February 13, 2008 - This winter action is getting old.
Yo run gang,
This winter action is getting old, getting out the door calls for every trick in the book. Todays trick: Get online and sign up for an event and follow a schedule that will get you there in the shape you want to be in. OK, Ill help. We have 7 weeks from Saturday to get ready for the Martian Invasion of Races, 10K on Saturday April 5th and Half and Full Marathon on April 6th. I have written schedules for you starting THIS SATURDAY! No lame excuses (Yes I have a 10K schedule starting at one mile and the half marathon schedule starts with a long run of 8 miles this weekend!). Next, go to www.martianmarathon.com and sign up. Knowing you are committed will make all the difference when you are waffling on getting out the door!
Click here for my training schedules.
Yikes, you are doing this!
Head Goat and Obsessed Runner
Randy Step
For more Run Reading, click here: Tricks to Motivate You Out The Door For a Run!
February 6, 2008 - My favorite running book.
Yo run gang,
I run, I read, I write. Im a big fan of novels that have a running theme as part of or the entire story; unfortunately, they are few and far between. I also like a good psycho book and never pass up a new Steven King, go figure. Anyway, my favorite book of all time was Once a Runner by John L. Parker. Parkers novel captured the essence of training and racing like no other.
All of a sudden everyone thinks this is the greatest running book ever. For proof, Google Once a Runner and see if you can buy a tattered copy of this out of print book for under $300, you cant! You can try the library but Ive checked several and all copies of this valuable book have been stolen. The reason for this new found fan club is the recent release of my new favorite running book of all time, the sequel to Once a Runner, Parkers new book Return to Carthage.
Not to sound like Im giving you a stock tip but may I suggest you grab a hard cover copy of this first edition while they exist, weve ordered in several at Running Fit and they disappear fast. The truth is, you should keep and cherish this book even if it becomes valuable! Before reading it I suggest you get a hold of a copy of Once a runner and read that first. The rumor is a new printing will soon be out, Im sure that is true now that the demand is stupid high.
Anyone interested in buying some beanie babies?
Get out and run!
Randy Step
For more Run Reading, click here: Once a Runner (Randy Steps Edition)
Once a Runner
I, like many of you, am a product of the running boom. I refer to the running boom that took place between 1976 and 1985 when road running took off as a sport. The 40-50 year old age group is currently the largest age group of runners in every road race, 10 years ago it was the 30-40 age group, we just keep moving up. We are the running boomers. A new running boom has been taking place fueled by women new to the sport. I believe the new boomers will follow the pattern of the last boom.
Lots of trendy aerobic activities have come along since the beginning of the running boom and I believe us runners help fuel the numbers in each craze. Many of us took aerobics classes, bought mountain bikes, entered a spinning class, bought a kayak, dabbled in martial arts and climbed a rock wall.
Running Adventure!
Last winter in the Dominican Republic I had an Indiana Jones type run. We woke on departure day to a tropical rain storm. It had been raining hard all night in fact. The group was supposed to meet at 7:00 for a last run then hit the airport. Earlier in the week we ran a very hilly donkey track of a road up into the foothills of the mountains. The track took us through 3 or so villages, people living on a thread of existence. No power, open sewers, no schools or much of anything. A few goats and scrawny chickens, lots of crying babies and impassable rutted roads. A 10 mile loop course with no turning back. Did I say HILLY?
Well, the group that planned to run with me on the loop decided to sleep in ... or were wimps about a bit of mud. My Chinese buddy Youngmen did finally show up and we decided to go ahead without the safety of a larger group, my usual insurance on such a run.
January 30, 2008 - The rule: Never let the weather affect your planned run.
Yo run gang,
Im sure you can relate I put off the Monday morning run at 20 degrees opting for the day end run with a predicted high of 40. The morning was still, clear and the sun rise was beautiful. I ran that night in the dark, pouring rain and perhaps mid 30s. Each foot fall was a cold wet shock, you get the picture. The rule: Never let the weather affect your planned run, when race day dawns, you have no choice in the matter and you better be ready and know how to dress and run in all conditions. Not to mention, there are a ton of things that will come along to thwart the days run, weather should never be one of them. If the rain had been in the AM, I should still have headed out. Didnt I just say that?
No excuses, last years Super Bowl 5K was held in 5 degree weather with a stiff wind. In 06, race morning dawned with about a foot of new snow, memorable stuff, dont miss this year! Im coming for the finishers pint glass and post race hot wings and not just because theyre being served by the Hooters girls! 5K not long enough? Run a second loop with me, by then youll know the course! Enter at www.runsuperbowl.com.
A trick to get past the midwinter slump almost like magic is a trip to Running Fit for new shoes. At this time of year, the stores are slow and you can take your time trying on everything with our lonely staff members who are excited to talk about your running. Best yet, the 08 spring shoes just came in, new models like the Kayano 14, Nike Structure Triax 10 and Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8. Shameless plug? Well maybe, but Ill soften it up, bring this email in for $10 off any new shoes and fire up the magic!
Get out and run!
Randy Step
For more Run Reading, click here: Running Adventure!
Treadmill Running Will Make You Faster!
Treadmill running will make you a faster, more efficient, injury free and mentally tough runner. Does this sound like an ad for a treadmill company or what? The statement happens to be true (regardless of any shameless plug you might see at the end of this article!) but the results dont come about from any magic, only hard work.
Lets start with the "mentally tough" claim. Lets say you jump on the treadmill for a workout. After what you guess is about hour of running you look down at the time readout on the treadmill and you see that you have actually been on the thing for all of 5 minutes. If you hold out for an actual hour, you will be one mentally tough runner when you get back outside running in the natural environment!
The treadmill makes you more efficient? An interesting phenomenon takes place when you run on a treadmill. Lets say you set the speed of the treadmill at a 9 minute per mile pace. As you run to keep up with a moving belt at a specific speed, you will have a natural tendency to adjust your running form to make it the least effort possible.
January 23, 2008 - Consider racing in Michigan this year as you choose your event goals.
Yo run gang,
Consider racing in Michigan this year as you choose your event goals. With a difficult economy and gas over three bucks, running in Michigan makes more sense than ever. Youll save some cash and help the local economy. To start, why travel to the Super Bowl when you can run the Super 5K in Novi on February 3rd and come home with a very usable pint glass to use during game where you will have the best seat in the house! Go to www.runsuperbowl.com.
Running Dreams, are they common to all runners who dream? In mine, I either find myself running in slow motion, a huge effort, like running in wet cement or with cement blocks tied to my legs or the opposite, finding myself taking huge strides, literally flying just over the earth, waiting for the next foot strike. The nightmare I have is not finding my way to a race, or being late for the start. What does it all mean, anything, nothing?
Hey, tomorrow night is the only night you can catch the movie "Spirit of the Marathon" on the big screen as it plays at several local theaters. Running is ignored by the sports world, a non revenue sport, every opportunity that we have to see running in the spot light is a must! Ive got my ticket! Click here for more information on "Spirit of the Marathon".
Run like you mean it,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner thats not looking to change that!
For more Run Reading, click here: Treadmill Running Will Make You Faster!
2008-01-16 - Run Snow!
There is no typical Michigan winter. Last year we had a very unusual couple of months of heavy snow across the state with no meltdowns. For running, it sucked.
On the flip side, those of us runners who have taken up snow shoeing, never missed a beat! Snow shoeing is the snow belts fastest growing sport, a sport for runners! Were not talking huge numbers but a good guess would be a that 2-3 thousand Michigan runners strapped on snowshoes before heading out for their winter workouts, and the number is growing fast. Its hard to pin this number down but from discussions with representatives of Redfeather and Crescent Moon snowshoes, 2-3 thousand is a good guess. This number is based on sales of performance snowshoes, the smaller frames designed for strapping on your running shoes.
The western states and eastern areas like Vermont and upstate New York are the snowshoe hot beds. 4 years ago, Traverse City Running Fit managers Jeff and Daniel pulled a Midwest coo, convincing the US Snowshoe Association to hold the USSA National Championships in Traverse City, Michigan!
January 16, 2008 - For sanity sake, we all need more than one passion.
Yo run gang,
For sanity sake, we all need more than one passion. Its like having insurance or a diversified portfolio, when something happens and we cant pursue our obsession, we must have an option or - Yikes! May I suggest a well rounded portfolio of three passions, or should I say one obsession and 2 passions? The terms are close to interchangeable but life without one activity where you go over the line will leave you in the middle of the road - road kill. Ideally, two physical passions and one that you can pursue with most of your parts not working. Im talking about writing, reading, research or what have you, perhaps being a Civil War nut, you get the idea. As for physical, it needs to be aerobic and able to cop you a few endorphins, stuff like biking, swimming or paddle sports. These thoughts came up while I was on the bike a lot the last two weeks because of pain and that Im PATIENT DAMMIT! Anyway, Im back on my feet and getting in miles this week, whew.
Road Trip! Join me in Travers City the weekend of January 26th for the Bigfoot 5 & 10K Snowshoe race. No practice necessary, its just running with big shoes, slow hard running but just a riot, no learning curve. Lots of hotel deals and we all need to escape. Go to www.runsnow.com then stay online and grab a hotel room!
Get out and run, then sit down and ?
Randy Step
Head Goat and Obsessed Runner
For more Run Reading, click here: Run Snow!
Dont run to the Doctor
As a coach, this is a classic question and my response. We will all have some aches and pains along the way, the question of going to a doctor or just how to deal with the set back will be a common occurrence.
"Have a question for you. The past few days I've noticed clicking in my knee - mostly when I'm going up stairs. It's not really painful, other than the aches I have all over just from this sudden running that my body isn't used to - that's to be expected. Yesterday there seemed to be some swelling behind my knee area (the point on the back of the leg where it bends) so I put ice on it for a while. Today, it doesn't hurt but its still clicking as I walk up stairs. I realize you are not a doctor, but do you think I should not run again unless I see a doctor first? I hate to miss my miles already. "
My response:
No need to run to a doctor, I'll save you a trip!
