2023.04.19 - Running is pure

There is no I in team, but there is in Running! Sure, there are teams in

running, but the sport itself is strictly individual. Whether on a team or in a club, members are there just to encourage and support each other. Our sport has no referees or bad calls, just a start line, finish line and a clock running. We just run, it is pure, simple, and we love it! We might call a run, training, or we may call it a race, but it's really just us, putting in the miles we need for fulfillment. Our running disappointments are trivial, injuries keep us learning, and our successes keep the fire lit. May running be the meaning of life? For sure it's leading us to it.

Run forever and ever, amen,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who like you, gets it.

2023.04.05 - Run Proud

My running friend Jane claimed that this week's long run was 1000 times easier because of running with me, as opposed to running it alone. Perhaps an exaggeration, but it puts the difficulty of so many of our daily runs, that we do alone, in perspective.

That said, each mile we put in proves we are just plain awesome, badass athletes, getting in the miles while much of the rest of the world staggers on in a couch potato haze. You can be proud of every run, short or long, fast or slow because you got your butt out the door and NO mile is easy, and that’s what makes our run so rewarding.

Running is tough, so are you,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who like you, can be proud of lacing them up and getting it done, every time.

2023.03.30 - Run Wild

We can all use a camping weekend in the woods, especially where there are miles of trails and country dirt roads to run on, not to mention, hot showers, a lake to swim in and the 120 acres of pure Michigan woodlands to wander. Now is the time to make plans so that it happens, and signing up early will save you a few bucks. Expect group campfires and group runs. Bring the non-running family and friends along to enjoy it with you. All camp fees are a charitable donation to Washtenaw Promise, a nonprofit that gives a leg up to the preschool kids in Ypsilanti and Willow Run. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions.

Camping dates and info HERE.

Let’s get our butts out the door,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who loves the mission of Washtenaw Promise, and the camp where we host Run Woodstock in September, and where we will be enjoying the spirt of peace, love and running one weekend each month this summer! Dig?

2023.03.22 - Run, or volunteer

With so many cool races out there, it’s easy to overload our schedule. Yes, too much of a good thing rears its head especially in running. When back to back events that sound fun leave you flipping a coin, consider volunteering at one of them. Volunteering is not only a great way to preview an event, but being part of the staff gives you a bit of a celebrity status as an insider. When someone asks if you have run a certain event, you can say, I help put that race on, and can answer any questions you might have.

So, if you are thinking of running long at Trail Weekend on April 29th, but think it also sounds pretty cool to run 2 mile loops at Island Time a week later, perhaps trying to run farther than you ever have before, but knowing it’s not really enough time to recover, volunteer! Working an aid station at Trail offers serious quality time in the woods. Working the aid station on a 2 mile loop of a 24 hour event can be as grueling, and as rewarding as running it. When you become part of the team that helps runners meet their goals, you might get just as teary eyed and emotional as a person who hit 50 miles, perhaps due to your constant encouragement. Dig it!

Get out and race, or, make the race possible,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who hopes to see you on a starting line soon, or perhaps in the finish chute handing out medals!

P.S. Running at the Martian Invasion of Races? Consider stay at the host hotel, Courtyard Detroit Dearborn. Special rate of $122 - $132 per night, BUT ONLY UNTIL 3/24! I promise it will add to your event weekend experience!

You will receive goodies from the race as you check in, and will be welcomed like the running celebrity you are! Check out the Martian decorations and get a coffee and grab and go breakfast in the morning. The tables, chairs and a fireplace in the lobby give plenty of space to hang out and runner watch! Late check out and a pool to recover…book your room today HERE!

2023.03.14 - The elusive good run

Just when we finally start to get a bit of light in morning, kaboom, they move it away from us by an hour, dang. That said, I had one of those elusive good runs today. I’d say they come about every 10th run or so, just often enough to keep me putting my money back in the slot. And like good runs, the weather Gods have also been fickle. I thanked them for the glorious Saturday morning they gave us to get in the long run, then they crap on us for a couple days before finally releasing the sun again. I picture them looking down at us and thinking, these runners are tough characters, we chased everyone else into the house and they keep coming back for more!

Every run is a win,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who, like many of us runners, was born a rambler and a gambler and guess we always will be until they throw the dirt on. Amen.

2023.03.01 - Same old run story

I’m tired of repeating myself but ... Yesterday, I was tired, sore, in a funk and just knew if I went out to run it would suck, but due to the short window time I had to get it in, the misery would be over soon. I was frowning and grumbling as I charged on down the street. I kept the hammer down knowing I might soon throw in the towel and start walking. About 2 miles in I was still flying along with my body loving it, perhaps faster than any recent race pace when I finally got it through my thick head that I better enjoy the magic that was being presented to me. Live and never learn … Is it just me? So much for being the author of the best-selling running book “Get Your Butt Out the Door”, duh.

Never trust your gut when it comes to getting out the door, just go,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who admits to being a head case some days, but still taking credit for my great run yesterday! Ha.

On a fresh note, The Run Woodstock Half Marathon made it to USA Today’s short list of the greatest destination races in the US, please click this link and vote it to number one if you dig it! Dig? httpse,://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-half-marathon-2023/

2023.02.22 - Ageless Running

I’m surrounded by friends who are retiring, luckily I’ve never had a job so I can’t retire! That said, some of my running friends seemed to have retired from running at the same time as the job, while others have upped their game, which seems to make a hell of a lot more sense with them having the extra time. We know that going for a run has nothing to do with age, it’s only related to being healthy and being able to run. Looking at age group records, Gene Dykes, at age 70, ran 2:54 for the marathon just this year and the record for over 80 is 3:15. The woman’s over 70 record is 3:27 and over 80 is 4:12. Of course, these are world records but like all world records they motivate us all at any level to know we are in a ageless sport, dig it! Let’s never play the age card and we shall stay ageless, like our sport!

Run forever,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who loves the T-shirt with the words, Dumb Asses in Shoes! That’s us! Let’s get out there in the weather and prove this to the world! Ha

2023.02.15 - Happy Running

2023.02.08 - Keep running weird

The Super Bowl reminds me how quiet and private our sport is. When compared to the average American, who could and would not run a mile for any reason, we are a small, self-motivated bunch that finds pleasure in hard work. Chipping away at long term goals is our specialty, for sure we are on the fringe, dig it! Running is as far away from being a spectator sport as can be, when they talk about television ratings, the number of people who would watch the Boston Marathon would not even be a blip on the radar. All that said, coming up on Friday March 10th is a rare opportunity, a trail running film festival. I hope you can join me in Chelsea, Michigan at Robin Hills Farm for a motivational evening with a bunch of running nerds, without a run! Come for cocktails and a couple hours of incredible running films in a glass barn, a very cool setting. 2023 Trail Running Film Festival

Keep running weird,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who will most likely sneak in a run before the show, what the heck.

2023.02.01 - Don't just run

I have a hard time with the non-aerobic stuff like strength and flexibility training, but understand they are needed to keep us off the injured list. Some of these windy or single digit days make it a bit easier to devote run time to this stuff and we will need this balance when we start upping the miles as winter moves on. So there! Now you have an excuse when the weather sucks, you can run short or skip the day. That said, I’m a fan of toe warmers, balaclavas and layer, any excuse not to get near a gym! Do as I say, not as …

Train smart, run forever,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, looking at 5 degrees, sunshine, and no wind, not bad, the yoga and weights will have to wait!

2023.01.25 - Never question the run

After dressing in a laundry load of winter run gear and strapping traction on my shoes, I headed out the door and soon found myself slipping around on the trail. The wet snow was building up on my Yaktrax and soles like bricks that had me looking for logs to stop and scrape them off on. With all the time this took from my run, my left foot went numb … I was thinking, what the hell kind of sport have I chose to torture myself with? And then I fell. As I checked myself over and looked around, for the first time that day I was struck by the beauty of my environs. Snow was clinging to every branch, twig, tree and stump for as far as I could see. I was reminded that winter views in the wilderness are incredible. I decided to ditch the traction and this resolved the build up problem. Up and running, I was one with the natural world and the miles flew bye. Moral of the story?

Never question the run, only your approach to it,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner that should know better.

2023.01.11 - Resolve to run

I’m a fan of resolutions and the beginning of the year is the time I give it thought, though not necessarily on January 1st. I often think back to a New Year in the 80’s a time when I was feeling unsettled and had resolved to make some changes to a life that was making this young guy feel old, for sure I was in search mode. I was watching ABC Wild World of Sports on TV with my new bride Kathy (an incredible athlete) when the Ironman Triathlon in Kona Hawaii came on. We watched in awe as the competitors entered the 2.4-mile ocean swim, then headed off on a 112 mile, windy, hot, bike segment in the Kona lava fields only to get off and run a full 26.2 miles in the same searing landscape. Kathy turned to me and said, we could do that. I sat quiet for a while, trying to get my head around what we just watched, and then said, let’s do it. Life took a 180. A year later we were treading water in the ocean off the Kona pier when the starting cannon went off, and my old life as funeral director with a bachelor’s in Mortuary Science was left behind. Its pretty normal to go into the new year and give thought to where we are and where we might be. The hard part is how to get there. If we give it too much thought, the chance of something amazing happening will slide off into the would have should have pile.

Resolve to keep life amazing, just do it!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who’s trip across the Kona finish line became the starting line of a wild and wonderful new life.

2022.12.28 - Cold Miles Count Double

The weather has been challenging to say the least. Single digit temps along with blowing and drifting snow turn the run into an expedition. After donning what will soon be a wet, full load of laundry, I headed out to see how far I would make it. The roads have become trails and the effort just to move forward seems heroic. For sure these miles should count double, perhaps they could make a double effort, double your miles feature for the running apps? I didn’t run far, but got out there. That said, it is a million percent better to get in a short run than none. An interesting thought, we pretty much wear the same shoes and socks no matter how hot or cold it is, I guess our feet are more like wild animals compared to our other body parts. That said, I have been putting handwarmers on top my feet, taping them down, then sliding into my shoes. Yes, I know they make toe warmers but the bulk box of handwarmers was cheap!

Always an adventure, always worth the effort,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who messaged my running friend on Christmas to say I was going to chicken out on the run and ride the Peloton, she said she was going to chicken out and drink mimosas!

2022.12.21 - Run Dirt

We live in a world that separates us from the earth, the dirt. Make 2023 the year to get back to the land and set your soul free. I have running friends who avoid the trails. They either worry about tripping on uneven ground or that they run road races only and feel they should train on roads. At times I feel like a fuller brush Christian as I preach the trail message.

When running or walking along playfully like Peter Rabbit, we develop the ancillary muscles that go underdeveloped when running or walking on a flat surface with a narrow range of muscles going through the exact range of motion over and over. This often leads to overuse injuries because once tired, our body goes to these ancillary muscles to keep stable, and for the road runner, they may not be there. Trails increase our proprioception, that is, our body's ability to sense its location, its movement, it allows us to take that next step without thinking where to place our foot. Use it or loose it. Trail running not only teaches the mind and body to flow over rough terrain, it helps us flow through life with a grace and efficiency that is often taken away by an aging, overly careful, or sedentary life.

Flow wild and free forever!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed trail runner who along with the Dirt Crew at RF Events, has created a year long calendar of trail events to escape the man-made world for bit. We will run, walk, hike and frolic together in nature! Check out The GOAT Trail Series that kicks off with Trail Weekend!

2022.12.14 - Every run is amazing

Yesterday I had a glorious morning run that was followed by a long tough day of I.T. problems and little accomplishment. Several times during the day I reflected back to the run and each time it gave me renewed energy and hope. I was reminded that much of what we get from a run comes to us far after the work is done. There have been difficult days that I’ve thought back to hard earned marathon finishes I’ve had that continue to push me forward and will for life. The run is so much more that it seems on the surface, each run comes with lifelong mental, physical, spiritual, and inspirational benefits.

Run today, you may need it tomorrow,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who also realized that during a run, my body refuses to let me be angry. The run is smarter than we are!

2022.12.08 - The run takes center stage

In the midweek emails, my thoughts and ideas about the value of the run and what a gift it is for us to have found running are nothing new to us. As runners, we know them from personal experience, I just happen to put them into words. These midweek pokes are reminders of the gift, because like so many of the most precious things in life, it is easily taken for granted. We may be frustrated at the world, overwhelmed by the to-do list and unread emails we need to get to while our precious run slips under the layers and out of mind … Then, when scanning the inbox, there is the midweek, and the run comes into the spotlight at center stage!

Run first, so you will be ready to face the problems of this world.

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who promises a daily read of my book (“Get Your Butt Out the Door”) will be a tool that will keep the run center stage through the holiday crush and seemingly endless winter.

The book gives 365 daily dated pokes. I’m just looking at today’s, 12/8 entry titled, “I will not be feeling happy and smart today”, tomorrow’s title, “We are as tough as our runs”. If you have the book, you get to know the rest of the story! If you don’t have the book, ORDER IT NOW! If you do order the book, shoot me an email and say, I just ordered the book and tell me your goals. I’ll sign it with a personal poke to you, or if it is a gift, let me know who to write it to.

2022.11.30 - Be proud of your run

On Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded of all the people, and all in life, that we are thankful for. There is also a time to give yourself credit for your efforts to enrich your own life, thus, enabling you to have more to give to others. When you wake to a dark, cold, windy morning and head out for your daily run, you are doing something heroic. You do this without fanfare or encouragement of any kind and there is nobody to hand you a medal at the finish line. The effort it took is known, experienced and appreciated only by you. It is important to recognize your dedication and accomplishment. Yep, you rock! The run was far from selfish. The run helped to make you physically and mentally healthy, it added to your self-confidence and left you ready to be productive in your family and work life. The run prepared you to be ready to help others and left you far less likely to need to be helped.

Love one another, yourself, and today’s run!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who does yoga just to give myself a pat on the back occasionally. Ha. And I’m proud of your run, just sayin’ …

2022.11.23 - Giving thanks to the run

The run has helped and continues to help us discover who we are and who we might be. It has given, and continues to give us, insight into what we are capable of and what we might yet achieve. The run has expanded our lives and our limits, turning dreams and goals into reality. We can be thankful that once a runner, we will always be runners, even if the run is taken away from us. We are thankful that every hard-earned mile we put in becomes part of us, never to be taken away, and each of those miles has helped to mold the stronger, more resilient person that we have become. No mile is easy, every mile is worth it.

Let’s get our butts out the door and give thanks,

Randy Step, an admitted, thankful, obsessed runner who will be a runner until the day they throw the dirt on.

2022.11.16 - The Beauty of an Ugly Run

A non-runner, looking out the window on a 35 degree, grey, so called, dreary November morning, may not see it as an inspirational setting to lure them outside. To us runners who know that the temp is ideal for a crisp, lively run, don’t think twice and head out knowing that just out the door, the magic happens! Once the blood is flowing, we will start to notice the simple beauty of the world that surrounds us, like the sharp edges on gunmetal clouds, the repeating pattern of last night’s flurries frosting the final leave of fall along the roads edge, little things that have us living in the moment, which is the true gift of the run.

Don’t miss the magic of today,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who also obsesses about the sounds and smells of the run! Enjoy every full color minute of it!

2022.11.09 - Run for others

This midweek relates to the line, finish your dinner, there are starving children in Africa! So, you are healthy and have no excuse not to get out for a run today while there are injured runners who would give anything to be in your shoes! Not that you eating will help those kids or that your run will cheer up someone that’s be sidelined but the point is, we who are fortunate should never take it for granted. Heathy days are a gift, and as the late great Steve Prefontaine said, “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” We are only dancin’ on this earth for a short while so …

Dance,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who has few regrets, but I do regret days I’ve skipped the run for lame reasons. That said, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite Steve Prefontaine quotes, “The best pace is a suicide pace, and today looks like a pretty good day to die"!

2022.11.02 - Late season running

Not to worry, the weather will change and getting our butts out the door will become a serious challenge, a challenge we will take head on! Time to get the winter gear in order, bring it on! Next comes the season filled with running traditions, starting with the Turkey Trots. Thanksgiving is the biggest day in the running year with the most events and greatest number of participants! Of course, I’m partial to the Ann Arbor TT … We finish our year with the small town Holiday runs like Dexter’s Holiday Hustle and thousands of others with reindeer, snowflakes, frost, Dickens and Santas in their titles. These runs are seriously not intimidating fun runs with walkers, plodders, costumes, and smiles. One of the greatest gifts we can give is to invite our non-running family and friends to join us, perhaps starting a tradition and changing lives forever. Ho, Ho, Go!

Every healthy day is a gift, don’t squander them!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner writing about winter just after finishing a sweaty fall run in shorts! Ok, now for some shameless plugs! Ann Arbor Turkey Trot, Dexter Holiday Hustle including, new this year, a half marathon! Last but not least, MY BOOK! I promise it will be an important tool to getting your butt out the door this winter!

2022.10.12 - Your run might save a life

I’ve been in Florida since the day Hurricane Ian hit our second home here, I’ve never spent time on the front lines of a disaster and it’s harder than I could have imagined. I am dirty, tired but safe. The marathon mentality and fitness level from being a runner has got me through and kept me going. It’s a high tech modern world that makes it easy to forget that you might be in a situation that your fitness level can save your life or lives of others. Let’s get our butts out the door so we can be the ones to help, perhaps not being the one needing help. That said, I feel for those who have only one home and have lost everything. The incredible outpouring of support down here is humbling. We live in a great country with great people. Every day I’ve had people volunteering to save our home. They come door to door asking if we need help. They deliver hot lunches, water and lift spirits, and make me smile and cry. 

Run forever,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is feeling grateful.

2022.09.28 - Undertrained, so what!

For those of us running long in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chicago or wherever, this is no time to second think our training. It’s rare that training goes as planned. We can’t change it now so it’s time to accept that whatever kind of miles we got in, we need to come up with a realistic plan of how to run our race, not, on what we hoped. I’ve said it before, if you go in undertrained you have nothing to lose, those who are well trained are at risk of blowing all the work they have done! Ha. That said, those who did the work, I’m proud of you already. Run smart, follow your plan and enjoy your race! The rest of us will do the work on race day, not ideal but it will be an adventure, perhaps a painful and long adventure but we will cross the same finish line and will learn a bit about ourselves. Good stuff. Run smart and laugh at yourself when sh##t hits the fan and remember, this is what we do for fun!

Keep moving forward,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who just missed 5 weeks of running but will line up for the marathon in Detroit. A race I have run in 2:46 and will be thrilled if I walk, run and slog it in twice that time!

2022.09.14 - Thank you for running

Thanks to you, RF Events has survived as a company and made it out of the Covid darkness and into the light! It struck me this past weekend at Run Woodstock when I found myself, finally, not worrying about the future but just doing what I love, that is, putting on incredible events with our incredible crew for our faithful participants. Living life in full color again, finally not loosing sleep wondering how we would get back to this point but loosing sleep pulling off a labor of love. To be back fully aware of and sharing the emotional wonder of the finish line where goals are being met and lives are being changed forever. Your victories have never felt so sweet. We are really back. We were and are still humbled by the generosity shown by you in our pay what you can monthly challenges, entering our virtual events and buying my book. For those of you who donated your entry fees back to us rather than deferring it … I am humbled and tearing up as I type this. Our running community is just wonderful, thank you for making it so.

Now, get your butt out that door, I’ll see you at the finish line,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is feeling grateful for so much, because of running and because of you.

2022.08.24 - Peace, Love and Running

Run Woodstock is just over 2 weeks away, the weekend of September 9-10. For sure my favorite event of the fitness year, a celebration of our sport like no other in a pure Michigan forest setting. A weekend of runs, walks, yoga, campfires, and live music. Due to the long cut off times for the ultramarathons, those of us who want to just hike can take all the time we want. For example, you can take up to 10 hours to finish the half marathon, and yes, you still get a medal! Last year’s event donated over $9,000 to Washtenaw Promise and will beat that this year. An amazing nonprofit that gives preschool kids in the Ypsilanti and Willow Run districts a leg up, areas with many below the poverty level. WP matches these kids with college students as mentors and also sends these kids a book a month, very far out stuff!

There are campsites available for the weekend so grab one today and get ready to set your soul free. Even if you don’t camp, I promise a weekend of natures healing properties will cleanse the soul. Dig?

Peace out,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner whose inner hippie is ready to join yours at the commune!

2022.08.10- To run or not to run

To run or not to run, when fighting some kind of cold or sickness, that seems to be the question. My very unscientific thought on this is that if the sickness leaves you feeling as wiped out as if you'd just finished a long run, no matter what the schedule calls for, it's better to give the body a rest. That said, might there be be some value in a short run that has you get your heart rate up a bit, enough to break a sweat but not enough to add to your fatigue? Perhaps getting the metabolism going enough to help move the cold along? That is the route I follow but again, it’s not based in science, just my gut feeling. Then again, if you feel like you’re in a hole, I would think digging the hole deeper will make it harder to crawl out.

Run as smart as you can,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who obsesses over this kind of dilemma.

2022.07.2 - Don't miss the best runners in the world

The Track and Field World Championships are taking place in Eugene, Oregon as I write this. Eugene is the running capital of the USA, where every track meet at University of Oregon’s Hayward Field is a sellout, season tickets are priceless, and the football team plays a distant second fiddle to running. Got to love Oregon! A highlight, 3 American women placed in the top 10 for the marathon, all running low 2:20’s with Sara Hall leading the way in 5th place overall in 2:22:10. If you have not been following the meet, perhaps check out a replay of a distance event on YouTube to be inspired, like the women’s marathon or the men’s 10K where American Grant Fisher placed 4th in 27:28. As runners, we can relate to the best in the world on some level. What they are doing is what we do, that is, to train, to race, and to challenge ourselves. We are not armchair athletes, we do it, we get it! Enjoy!

Got to remember to respect the heat and humidity, it slapped me around pretty good today. Ouch. Run smarter than me,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, and a runner, just like you!

2022.07.14 - Run and suffer

At the end of a long run that goes well, I get a feeling like I won the lottery. Most times I head out for these runs with such intrepidation, knowing from past long runs, that so often they end up ugly and that chances are slim that it’s going to be fun, not to mention, how brutally hard the long run can get. Any sane person who reads what I just wrote is thinking, why the hell do this at all? Fortunately, we know that ugly or gorgeous, the satisfaction we get when the long run is over is always sweet, and unfortunately, the only way to get to that sweet spot is to suffer.

2022.07.06 - Running Green

I love when almost nothing adds up to something. RF Events statistics for diverting trash from the landfill are a great example. At the Canton Liberty Festival, 555 runners left behind 125lbs of total waste. Only 7 ounces, which I'm holding here, went to the landfill, a 99.7 % diversion rate. This was about the same for the Hightail to Ale 5K in Detroit, with also less than a pound of waste and a 99% diversion rate. Yes, it’s a lot of sorting and weighing but I’m proud of this commitment. I invite you to see the Zero Waste team in action, perhaps on Friday July 29th at the Oberun 5k in Ypsilanti. Run or perhaps volunteer to sort waste, with a beer in hand, on us! Or if wine is more your style, join us on August 13 at Running Between the Vines, 5K, 5 miles or 13.1 miles at Sandhill Crane Winery just west of Ann Arbor.

Run with purpose,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who tries to pick up at least some bit of trash on the daily run.

2022.06.29 - Sign up to run!

I’m sure I’m not alone on this but when I’m not signed up for an event, my running get’s pretty haphazard. It’s not like I strictly follow a schedule, but when I commit to an event I pretty much think of it daily. Knowing the kind of miles I need to put in to be ready, helps dictate the days run and the weeks totals. With a fall marathon looming 4 months out, I know it’s time to up my mileage and long runs, now. That said, the best time to sign up for a big event is the day after you finish one! Without goals, you can’t reach one.

2022.06.15 - Cool Running

I’ll start by saying that heat kills and needs to be respected, for sure it’s the most dangerous of conditions. If you do run, run smart. If you can, run easy and run early, ideally on a shaded route. Run short loops that allow you to bail at signs of trouble, and, if it’s an option, run near water to jump into! That said, today would be a pretty normal summer day for a Florida runner who has adapted to the heat. That same Florida runner might look at the idea of running on a day in the 30’s as crazy, temperatures we look forward to after a winter streak of days in the teens or 20’s! Extreme short runs can give us tremendous satisfaction, when given the respect they deserve to limit the risks.

Run smart, run cool,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who loves the adventure extreme conditions can add to our seemingly simple sport.

2022.06.01 - Bad weather running, so what?

The weather for Saturday Morning’s Traverse City Bayshore Races was what would be called ideal to most runners. No wind, mid 40’s to start, then moving up to perhaps 60 for the late finishers. Two days later or earlier it would have been warm and muggy. For those of us who train and run smart, with respect for the distance and day we are given, perhaps we will place far better against our ill-prepared peers on a so-called bad day. That said, joy and pain are what we line up for, we take ourselves to our limit and when it goes as we had hoped, we stand in wonder at what we have accomplished, when it goes bad we hope to learn from it.

We run, we get it,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who often jokes about so called perfect days … I hate days like that, they leave no excuses to use for when we don’t reach our goals! Ha!

2022.05.18 - No Run for me

We put in the hard miles to build our base, like building a house by hand, board by board, mile by mile. We feel the progress and newfound endurance, like seeing the house finally taking shape, then … It burns to the ground as some part of this amazing body breaks. Perhaps we were posting, boasting, and feeling bullet proof at a time we should have been carefully and quietly respecting the climb and watching for warning shots across the bow. When we up the miles we are upping the ante, upping the risk, hoping to run that fine line, near, but not over the crumbling edge. Perhaps we were playing the weekend warrior and lost a battle, or perhaps were cautious and still broke. Dang. Now, we start over, knowing how sweet it will feel to get back to that first pain free mile.

Run smart, recover smarter,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who has not run for 7 days due to weekend stupidity. Tomorrow, I inch my way back. Spring is dangerous all the way around.

2022.05.26 - Running Fun!

After a couple stressful years adapting to life with Covid, the running world finally feels back to a new normal. We are fortunate to be in an outdoor sport with room to run. Thanks to your support, RF Events has made it out the other side and is back in full action! We kicked off spring with the Martian Invasion of races, a week later, a glorious Trail Weekend, then, some 24-hour run insanity at Island Time and 5K beer run fun at Hightail To Ale in Detroit followed by a road trip to put on Dances With Dirt in Gnaw Bone, Indiana, whew! Love it! I can’t believe next week is the first Triathlon of the Wednesday night T-Rex Series with the forecast is showing it will be in the high 80’s. Pure Michigan weather, going straight from winter to summer. If you want to dip your toe into the triathlon world, these friendly mid-week sprint races are perfect, consider joining us in June, July, or August! Need coaching? Iron Mandy will be heading up a triathlon class to get you ready. Here is the LINK that will steer you to adventure! Lastly, a plug to join me camping out on the land and setting your soul free. Weekends of June 11, July 16 and August 20. Camp Bruin is a dirt running paradise with a beach, hot showers and endless trails to run or hike. We will even have a two mile dirt road loop in camp marked for an easy way to pile up miles and meet new friends! Also, the Run Woodstock trail loop will be marked for those who want to check out the course. Check out the LINK to signup! All camp and run fees are a tax-deductible donation to Washtenaw Promise. Enjoy, while helping give kids a leg up. Read more about their mission HERE.

If it’s not fun, don’t do it!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner looking forward to it all!

Get the all new book from the obsessed runner himself. The perfect way to stay motivated this season!

2022.05.04 - Get your butt out the door

It looks like we will be skipping spring and going right into summer next week with no time to acclimate. Wild weather just adds to the adventure, like my run yesterday that finished in the rain. I looked at the doppler, knew it was coming, and smiled when it slapped me! Next week, get out there, respect the heat, and smile like you know a secret, while other’s curse. Ha!

Now for a shameless plug for my book. The book is a valuable tool, not only will it make getting out the door easier, it seems that it will add insight and value to every mile you collect through life. I’m just repeating what I keep reading in the hundreds of 5-star reviews. I am humbled and grateful that what I have learned and shared is helpful. For those of you who have my book, I thank you. For those of you who order a book from the link below, you will get a signed copy a couple bucks off the Amazon price, and if you send me an email on the day you order it, sharing with me your running goals or want it signed to someone as a gift, I will add a personal motivational poke on the inside cover.

Order HERE

Enjoy every healthy day,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner … It never gets old!

2022.04.27 - Recession Running

I’ve noticed that market volatility, the war in Ukraine, gas prices and other high inflationary areas have had little effect on the head clearing, life energizing, value of the daily run. On second thought, the run seems to have become more valuable than ever! That said, we may adjust our lives a bit, choosing not to buy the Brooks Adrenaline in every color, and running local, perhaps skipping a trip to South Africa to run Comrades, and choosing Run Woodstock instead, saving a few bucks and keeping our carbon footprint a smaller size. If only all of life’s decisions were so easy.

Decide to run, today!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is feeling balanced, diversified and protected from the downside. Running, the new gold.

2022.03.30 - The Guilty Pleasure of the Run

Most of my runs are on trails through wilderness settings that on some days, the beauty stops me in my tracks. On these runs, there are views and nature that can’t be ignored or passed by in a blur. Then, there are days where I’m totally immersed in my run, where I am one with my body enjoying only the cadence of my footfalls and my breath. The natural world goes by in a blur and only the path that pulls me along is all I notice of my environs. On days like these I used to finish with a sense of guilt, not remembering anything about where I have run, that I have squandered the gift of nature for the gift of the purity of my run. I’ve come to realize that this world and this running life are so amazing that I just need to get over it and enjoy every stinking minute!

Run and enjoy,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who found myself curled up on the couch immersed in a good book, only to look up at the amazing view in front of me and had that same silly feeling or guilt that I was ignoring nature, when in fact, I was one with it all. Dig it.

2022.03.16 - The high value run miles

I just finished a long run and the final miles were a painful struggle, so difficult in fact, that I totally forgot that that’s why the heck we run long runs! All those early miles that go by easily are necessary, they get us to the high value miles, the ones we came for, the miles that prepare us for the next longer run. So, when the hurt hits, say to yourself, finally, the good stuff!

Grimace, then smile, suffer and grow,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, with a lousy memory when it comes to pain …

2022.03.09 - You can skip the run

When it comes to the daily run it’s a personal choice if we run, or skip it. We sometimes need to be reminded that, this is what we do for fun! As my friend John A. says, “If it’s not fun, don’t do it!” Life throws a ton of stress our way, stress we may have little control over. Running on the other hand, might come with some stress but it’s stress we put upon ourselves, stress we control. So, go run and beat yourself up on the run, but don’t beat yourself up if you skip the run or the run goes bad or race goes bad or any negative aspect of running, even an injury. When you finish a run, if you’re not smiling it’s time to rethink things.

Run, smile, repeat, or don’t run, it’s OK!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who just took 3 days off, mostly by choice … And I am writing this as a reminder to myself as usual!

2022.03.02 - Running, pain, and joy

Running seems so simple, one foot follows another as we go from point A to point B. The reality is much deeper. Running is difficult on many levels. It is physically hard, taxing all systems of the body from muscles, tendons and ligaments to the lungs, heart, veins and arteries. Runnning is mentally difficult from the time management required to fit the run in to our busy lives to the constant struggle with our brain and body trying to convince us to walk. To the non-runner, the big question must be, why? To the runner, especially just after finishing a few, or many, punishing miles, the answer to this question is as complicated and deep as the run itself, perhaps with no adequate way to explain the pure joy of what we just did, without experiencing it.

Let’s go earn that joy,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who often feels miserable during the run but always finishes feeling grateful for what the run has given back to me, exponentially more than what I put into it. Amen.

2022.02.23 - Running, writing, and magic

Like so many things that take discipline, without the mindset, nothing happens. Some days, the body, mind, or both, are just not having it. Runner’s block, writer’s block … Over time, and from small successes along the way, we learn the tricks as we jump the blocks and move forward. It’s just hard work but we do it, staying committed to the goal and the results. Results that when they come, for some unknown reason, feel like magic. Magic, because until you cross that finish line or finally hold your published book in your hand, you feel unchanged, then, Kaboom! OMG, I just did this? There is no “just” about it but the minute you cross that finish line, you have created a you that was never there before. Sure, the reality is that all the hours and hard work were done before the magic day but on that day, what you have accomplished finally becomes a part of you. The run, the book or whatever you worked so damn hard on instantly is there to forever enrich all aspects of life from that second on. Magic.

Let’s make the magic happen,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who, like magic, will forever be, a 2:45 marathon runner, a Kona Ironman finisher, and a published running writer … even if that 2:45 was 30 years ago!

2022.02.16 - My low-tech running playlist

Many running events, especially trail races, for safety and common courtesy reasons, don’t allow ear pods. Based on the high percentage of runners wearing them, many may find it difficult or even a disadvantage to run without them. When they say, try nothing new on race day, that would include running with open ears. I do listen to podcasts on my phone later in my long runs so I get it on some level. That said, our brains have incredible storage and retrieval capabilities, and we all have endless playlists in our heads. It amazes me when I find myself recalling some horrible song in my head that I heard, maybe once, 30 years ago, fully orchestrated, and with no way to delete it! I was running trails today, starting off with CCR’s Green River in my head to warm up a bit. Once into it, I hit a long gentle downhill and instantly speeded things up by switching to Lady GaGa’s, I was born this way. Winded, and realizing I was not living in the moment, I cleared my mind and cruised the rest of the run in silence.

And the vision that was planted in my brain, Still remains, Within the sound of silence

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, because tramps like us, baby we were born to run. That said, rejoice and love yourself today cause baby you were born this way.

2022.02.09 - This obsessed runner walks

Fast walking is quite a skill, for me, it takes concentration and constant diligence to hold the pace. As my mind wanders, I find myself wandering. This meandering may be good for my mental health but not much aerobic benefit. Also, fast walking is something I have no gift for, and I’ve tried. I’ve even had some coaching, learning to keep my hands up, elbows bent, pumping straight through with no cross over, a forward lean and a short quick stride. You would think as a runner I would be able to keep up with more serious walkers, but not so. Someplace between 14 and 15 minute per mile pace, I fade back and have to run a bit to get to catch up, knowing soon, they will dump me again! For those of you who have skill, natural ability or whatever, I stand in Awe. That said, over the last few years, I’ve added walking to my life, and by tracking my walks on my Strava app, I’ve found it accounts for 20% of my total mileage these days and I admit, I have grown to kind of like it.

The run still rules!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, bearing my soul for all to see.

2022.2.2 - The perfect winter run

Sunny, 20 degrees, no wind, a blanket of snow on the ground but a clear path to run, a beauty. This was on Monday in SE Michigan and as you read this, winter may have turned the page. This is not the season to follow a schedule and a day like this is not to be missed. It’s time to sneak in more miles and worth being late to whatever, just blame it on Covid or just admit, “I was out cleansing my soul!”.

Get it while you can, I’ll be looking for your tracks!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner ready for whatever tomorrow offers. I took this picture Monday, the management team at RF Events, Anna and Trevor (Mandy and Chris were too fast to capture on film}

2022.1.19 - Run away from the Cold

Not everybody can escape, but if you can take a few days to put a crack in the ice of winter, the break can be the bridge to get you through it. A Michigan to Southwest florida road trip can be a bit of a magic trick and you will avoid any Covid or weather plane cancelations. With two drivers, a good recorded book and a few podcasts, if you hit the road at 3 AM you can squeak by the Atlanta rush hour and arrive south by 11 PM. Better yet, once past Atlanta, stop for a short head clearing run, then carry on. The magic part, you get in the car, it’s 15 degrees, you get out of the car at midnight and it’s 70! I take to heart my advice to run easy and short through December and January, so lining up for the Naples half marathon last Sunday, based on my 8 mile long runs, would be a true adventure. The great part about not being trained is that if the race goes bad you don’t get the feeling that you threw away all your hard work. If you finish, you win! So, I won! Now, for some easy miles this week on flat Florida jungle trails at Lover’s Key State Park. Dig it. As Thelma said on her road trip with Lousie, “I’ve never felt this alive!”

Yep, you can do this,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, crackin’ the ice

2022.1.11 - January running, all or nothing

There seems to be two major themes to January running, going out too fast like a freshman in a cross county meet, or doing just about nothing and turning to mush, not ready to deal with this winter brutality. Yes, it’s easy to get excited about the new year and our big goals, often without a cautious build up plan to make it happen without setbacks. And it’s even easier to blow January off, figuring we have lots of time so why fight with this awful month. For those of us who have been at this for a while, we should realize that we do need some downtime and December and January are a good choice. Not to stop running but to get out that door consistently to keep some semblance of fitness so our bodies will be ready for a steady build up as we roll into spring. This is a time for some light weight training, perhaps yoga but yes, some cautious miles so we are ready to get back at it.

Get excited, with a plan!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who writes this stuff to my block headed self.

2021.12.29 - The run takes a village

The run takes a village.

Not really, the run is ours alone, but I admit, knowing others are out there putting in miles seems to encourage my own miles. The running social media apps can be another tool in the motivational box along with my book of course, Get Your Butt Out the Door (shameless plug)! There have been times when I’ve seen another head lamp bobbing along in the cold dark morning that I’ve gone on to add some additional miles knowing we are in this together, on some plane. All that said, let’s plan on a great running year in 2022. We’ll set some new personal records, start some new streaks and meet together on the starting line. Knowing we are all in for this adventure together will give us the push we’ll need!

Let’s run forever,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is putting in miles right beside you, or at least on the same planet!

2021.12.15 - Last Minute Miles!

Time for last-minute shopping, and of course, getting in those last-minute miles! Time, distance, speed, totals, and personal records, all add color, depth, and motivation to this rich, running life. 2020 gave me a lot of time alone to run and the body held up, giving me my highest mileage in many years, one of the few bright spots in that gray period … But hardly any finish lines to cross. This year I ran a few great races but I hit some mid-year speed bumps, but I’m trying to sneak in those miles and backload the year a bit. Who cares? Nobody but us, and that makes our totals even more personal and special. Each mile becomes a part of us and who we are, never to be taken away, only seen by others in our smile.

Run, race, track your progress, and smile!

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner with only two weeks left to shop for miles!

2021.11.30 - This Running Life

Running, a multifaceted, revitalizing sport for our mind, body, and life. I spent some time today reworking the layout for Run Woodstock so we will be ready to open registration on December 1st. Just walking this wonderful piece of wilderness and picturing how each campsite might be set up brought an emotional high, a flashback to a magic weekend. Camping is pretty cool on its own merits, bringing a variety of people outside and away from the man-made world we live in day-to-day. It struck me that the magic of Run Woodstock was not just from the natural beauty and aspect of camping but from our shared love of running that brought us together. I pictured conversations around the campfire sharing our goals with others who get it and how different a weekend devoted to running is from the day-to-day loner miles we put in. Or when we go to races where we show up, share pain and glory, perhaps a post-race beer, then head back to our daily lives.

This running life, never easy, always worth it,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is content knowing running plays a huge part of the meaning of life and my priorities are sound.

2021.11.24 - Thankful for running traditions

On Thanksgiving Day, more people lace up their shoes and run in races than any other day of the year. Turkey Trots are pretty darn cool, these hopeful, healthy traditions with family and friends show that no matter what our differences, we can celebrate, sweat and smile together as one running community. We will all get up stupid early and face the dark, and for us in the north, the cold, making that turkey dinner and spot on the couch all that more special.

Here at Running Fit Events, we are thankful to all of you who have supported our small family business through a couple of very tough years. You have been incredibly generous through our challenges, virtual and pop-up events, making it possible for us to be here today to put on the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot tomorrow, live and in person!

Let’s get our butts out the door forever,

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who, because of YOU, is thankful to be setting up at 4 AM in the cold rain tomorrow with the best event crew in the business! Seriously, more than you could know.