Obsessed Runner Blog

2011-12-28 - You Yourself

Randy

Yo run gang

 

When we take ourselves to our own personal physical limits... and beyond... only we can judge the accomplishment, only we know the barriers we have broken. Sure, others can see our finish times in events or may even share a break-through run side by side with us, but on any given day the effort we put forth, regardless of the finish time, can only be measured by us.


That said, to be motivated to be our best, we must be our own cheerleaders. What others observe and comment about our running accomplishments can boost the ego to some extent, but what counts deep down and will take us to the next level is what we ourselves have witnessed.

 

Run as only you can,

 

Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner on the journey with you into the New Year.



PS: Upcoming Classes!
Running Fit 501 is starting a session in West Bloomfield, details to follow...
Running 201 in Northville will start January 19 and runs for 10 weeks. More Info Here.
 
PS: The Super 5K Volunteer Registration is now open! 
  Join us on February 5 in Novi as we kick off Super Bowl Sunday! Voluneer Now!
 
PS: Self Defense Class: The perfect New Year's Resolution, to gain self confidence and a new awareness of where you run.
Lee Shaykhet, former Russian special forces trainer, is offering a 90 minute class that will give you a lifelong feeling of personal security for about the price of a good massage. This fun, effective session will leave you with moves that will instantly become second nature to you!
Location:  Running Fit Ann Arbor West, 5700 Jackson Rd 
Class dates: 6:30 PM, January 10 (Limit 15 people per class)
Cost: $69
More Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
PS: Running Fit is teaming up with Michigan's State Parks for a Shoe Year's Day Celebration!
Join us on New Year's Day at 11 AM for an hour walk, hike, run or wander! Start the new year with a head-clearing hour in the great outdoors. We'll finish up with healthy snacks around the campfire. Bring family, friends and a story to tell. If you can bring some canned Tuna for Gleaner's Food Bank, it will be appreciated! Two $50 Running Fit gift cards will be given out randomly at each of these parks, Island Lake, Maybury and at Eddy's Discovery Center at Waterloo. Join us, I'll be at Island lake!

May 14, 2008 - As runners we often get hung up with the training schedules...

Yo run gang,

As runners we often get hung up with the training schedules, mileage charts, calorie intake, and all sorts of other numbers as we prepare for a big event. Once off schedule, from injury, family crisis or whatever, we can get discouraged or depressed as we try to get back on schedule. Cramming for the exam is not the answer! The reality is, once off schedule, the schedule becomes obsolete. Trash it and write a new one based on the time you have now. The only important aspect of this new schedule is that you have confidence in it and believe it will work. Use what you know. I did. I just missed 7 days of running the third week out from my marathon, including the last long run. If I taper the next two weeks, Im sure Ill be loosing some fitness. Taking into consideration that now I am healthy and injury free, Ive decided to put in a fairly heavy week of mileage including a midweek long run, just a week out from the race. Ill follow this with a one week taper. Will this work out? Not if I dont believe it! But I do! No more concerns, its my new reality, now I can enjoy my marathon countdown schedule rather than worry. My training is fulfilling and fun again!

Enjoy every healthy day, rain or shine,
Randy Step, an obsessed and happy runner

2011-06-01 - Negative Splits

Most world records in distance events are set by running the second half of the race faster than the first; this is known as negative splits. Knowing this is not enough to make us change our ways, the majority of us do not plan on picking it up in the later miles, perhaps we can't mentally handle this concept.

 

A common plan is to go out a bit quicker because we are most likely going to slow down later, putting money in the bank ... so to speak. The truth is, with this strategy there is always a run on the bank late in the race that robs us of every second we've saved ... and then some.  Any miles we put in early at a pace faster than we hope to average for the event are a mistake, even though the pace may seem easy, the damage is being done. Don't you just hate this kind of logic? Dang.

 

Our next race strategy? To feel as good as we can as long 

 

as we can, as opposed to feeling as bad as we can as quick as can, shortening  the painful part of the race and running a faster time! What a novel idea!

 

Run smart,

 

Randy Step, an obsessed runner, who at times, still finds myself running like a Freshman.

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