2020.04.01 - Yes, You can
Yes, you can, (A break from the COVID emails ...)
In 1980, my new bride and I were sitting on our couch watching The Ironman Triathlon on the Wild World of Sport. I could only imagine what these athletes were thinking as they lined up in the water waiting for the starting cannon to fire, knowing what a long and painful day was before them. When the show ended, my wife turned to me and said, I could do that... we should do that. I said nothing, my head needed time to process the comment. She was serious. My wife swam in college and had become a solid runner, we biked but not too seriously, just a long charity ride or two. I said, OK. Immediately, I knew this was a big deal, I had no idea how much that two letter response would change our lives forever, and no longer did I have to wonder what it was like to hear that starting cannon in Kona. Our world may seem small today, make a big plan.
Just say OK,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, missing lining up with all of you.
2020.03.25 - Trust the miles
Last night I escaped the COVID 19 world for a bit as I was transported to the front of the pack of the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run by watching the movie "Unbreakable", on youtube.com. Upbeat, motivational movies and books can change a negative thought pattern to one of hope and wonder. Seeing what the human spirit is capable of might give us the push needed to reach our potential. Vegan athletes, the best long distance runners in the world, who run 150 to 200 mile weeks up and down mountains, alone in the wilderness, have incredible insight, not unlike cloistered monks or gurus, and they share them in this movie. A common thread was leaving structured training behind and trusting long hard miles with thousands of feet of climb on rocky rooted trails, letting the run teach us the way.
Let's use this time to grow,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner on life's journey.
2020.03.18 - Invest in the run
As runners, we are trained for adversity, these are hard days but for most of us who are not fighting the virus, not life or death, just tough. There are a lot books centered on World War Two on the best seller's lists these days. Staying home, with the heat on and a fridge full of food, compared to hiding in a freezing attic with almost nothing for months on end, with the enemy just outside, helps put things in perspective. That said, once again, the value of today's run is inversely proportional to the stock market, a solid investment, get out there.
Things are tough, you are tougher,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, whose morning run is still paying interest late in the day.
PS: The Crew at RF Events are hard at work, creating creative ways to lessen the frustration we all have from cancelled events. This NY Times article explains our pain well. https://static.nytimes.com/email-content/RU_sample.html
2020.03.12 - Run away
The daily run not only gives us a place to escape the torrent of bad news for a bit but has also has helped prepare us for this day. The following comes from David Nieman, the world's leading exercise-immunity researcher. One way to protect yourself from Immunosenescence, Keep exercising. "It's one of the biggest most important and most amazing effects of exercise, "says Nieman. "Overall, regular exercisers are about 20 to 30 years younger, in terms of Immunity, than those who don't exercise. FULL ARTICLE
That said, let's do our part to limit the spread of the virus to help give the medical community time to get this sorted out, come up with solutions and hopefully, save some lives in the meantime.
Hang tough,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is trying to stay positive.
2020.03.05 - Go Team USA!
Last weekend I sat glued to the set to watch the U.S. Olympic marathon trials. Unlike many countries that pick members of their team based on consistency, past performance or other factors, the U.S. system leaves no room for politics or someone making a judgement call on who should go. The US team is made up of the first 3 men and women over the line in the Olympic Trails Marathon. Hundreds line up and it's all about those top three spots. The stakes are high and the drama is as good as sports get. Thousands of training miles, years of dedication and discipline all come down to a 26.2 mile run that will bring fame to the top 3 but also great personal satisfaction to those who worked so hard to qualify. Those elite runners who got to the starting line and give it all they had to be a part of history. As runners, we can all relate to these Olympians on some level, we are disciplined and dedicated, we know what it's like to train long and hard to get to our starting lines and we put all we have on the line on race day. Watching the best can motivate us to step up our game and be better. Yes, a bit of T.V. this year will help our running!
Watch, train and race your best,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who for some reason, runs more miles during Olympic years that others, despite a few hours in front of the tube! Bring it on.
PS: BEER! RUNNING! THE BEAUTIFUL DETROIT RIVERFRONT! Join us Friday night, May 8th in Detroit, MI for the Hightail to Ale 5K. This Friday night party with a 5K warmup has BEER, swag, live music, food trucks... and did we mention BEER! Register now!
2020.02.26 - Cross this one off your bucket list
Michigan is blessed with some Iconic events, events that deserve a spot on your bucket list. For 25 years, the Dances With Dirt Team Relay has been one such event. DWD is the pure Michigan born, granddaddy of "obstacle course" running. It's not man-made crap set out in the woods, but every brutal obstacle mother nature has to offer, and what more could you ask for. If you have not experienced this wild, full color incredible day in this running life we live, you will be rewarded, I promise. Many of the team themes are over the top and add another layer to a day that is far more than the sum of its parts.
Trick 4 friends over to the dark side, on DWD day, and you will be their hero. It's a challenging day with each runner running 3 legs and putting in around 12 miles. These are not Peter Cottontail, bunny trail miles, but severe breathtaking miles that will cleanse the soul. DWD does offer the option to run with a team of up to 10 to ease up on the miles for each runner, and gives people of all abilities the chance to experience this amazing event. If you can run a 5K, you can be a part of DWD Day. I guarantee, it will be a rewarding challenge nonetheless and the finish line will be just as sweet.
Grab some friends and sign up early to save a few bucks. Put September 26th on the calendar, and join in the fun we've been having for over 25 years. Knowing you are in for a tough day will motivate you out the door all year, so you will be ready to rock. Perhaps get the team together for a monthly trail run. Perhaps this has been a shameless plug for DWD (dwdmichigan.com for more info), but running gets no better.
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who loves every aspect of DWD Day, and so will you!
2020.02.19 Running, as extreme as sports get
Running gets us down to bedrock. Each run requires physical and mental strength just to head out the door. Some days, our body lets us know it really doesn't want to do this, much like dragging an unwilling dog on leash. Ah, but on those days when our bodies are jumping and barking at the door, ready to go...
We marvel at the "X" Games and sports that are called "Extreme", when in reality, there is no more extreme sport than distance running. A sport that has us heading out day after day to do battle and keep the edge, heading out regardless of how we feel or what the conditions are, knowing that nothing good comes easy. What we will get for our hard work and extreme behavior is good, very good. When race day dawns, hang on to that leash tight and be ready to keep up with a happy, well trained body, pulling us forward to personal greatness. Now, give yourself a pat on the head!
Train and run like an animal!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who just loves extremes!
PS: Run and give back! Shamrocks and Shenanigans is just around the corner. Join us March 15th in downtown Ann Arbor for 5K or 1K... you'll get your run in, and do some good! All proceeds from the Shamrocks & Shenanigans are donated directly to Save a Heart, an organization that raises funds to benefit patients and their families at the Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Register now!
2020.02.12 - Resting isn't giving up
Baby Goat here, Step-ping in for the midweek run-mail!
For one of the first times in my running career my training has been going exactly as planned. Meeting all of my own expectations and actually completing my miles has given me such a surge of energy in my day-to-day life and a newfound sense of self confidence. Unfortunately, like most hot streaks, mine has come to a temporary "end." Over the last week plantar fascitis snuck in to test my patience and my spirit. I am dying to push through this setback and overdo it to keep the hot streak and my inflated confidence alive. I have to remind myself that this (probably much-needed) rest isn't me giving up on the streak, it's just REST. It definitely wont kill me and in the long run may not even affect my training. Listening to my body and backing off now will ward off any detrimental injury and allow me to come back refreshed when I've healed up!
Anna Przybylski, an admittedly not quite as obsessed runner who is headed out for a short walk, not because I'm giving up... but because I'M RESTING!
PS: BEER! RUNNING! THE BEAUTIFUL DETROIT RIVERFRONT! Join us Friday night, May 8th in Detroit, MI for the Hightail to Ale 5K. This Friday night party with a 5K warmup has BEER, swag, live music, food trucks... and did we mention BEER! Register now!
2020.02.05 - Break free
I don't believe we should ignore the problems of the world but it helps to leave them behind and head out the door for a head clearing run. It may take a mile to turn off the noisy part of the brain, kind of like trying to fall asleep, it sometimes takes a conscious effort to unhook. I have found having a mental checklist helps the process, a systematic way to live in the moment. After a while, the habit becomes second nature, a part of my run. I'll shuffle along for a minute or so, then do a form check, I hold in my abs and get my posture straight, add a bit of a forward lean, make sure my cadence and my turnover are quick so I won't over stride. Next, it's time to look at my surroundings, take in the smells, the sounds and the sights ... If I'm lucky, this part will go on until the run comes to an end. Darn.
Break Free,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who still has yesterday's muddy country road run etched in memory to go to anytime I might need it today.
PS: Run and give back! Shamrocks and Shenanigans is just around the corner. Join us March 15th in downtown Ann Arbor for 5K or 1K... you'll get your run in, and do some good! All proceeds from the Shamrocks & Shenanigans are donated directly to Save a Heart, an organization that raises funds to benefit patients and their families at the Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Register now!
2020.01.29 - Nerds got nothin' on us
We fart, we burp, we pee in the woods, we change in our car, we have piles of clothes that stink and we have more shoes than Lady Gaga. We actually PAY big bucks to run 3.1 miles and have an embarrassingly large pile of t-shirts to prove we did this. In this modern, temperature controlled world we are often wet and cold or hot and sweaty. We have big ugly plastic watches that cost as much as a Rolex. All that said, how come we have this smug feeling of satisfaction and superiority over the average American every time we run out that door?
You know why. Smile and get out there!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is feelin' pretty superior today after a hard workout and run!
P.S. Add the Trails In Motion Trail running Film Tour to your calendar for a motivational afternoon to launch your running into spring! The Ledlenser Trails In Motion Film Tour is an annual international film tour that brings a collection of the finest trail and ultra running films to passionate audiences around the world. Join like-minded trail runners and adventure sports enthusiasts on Saturday, March 14th at the Farmington Civic Theater!
PS: Run and give back! Shamrocks and Shenanigans is just around the corner. Join us March 15th in downtown Ann Arbor for 5K or 1K... you'll get your run in, and do some good! All proceeds from the Shamrocks & Shenanigans are donated directly to Save a Heart, an organization that raises funds to benefit patients and their families at the Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Register now!
