April 8, 2009 - Its time to play in the dirt!
Yo Run Gang,
My wife Kathy and I have made a vow never to play the age card again, that is, bringing up age when talking about running or anything! Example: When I was in my 20s, I ran this race a minute a mile faster Or, Yeah, you were ahead of me but wait until youre over 50, or any similar comment that uses age as an excuse. It has been refreshing to become ageless again and to enjoy running, competition and every day of life to the fullest extent possible. Ahhh, to be in my prime again, Ill be darned, I am and to think, I get to stay here! Give it a try, youll be hooked!
It was great to see so many of you at the Martian Invasion of Races! 4,500 participants, yikes, this event is becoming the real deal. As I awoke to 6 inches of snow on Monday thinking, if this was race day it sure would be a memorable one!
Next event, its time to play in the dirt! The Road Ends 5 Mile trail run is Saturday April 25th and the Running Fit Trail Marathon and Half Marathon are on Sunday the 26th. Enter at www.trailmarathon.com. Better yet, come into Running Fit, enter the race and buy a fresh pair of trail shoes. (Shameless Plug!) My favorite, the Brooks Cascadia 4.
Free Weed Whacker T-Shirt! Please join Running Fit and the Michigan DNR and do your part to improve the quality of Michigan State Parks Sunday April 19th. Simple and fun volunteer work in the woods, no experience necessary. Just bring your garden gloves (Or we will provide some) and any friends and family. Our friend Laurel from the DNR Stewardship committee will show us what evil weeds to pull out and we can all whack away! Meet at Half Moon Lake Beach on Hankerd Rd., 1.8 miles north of North Territorial Rd. in the Pinckney Recreation area. Meet in the upper lot at 10 AM and well pull weeds until 1 PM. Optional 5 mile trail run at 9 AM. Click here to register (for free!) online.
Umbuntu Award on tour! Running Fit was selected to win the international Umbuntu Award by the Running Industry as the most humanitarian and charitable running specialty store in the world! Yes its old news, but the actual award just arrived and we get to show it off for one year, kind of like our own Stanley Cup! It is a very unique piece of art, hand beaded by a Zulu Artist from South Africa where the award originates. It will be in the Northville Store for the next week, Friday 4/10 to Wednesday 4/16, then on to West Bloomfield Friday 4/17 to Wednesday 4/22. Well keep you posted on future sightings!
Run in the dirt,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner in my prime
2013-03-13 - Make the long run easy
March 13, 2013
Not all miles are created equal. For example, a 6 mile run with friends can seem shorter than a 6 mile run alone, and 6 miles in a race might be the longest 6 miles you will ever encounter ... especially those last 6 miles in a marathon, or getting lost on a 3 mile run that turns into 6 or....
You get the point; it's not only the distance but the mindset that affects the run.
One trick I sometimes use is to show up early and run 5 miles before joining friends for a 5 mile run. Another fun way to get in your long run is to include a race in your total mileage; not a race that you want to run seriously - like planning to set a PR - but let's say you are training for a half marathon and the schedule calls for an 10 mile run the same weekend as a very fun 10K that you don't usually miss. Plan your long run around it and get in 4 miles before lining up at the start, doing the last 6 in the race setting can make for a motivational finish to the long run! You will find it a huge mental advantage running along with people that are only at mile 3 knowing you are at already at mile 7 of your own 10 mile secret event! You are a running God!
Make the run fun,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner until the end.