Obsessed Runner Blog
October 14, 2009 - Detroit Free Press race weekend is upon us!
Yo run gang,
Detroit Free Press race weekend is upon us! Running Fit will have a big booth with great deals down at the Cobo Hall Expo on Friday and Saturday, come on down and say hi and shop! Even if you are not running, visiting the expo or watching the marathon on Sunday can be inspirational. Sorry, no post race party at Bookies, the start and finish moved and Bookies closed ... We may be at the Anchor Bar, but that plan might change. Well have the post race party location posted at our expo booth, another reason to stop by!
As the weather turns dark and cold, running partners and planed group runs help get me out the door, along with a headlamp or the way cool Go-Motion chest mounted lamps. For those of you in Ann Arbor, there is a womens only 6 AM, Thursday morning run from the new Running Fit headquarters at 5700 Jackson rd. 1-4 easy miles. Headquarters also has a 6:30 PM Thursday night run where all are welcome! Join me on the trails! Meet me at Island Lake Rec. 5:30 PM on Wednesdays. Meet at Spring Mill Pond (Not the trailhead parking area!) park all the way in at the end of the parking lot. 5 9 miles. Click on "Group Runs" for a list of the weekly runs from all of our stores. Well keep each other going!
For those of you running the long races, its time for carbo loading and the TV taper, bring it on!
Run and rule the night,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, making run plans!
June 30, 2010 - Shoe Love...
Yo run gang,
For those of us with a favorite running shoe model, life is good, it’s when you’re in between and searching … that no run can feel just perfect, good maybe, even great … but not perfect. As a running store guy I can still only get so much advice on what shoes might work for me. By knowing my foot type, the mileage I’m running and what shoes I’ve liked in the past, the brilliant staff at Running Fit can narrow down my choices and after trying on the several suggestions I can head out the door with the best fit, the best guess. With this system I often find shoes that I like and that work well for me … but the real answer will not be known until I’ve grooved in a bunch of miles and get to know the shoes and how they perform for me, intimately. Like so much in life, it’s not until we’ve been down many roads and in all conditions do we know the experience is, true love. Shoe love?
I’m currently loving my Brooks Cascadia trail shoes, as for my road shoes “I really like” my Mizuno Elixers … the search continues, but a pleasant search it is.
Love your run,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, taking a serious look at a pair of “Nike Lunar Elites” … and wondering when Nike stopped using “Air” in their shoes? Shoping, searching.
2011-06-29 - Fast Road, Tough Trails, What could be better?
At some point in our adult lives we realize we can't do everything, dang. The world is too vast to visit every city, to climb every mountain ... And to run every race. Once we come to grips with this we become more selective, not wanting to waste a race experience on a poorly put on event or one that is not our style.
For me bigger is not always better, last year I ran the San Antonio Rock and Roll event and found that yes, 25,000 people can be wrong, a sterile expo, a city course with lots of bad pavement, too many turns and the list goes on. That said, much of it is personal preference. I believe a road course should be fast and accurate, offering a chance for a personal record, OK, some hills, turns and chuck holes but mostly good fast roads, leave "tough" to the trail races where personal achievement has little to do with time and more to do with adventure and accomplishment.
Based on the number of participants, I guess the Muddy, Warrior, Buddy, obstacle course kind of events that are popping up are fun for someone ... but there is too little running for my likes. Most of the web sites for this type of event pride themselves in only having a mile or so of real running, a lot more crawling and climbing. Even with similar stupid spots in Dances With Dirt, the event is still 90% great trail running. But again, it's personal preference.
Here comes that shameless plug you should now be expecting ... Check out the Running Fit event calendar, our goal is to create a fun, well managed, well balanced year of running events, from old school 5K's on the road to weekend long running festivals. Yep, we've done the work for you!
Love this running life and live it up,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner who loves events that make runners sweat, work ... and smile