in the morning, plan tomorrow's run for 10 PM and put on a headlamp. Run in the woods, if you normally run on the road. Start and finish your run at a lake and dive in ... Naked if its private! Yikes! Try some GU, new shoes, new route, new run partner, run with a group ... like 6:30 PM Tuesday at Ann Arbor Running Fit or Thursdays 5:30 PM from Running Fit Northville, where they give you a hot dog when you finish! Go to an outdoor track and put some beer along the track. Do a few easy, or hard, miles. Finish with a cool down walk with beer in hand, seeing the beer on each lap will inspire you (I use beer as an example; just make it something that will fire you up). Run a race, don't even make plans, just find one online (www.runningfit.com, www.runmichigan.com,) and go! Take on a challenge like the one at www.half2run.com. Get someone to drop you off a long way from home with no way to get back but to run! Drive to a spot some evening then run home, in the morning, run back and get your car
Run forever,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, keeping the fire lit
Cross Country Nights: For those of you with cross country runners in the family (You lucky dogs!): Running Fit has a couple of cross country open house nights coming up with extra discounts and fun give-a-way items to keep your runner fired up! Come any date at any time between 4 and 9 PM. Monday August 17th in West Bloomfield, Wednesday August 19th in Northville, Tuesday August 25th in Novi and on Thursday August 27th in Ann Arbor, this may be at our new warehouse store on Jackson, check www.runningfit.com before you head out.
Run 'n' Grill in the 'ville!
Why eat and run when you can run and eat!?! Come on out to Northville Running Fit Thursday nights @ 6:30pm for our weekly Run 'n' Grill! That's right each Thursday night beginning July 16th we'll be out grillin' while you're out runnin'. We'll have Burgers, Dogs and all the fixin's ready for you as you finish up!
What's the catch??? There isn't one except no run, no eat! That's right ya gotta earn those calories!
The group heads out around 6:30pm (which, for some reason beyond explanation, is actually around 6:40pm here in Northville). Mileage for the run varies (between 4 and around 8 miles) and paces vary.
So show up and RUN and EAT with the crew at the Northville Running Fit starting July 16th! We'll leave the grill on for ya!
July 1, 2009 - I am "high" on mileage!
Yo Run Gang,
Its the 40th anniversary of Woodstock Music Festival and Im celebrating by putting on Run Woodstock, 3 days of peace, love and RUNNING! Many saw Woodstock as a self indulgent festival of irresponsibility and the same gang might see Run Woodstock in same light. The truth is, they are correct! The goal of Run Woodstock will be to leave responsibility and perhaps reality behind for a couple days to do a bit of communal running and mellowing out. The deeper truth is that this type of experience may be necessary for us, perhaps helping avoid depression, suicide, heart attack or stroke due to the stress of a so called responsible life. You may say Im a dreamer, but Im not the only one Join us in September, check out www.runwoodstock.com.
The following quote by the late Dr. George Sheehan, runner and philosopher, sheds light on running and why Run Woodstock.
We run long to learn our inner most self. In the long run we get down to bedrock. We find courage and strength we never knew we possessed. We give witness to a person we have never been before.
The run is like religion and play. It resembles art and music, it fills an area of life that is of tremendous importance but has no practical value. And like those other similar activities, running is among our most important functions. It helps us discover and form the self, we find where we are and where we are going. We learn who we are and who we might be. The long run is a place of self discovery.
Far out man,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, high on mileage
June 24, 2009 - The weather is never a reason to skip a run.
Yo Run Gang,
Most of us are mired in our lifestyles with responsibilities of family, jobs, bills, and piles of unfinished work and projects that can stop us in our tracks as we jump out of bed for the daily run. It is as if the enemy had thwarted out attack on this new day. We may awake to run plans that get sidetracked within minutes. The truth is, getting out the door is never easy, and at times, just getting started requires a super human feat. You have blown through that barrier plenty of times, the trick is to keep up the momentum and know thy enemy!
That said, the weather is never a reason to skip a run. As you know, I love extremes, especially when it comes to the weather we run in. Life in the middle of the road will get you run down! When its 10 below or over 90, a simple run becomes extreme and requires planning and thought. It also comes with a bit of danger, but you may have noticed, all the cool stuff is dangerous so no need to avoid it, just take it seriously.
Enjoy every healthy day,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner planning on a high noon run on a day I could have ran in the cool of the morning!
June 17, 2009 - The Message...
Yo Run Gang,
A common runners lament, THAT NONE OF YOU WILL EVER USE! Im getting a bit sore; I guess Im due for new running shoes. Im bringing this up because I just heard this from a long time running friend A runner I thought would know better, so I blame myself for not spreading the message!
The Message: There are plenty of aches and pains that come from running; you dont need to add to them by running in old shoes. The bodys adaptation pains from upping mileage and hard or long workouts offer enough pain options for us already! The answer is to NEVER run long or hard in shoes with over 200 miles on them. You do this by alternating two or more pairs of shoes. Buy new shoes, run in them a while, then, when they have 200 miles on them, get a new pair. Wear the new pair for any long or fast runs and wear the older pair for easy days of junk miles. Once the old pair has 400 miles on them and the new pair has 200 miles on them, get a new pair and retire the 400 mile shoes to the garden in or whatever. I did not dream up this method to just sell you new shoes, you can actually squeeze more miles out of each pair by doing this. This also gives the shoes time to recover from a run, to dry out Darn, so much for a shameless plug.
The Triceratops Sprint Triathlon is a week from today, Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 PM. Sign up to participate, or better yet, sign up to volunteer at www.trextri.com. Volunteering is a great way to check out the sport and see the action up close. Course marshals, aid station workers and the always fun swim course monitors in Kayaks (Yours or ours!). A weekday evening volunteer job that will earn you a cool shirt and free entry into another Running Fit event. Email the Canadian Chick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and say, sounds like fun, sign me up!
Solstice, my favorite day of the year, long enough do it all! Check out the 5 & 10K Northville Solstice Run at www.solsticerun.org, a classy little run.
My Barbados friend Codgie is getting a group together to run the Barbados Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K in December. He worked out a deal for a seven-day stay flying out of Detroit for about $1000.00 per person, which includes airfare and (four star) hotel. All fees are included in this price (airport tax, hotel tax, etc.) and you get other perks. For more info email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Run smart,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner with lots of shoes!
June 10, 2009 - God has truly spoiled me rotten.
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!
June 3, 2009 - Packing my run gear today took all of 10 seconds!
Yo Run Gang,
Packing my run gear today took all of 10 seconds, as apposed to a winter morning where I go through every scenario of what I might need and end up packing a bag that looks like Im leaving for vacation. I love the simplicity of summer running, a minimal bag with shoes, socks, shorts and top. I also love the minimal laundry. One of lifes simple pleasures just got simpler!
On a less simple note, Im sure many of you are type As, who have a hard time with the speed limit, saying no to anything and not doing everything to excess Yet, we are attracted to a sport where patience is required at every turn. Patience needed while slowly building up our weekly mileage, while tapering for a race, while recovering from a race, while holding back the pace during the beginning of a race, while dealing with injuries and the list goes on . No real point here, just an observation, AS I PATIENTLY RECOVER FROM MY MARATHON, NOT RUNNING HARD OR LONG FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, AND TRYING NOT TO SHOOT MYSELF!
Of course, with my easy run schedule I have time to yes and to take on a new mission, and to trick I mean to encourage, other into joining me! Click this LINK if you want to get sucked in!
Enjoy every mile,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner with time to do more
May 27, 2009 - Tired and happy with a 3:41 marathon finish Saturday!
Yo Run Gang,
Ive said it before, I love the totally wasted feeling the long run gives me. Pleasantly sore, tired, fulfilled and deserving of pure laziness Something a person living in a couch potato haze will never know. I joke that us runners work so hard to feel this bad and we should savor the pain but the truth is this feeling passes fast, like all good things in life. As we become more fit, it will take a longer run, harder run and a tougher course to get this feeling back. Bring it on!
Many of you will be running from Dexter to Ann Arbor this weekend, one of Michigans oldest running traditions (36 years), enjoy Especially that wicked hill up to the finish line! Another tradition is to party downtown for a while after your run then walk over to Running Fit and see the thousand or more pictures taken on the course, find and keep your photo and shop the sale! Details below.
Another cool thing to do this weekend is to visit the Mizuno Shoe Companies Mobile Tech Lab for a biomechanical foot evaluation as it makes a stop at Running Fit West Bloomfield and Novi. It is an unbelievably cool vehicle but the downside to this is that the space is limited and it will fill. Get there early, sign up, and then go out for a run or something until your time slot comes up. Details below.
How about a free 10K/Party next Wednesday evening on rolling country roads? See www.runningfit.net/swampparty. Heck, its national running day, join me! http://runningday.org/
Enjoy this running life,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, tired and happy with his 3:41 marathon finish Saturday!
May 20, 2009 - Those darn long term goals take quite a commitment!
Yo Run Gang,
For those of you considering running a fall marathon, especially for those of you thinking about running your first one, it sounds early to make the commitment but you should do it by mid June, yikes! Those darn long term goals take quite a commitment but the payback is huge, perhaps life changing. Marathon training requires time management, but the upside is, during marathon training, you will find that you are more productive and more responsible with family and work than when you were just drifting along. Busy people do everything, people who do nothing, have no time to do anything. You can do this! Check out the Running Fit 501 marathon and half marathon training program. Theyll teach you all the tricks to make it happen, great schedules, group long runs and coaching can make all the difference.
Girls night out! Be spontaneous, join the Diva Darling party Wednesday May 20 Northville - 6 Mile & Haggerty - (248) 380-3338 or Thursday May 21 - Downtown Ann Arbor - Corner of Liberty & 4th downtown - (734) 769-5016. No fee for this evening of woman, wine, chocolate, bra fittings, and more And Im not invited!
Have you visited www.half2run.com? This challenge is a fun way to keep your running on track for years to come. A half marathon in half the states? Just over 1,000 have joined the challenge Including me!
For those of you off to race in Traverse City this weekend, no matter what race day brings, enjoy the natural beauty and the adventure Not to mention the store wide sale at Running Fit! The official Bayshore race apparel will also be for sale at Running Fit before and after the event. Shop early for the best selection, besides, buying Bayshore apparel gives you one more motivational reason to get to the finish line, so you can wear it proudly!
Running Fit Traverse City is on the corner of Front Street and Park. The hours are Friday: 10am 9pm, Saturday: 10am 8pm, Sunday: 10am 5pm. We are closed on Monday Memorial Day. The staff will be on the course taking hundreds of photos that will be posted around the store after 1 PM race day, a fun tradition!
Enjoy every healthy running day,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner ready to head north for adventure!
May 13, 2009 - May I share some taper tips, starting with, enjoy it!
Yo Run Gang,
With the Traverse City, Bayshore Marathon a week away many of you are like me, into the taper. For those of you newer to distance racing, we taper our training miles the days (weeks) just before the event. A time to lick the high mileage training wounds, resting up and storing the muscle glycogen needed to get us to the finish line. During the taper we find ourselves with extra time on our hands, time to worry about our training, our race, and what we eat.
May I share some taper tips, starting with, enjoy it! You worked hard to get here, use the extra time to read a motivational book, watch a motivational movie, get a massage, take a nap ... I guess you could be responsible and catch up on work you got behind on during training dang.
A good rule of thumb is to cut your weekly mileage in half the final two weeks. Example, from 40 to 20 to a race week total of 10 miles, I go to every other day running the final week, nothing long. As you drop your mileage, up the tempo. Short fast runs will make marathon pace feel slow and easy. Bring on the taper!
For those of you who like shopping a sale, this weekend at our warehouse headquarters in west Ann Arbor, its Crazy Larrys Running Garage/Tent Sale where Larrys blowing out all kinds of cool and strange, running stuff. (For example, I spotted a Hal Higdon Running Book from 1980) All 7 stores have sent stuff they needed moved and Larry who works in the warehouse (And has to deal with all of it) says it has to go or hell quit .Hmmm. Closeout shoes from 35% 75% off, winter stuff from 50% to 75% off, even the current inventory will be at least 10% off. See the times and dates below.
After my spring marathon, I go into triathlon mode for the summer. This year, give a Tri a try; check out this perfect low key, and fun, Wednesday night triathlon series at www.runtrextri.com.
Run smart,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner about to put his feet up
May 6, 2009 - We are gearing up for longer races.
Yo Run Gang,
For many of us, along with spring running, comes an increase in weekly mileage. This is not because we were wimpy in winter its because we are gearing up for longer races, right? Anyway, as we increase mileage the body must adapt to this new level of running and there is always a risk of too much too soon and developing some new pain. Many of us are at that stage now, getting up in the morning with a sore heal, arch, hip, knee pains that go away as we warm up and get moving. I call these the good pains, not that they are good but they are better than a pain that comes up during a run, pain that increases as we continue on the run, the pains I call bad pains. The good pains call for ice after the run (Ice we often skip because, heck, the pain went away during the run.) and perhaps a day or two off to calm them down, skip these steps and the good pain might turn into a bad pain. When a bad pain comes up during a run and if we continue to run into increasing pain, we run the risk of needing weeks or months off to get back. When these pains come up, stop the run, walk home or get a ride, ice, and take several days off. If you follow this strategy, you have a good chance of dodging the long term recovery bullet. What Ive just explained is the hardest part of being a runner, which is, not finishing the planed run or race, feeling like a wimp as you do something that is just the opposite of being a wimp.
Tip of the week, go to downtown Ann Arbor Friday night for dinner, and catch the all downtown merchants moonlight madness sale, including Running Fit, open to 11 PM!
Enjoy every healthy day,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, flirting with the edge
