Obsessed Runner Blog
July 1, 2009 - I am "high" on mileage!
Yo Run Gang,
Its the 40th anniversary of Woodstock Music Festival and Im celebrating by putting on Run Woodstock, 3 days of peace, love and RUNNING! Many saw Woodstock as a self indulgent festival of irresponsibility and the same gang might see Run Woodstock in same light. The truth is, they are correct! The goal of Run Woodstock will be to leave responsibility and perhaps reality behind for a couple days to do a bit of communal running and mellowing out. The deeper truth is that this type of experience may be necessary for us, perhaps helping avoid depression, suicide, heart attack or stroke due to the stress of a so called responsible life. You may say Im a dreamer, but Im not the only one Join us in September, check out www.runwoodstock.com.
The following quote by the late Dr. George Sheehan, runner and philosopher, sheds light on running and why Run Woodstock.
We run long to learn our inner most self. In the long run we get down to bedrock. We find courage and strength we never knew we possessed. We give witness to a person we have never been before.
The run is like religion and play. It resembles art and music, it fills an area of life that is of tremendous importance but has no practical value. And like those other similar activities, running is among our most important functions. It helps us discover and form the self, we find where we are and where we are going. We learn who we are and who we might be. The long run is a place of self discovery.
Far out man,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, high on mileage
February 24, 2010 - On the trail to Boston!
Yo run gang,
I do most of my training on trails, even for a road race. Running the uneven surface develops the ancillary muscles of the leg and foot, creating more of a muscular balance than the narrow range of overused muscles from running the pavement, reducing the chance of overuse injuries. Another plus, once back on the road, you will run faster with less perceived effort. The same trail training effect comes from snow covered roads, when the entire world becomes a trail! Get on the trail shoes and get in a valuable run today, without having to head to the woods!
For those of us increasing our weekly mileage for a long spring race ahead, feel good runs are few and far between. The good runs will come when we finally plateau and groove into the mileage, the great runs will come as we taper and sharpen, the real reward comes on race day. Hang tough!
Randy Step, an obsessed runner on the trail to Boston!
2013-02-13 - Run away from your problems
February 13, 2013
Running is a wonderful escape, giving us an hour or so away from being a serious adult. The harsh realities and responsibilities of life are there when we get back but we can charge into them refreshed, clear headed and maybe a little ... smug!
We return armed with the peace and satisfaction we have gained from the run and the knowledge that there is so much more to this rich and wonderful life. Bring it on!
When the run is going well, keep on going! There is no better time to get in a long run than to start it at the end of the run distance you had planned for the day! I'll often reset my watch and start fresh, you can't beat a bonus run! Resetting the watch is just a little mental trick, it's not like we don't know we just put in an awesome run! Getting home to write a big number in the log when we didn't expect it can sure supercharge our running week!
We are so lucky to be able to run away from our troubles, guilt free!
Randy Step, an admitted obsessed runner who is running away from ... stress, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's and bad guys.