Obsessed Runner Blog
2014-07-02 - Peace, Love and Running
I often share my thoughts on the endless list of the positive psychological and physical benefits of the daily run, our daily bread. I also mention the value of great running events, events that keep our running fires lit, events to shape our year around. That said, there is one weekend a year that pretty much turns the daily run into a magical event unlike anything I've experienced in this running life. Run Woodstock is a weekend of runs in an atmosphere of nature, peace and love. A healing weekend where we can trip back to a bygone age of freedom and fitness, an escape from the reality and trappings of life where we can get back to the land and set our souls, and inner hippie, free. Dig it!
An endless line up of classic rock bands and endless list of runs, walks (5K, 5M, 10K, 13.1M, 26.2M, 50K, 50M, 100M and evening runs with "natural" options,) yoga and other cool stuff allows you to create the weekend you need. Some examples of how people choose to spend this magical weekend:
- Some run the most runs ever in a weekend, starting with a 5K Friday night, perhaps the 5 mile or half marathon Saturday morning run, a hippie hike to Hell for lunch, getting back for yoga with 200 others on the lawn before heading out for a 5K or 10K evening run before a late night party with the freaks before you crash, only to wake up and join the gang for a Sunday morning 5 mile run.
- Some pick just one or two events, or none, and leave lots of time to mellow to the music or sit around the fire and share the vibes.
- Many people who are training for fall marathons will run one of the morning runs like the half, then head out onto the endless country dirt roads to get in the miles and make it their long training run.
Not everyone can escape for the weekend, but experience as much as you can. Walking in with a tent and a cooler of food and setting up side by side with all the beautiful people will help with the escape. Whatever you choose to do, just make sure you give yourself the gift of Run Woodstock in Hell, MI the weekend after Labor Day, September 5, 6 & 7.
Peace, love and running,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who hopes to see you above the astral plane.
PS: Shoe of the week: Asics Electro 33
Dan Says: Although we've seen a decline in lightweight/minimal shoes, there are still many that prefer a flexible feel. Shoes like the Asics Electro 33 fills a giant void in the industry for runners that like a lightweight feel but also require some medial support. Without the use of a post, the Electro gets its medial support from what Asics calls "FluidAxis". Much like Nike's "Dynamic Support", they play with the volumes and densities of the mid-sole foam to give a flexible/lightweight feel that also delivers light to moderate pronation control. The Electro 33 is sacrificing a bit of stability for a well designed lightweight and flexible feel.- FluidAxis - 10 mm Drop - Weight - Men's - 8.5 oz.,Women's - 7.1 oz. - Retail - $110 - Seamless Upper - Engineered Mesh - SoLyte Mid-sole Foam.
2014-06-25 - We run, we get it
We live in a world surrounded by runners of incredible abilities and amazing accomplishments, from Olympic athletes to world record holders. Runners who train over 100 miles per week and some that run 100 mile races in less than 24 hours. Runners who run faster than our personal best times at every distance ... while training on a daily basis. That said, the non-runner may wonder why we even get out of bed to put in a 4 mile run at a what might be middle of the pack 10K pace as we train for our next event. The answer, as you all know, is that our running is all about us, and because we train and race, we actually have an intimate understanding of what the best runners in the world do, because we do what they do. When we line up and race a personal best time, even if we come in close to last in the event, every training mile seems worth the effort, we savor OUR victory. The runners in front of us do not demoralize us they inspire us ... and yes, we inspire them. It's a running thing those outside our world may never understand.
I am proud of us all,
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, who might only run half the weekly miles at a much slower pace than you, and I'm OK with that!
PS: Join us for a romp on the trails at The Legend 5 mile, 10 mile and 13.1 mile trail run on August 2nd! Registration prices increase on June 29... REGISTER NOW!
PS: Shoe of the week: Saucony Omni 13
Dan Says: It's easy to assume that a moderate stability shoe just has more posting than a light stability, however, more measures have been taken to correct the greater rate of pronation. The new Saucony Omni 13 is the perfect example of that. When taking a close look at the mid-sole/out-sole of the Guide and the Omni, you'll see the glaring difference being the ground contact in the mid-foot of the Omni vs a plastic torsion piece in the Guide. A greater amount of posting in the Omni and designing the mid foot with more ground contact will give a greater degree of stability than what the Guide's posting & torsion piece have to offer. No drastic changes have been made from the Omni 12 to the 13. Tweaking the upper by adding some seamless overlays and modifying the mid-sole/out-sole for even more ground contact were the most notable updates. And remember, Saucony does not make a double wide. - 8 mm Drop - Weight - Men's - 11.2 oz - Women's - 9.3 oz - Retail - $130
2014-06-18 - OMG, Shoes!
As you can imagine, I pretty much wear running shoes all day every day, and yes, I even run in them. I like the performance, support, fit, the look and feel of them but it goes deeper than that, like many of you, I have a history, a 30 year relationship you could say, with the shoes in my closet. That said, selecting each new pair brings with it a childlike excitement that never gets old as I think of my current goals and what I have in mind for them.
We have an incredibly passionate staff of shoe fitting runners at Running Fit and even I ask a ton of questions and look for insight from them when I get my shoes. Like many of you, I have a couple of Running Fit staff members who know what I've run in and has worked for me in the past ... but I also like to hear from new, young staff members for fresh insights that get me to question what may be, my dogged beliefs.
Enjoy the adventure of running ... and shopping!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner, in my closet is the proof.
PS: Join Saucony and the crew at Running Fit Novi for our Breakfast Run! The event takes place at Running Fit Novi on Saturday June 21st. Doors open at 7am, run begins at 7:30. Loops of 3, 6, or 10 miles will be marked and aided. Erin from Saucony will be there with try on Ride 7's available to run in. After the run enjoy a delicious spread of breakfast goodies.
PS: We have an internal weekly staff newsletter at Running Fit with a section called "Dan's Shoe Corner". To read everything about every shoe from every manufacture takes more than a passion for running shoes, it takes a shoe obsession, Dan the manager from our West Bloomfield store has it. We let Dan sift through it all and report his findings. Here is a sample and a link to recent posts by Dan.
Dan's Shoe Corner
How many time have you heard: "I think I used to run in the Pegasus when I was in high school."?
Nike's flagship shoe that has been going strong since they first debuted in 1983 has just released the 31st version. More mid-foot ground contact and an easier transition from heel-toe is trending in neutral shoes right now and the Pegasus is following suit. Dropping the Pegasus to a 10mm offset, filling out the mid-foot, adding a "crash rail" on the lateral side and increasing the sprung toe angle all help aid in an easy transition from heel/mid-foot strike to toe off. Also, Nike has done away with +Sensor capabilities in both the Pegasus 31 & the Vomero 9.