January 16, 2008 - For sanity sake, we all need more than one passion.

Yo run gang,

For sanity sake, we all need more than one passion. Its like having insurance or a diversified portfolio, when something happens and we cant pursue our obsession, we must have an option or - Yikes! May I suggest a well rounded portfolio of three passions, or should I say one obsession and 2 passions? The terms are close to interchangeable but life without one activity where you go over the line will leave you in the middle of the road - road kill. Ideally, two physical passions and one that you can pursue with most of your parts not working. Im talking about writing, reading, research or what have you, perhaps being a Civil War nut, you get the idea. As for physical, it needs to be aerobic and able to cop you a few endorphins, stuff like biking, swimming or paddle sports. These thoughts came up while I was on the bike a lot the last two weeks because of pain and that Im PATIENT DAMMIT! Anyway, Im back on my feet and getting in miles this week, whew.

Road Trip! Join me in Travers City the weekend of January 26th for the Bigfoot 5 & 10K Snowshoe race. No practice necessary, its just running with big shoes, slow hard running but just a riot, no learning curve. Lots of hotel deals and we all need to escape. Go to www.runsnow.com then stay online and grab a hotel room!

Get out and run, then sit down and ?
Randy Step

Head Goat and Obsessed Runner

For more Run Reading, click here: Run Snow!

Dont run to the Doctor

As a coach, this is a classic question and my response. We will all have some aches and pains along the way, the question of going to a doctor or just how to deal with the set back will be a common occurrence.

"Have a question for you. The past few days I've noticed clicking in my knee - mostly when I'm going up stairs. It's not really painful, other than the aches I have all over just from this sudden running that my body isn't used to - that's to be expected. Yesterday there seemed to be some swelling behind my knee area (the point on the back of the leg where it bends) so I put ice on it for a while. Today, it doesn't hurt but its still clicking as I walk up stairs. I realize you are not a doctor, but do you think I should not run again unless I see a doctor first? I hate to miss my miles already. "

My response:
No need to run to a doctor, I'll save you a trip!

New Years Resolution Become A Runner!

Ready to give running a try or ready to try running, again? The major stumbling block to becoming a runner is time. Not finding time to run but the amount of time it takes to realize the results of your effort. It takes about a month for most people to become self motivated (Addicted, passionate?). The problem is, most people give up after a couple weeks because the results come slow. With a specific plan and determination, you can get there. Ill give you the tricks; you give it a month.

Running is and easy entry sport. All you need is a watch and a good pair of shoes. The initial investment should be less than $150 and even if you dont run, you will have comfortable shoes and wont be late. The watch is necessary because time, distance and speed are key to becoming addicted self motivated! You should get the shoes and watch at the local running shop, Running Fit! They will look at your feet, ask you about your goals and put you in shoes that will keep you injury free. The average price of a great pair of running shoes is around $90, give or take $20.

January 2, 2008 - A fun week, everything to excess paid off again.

Yo run crowd,

A fun week, everything to excess paid off again. No injuries from a holiday of running treacherous snow covered trails, snowshoeing with reckless abandon, snowboarding double black diamonds and getting in long hilly road runs in the north. But one bad dance move on New Years will cost me heavy, Im limping and on the side lines. A lesson in all this? Avoid the dangerous stuff!

For those of you starting off the year healthy, get those running streaks and personal records started and hang tough, come spring, you will rock!

I repeat the important stuff; join us Saturday January 12th at the indoor track at U of M for a morning of running in shorts and celebrating a new year of running. A great expo and some free stuff! Go to www.runhealthystart.com.

Your chance to give back to the sport, make a resolution to volunteer for an event this year. Not only will you gain insight to another aspect of the sport by being part of a race crew but you will also get a ticket to the greatest party in running! All who volunteer for a Running Fit event between now and June 14th are invited to the Dash and Burn Bash. You cant buy your way into this one! The party will include a hike to a secret spot in the woods where the fire will burn and the party will rage on. To volunteer, go to the website of the event you want to volunteer at and click on Volunteer. Not sure what the website is? Go to www.runningfit.net/events for a full listing.

Dont think about it, just get out and run!
Randy Step

For more Run Reading, click here: New Years Resolution - Become A Runner!

Night Speed.

These guys were the regulars, I was the guest. First came a quick explanation of the 5.2 mile route, a winter route designed to follow streetlights, not quite enough light but as good as it gets on the far edge of suburbia. We headed into the night.

Only a couple hundred yards into it and the pace was heating up. No conversation. More often than not, this is bad sign, but I was thinking, not tonight! I had the feeling that I was as strong as any in the group, at least the ones who counted those I knew.

The Ultimate Injury.

As a running coach, my typical evening includes answering several pain-related e-mails. I never take them lightly. I know that due to the commitment and goals driving the competitive runner, getting sidelined is devastating. Even for us has been runners, the daily clearing of the cobwebs during the days run is often all that holds our shaky world together. When we cant run, it is a big deal, Ive been there often enough to know. I thank God and revel in every healthy day. Without injury, would we appreciate health?

Ten years ago I was on top the game. I had a string of PRs going. My best 10 km, 10 mile and Marathon all came to me that fall. I was running in the 70 to 85 mile per week range with all systems maxed. Business life, family life and the running life filled a good 18 hours of each day. I was the master of time management; I was loving life and living full blast.

Soon after my marathon, what seemed like a bad chest cold soon turned into what I thought was pneumonia.

Try Snow Running!

Let it snow!

For the past couple years Ive been a snowshoein fool. As a runner I used to dread a big dump of the white stuff. Running in the cold is hassle enough, and then comes slush, ice and arch straining snow. As you know, Im not a cross training kind of guy. Im a pure in your face running fanatic, addicted as they come. When I first strapped on snowshoes it was just to be social on a northern Michigan weekend with friends. I expected the same experience I got from cross-country skiing, a sport that got me outside but out of my running element.

Snowshoeing, what a surprise! I was hammering away over hill and dale. Hopping rivers and ducking through the woods like a a snowshoe rabbit! The learning curve was about zero. I was just out for a run. Its a lot of work, like running on a beach or in shoe sucking mud but snowshoeing is running, good hard butt kicking running! I especially like hammering the downhills.

Running Longer, Racing Longer

If youre are the type who enjoys getting out for a run a few times each week Im sure you have given some thought to getting a bit more serious about it. Perhaps you have entered a 5K or two and are considering the move to a 10K or longer. How do you get from here to there? How to run longer? The answer is, "slowly".

To run longer you may have to learn to slow down. Start by finding a conversational pace and start adding some miles. If you feel winded, you have picked to fast a pace. After your body adapts to the higher mileage you can work on speed. For now, lets work on distance. Here are a few rules to follow to get there injury free and motivated

Distance Rules

1. Never increase your weekly mileage more that 10%. Example: if you run 15 miles this week, next week you can go up to 16.5. How long will it take to get to 20 miles per week? Lets do the math. 16.5 plus 1.65 = 18.15 or lets just say 18. 18 plus 1.8 = around 20. Hmmm, from 20 miles per week you can jump up into the 40s in about 16 weeks. You could be ready to run a fall marathon if you keep it up. It only takes a few 40 plus mile weeks to get you ready to tackle the marathon!

2. Alternate hard and easy days. Hard days are longer or faster. Easy days are shorter or days off. Rest days are as important as run days.

Going Solo An Alaska Running Adventure

Life is not meant to be lived in moderation. With a middle of the road life comes a middle of the road existence. Stress is in the eyes of the stressed. What could be more stressful than to look back at the years and wonder ... what could I have done? Peace comes to those that already know that answer; theyve done it! I believe life is meant to be lived out toward the edge. The proverbial edge is a personal point that is arrived at by means of your comfort zone. For some it might be an hour hike alone on trails in a state park, for others it might be a solo climb of a 20,000+ ft. peak in the Himalayans.

Without goals, my life seems to wander aimlessly. To stay fit and focused I need to be training for something. To keep my interest these goals must be out near the edge. Once the goal is set, all in life seems to fall in place. I eat, sleep, work, train and seem to be more organized when focused on a long-term goal.

In December of 89, I was without a goal. My last athletic adventure had been a marathon in Mexico.

Help! I'm Feeling Lazy!

Question to the Coach:

...I must confess I have been LAZY. I have been out to the work out two of the three times. So I have no problem getting up on Saturday and driving 45min. to do the running, but during the week I just can't get motivated. Do you think to kick myself in the A** I should run in the morning? I think that might work ... but like I said I have been lazy. Please help! Talk to you soon.

Coach Randy's response:

Motivation is a feeling, feelings are a choice. Like so many things in life. Happiness is a choice. Example: You get in a traffic jam, your choice could be: to sit in this rush hour traffic jam and appreciate the time alone with your thoughts to sort out the world, or.... Another example: When the weather is cold and windy you can think about how you are going to dress for today's run and what route will be plowed or out of the wind. You can think about the great challenge and how you will conquer it. (The same would go for 90 degree heat)

Or, you can bitch, moan and complain about how the world is and do nothing and be miserable!

So, when your mind seems to be made up that it wants to do anything but run, go run. Show your mind that not running is not an option. Hey head, get with the program or be miserable, it's up to you, I'm running! Feel bad? Run down? Unmotivated? Good! Once this run is finished you will have a much greater feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment than an easy run on a nice day. Those are the wimpy runs!

So the next time you feel unmotivated. Get your lazy a__ out of bed and Go Hammer!

Stay obsessed,
Coach Randy

Discomfort, exhaustion, and even suffering come to mind while out there yes, but such trials bring about a spirit of adventure and quests, as well as nirvanas, unknown through the easier ways we have come to take for granted as whole.

"They've moved out of the society that would have protected them, and into the dark forest, into the world of fire, of original experience. Original experience has not been interpreted for you, and so you've go to work out life for yourself. Either you can take it or you can't. You don't have to go far off the interpreted path to find yourself in very difficult situations. The courage to face the trials and bring a whole new body of possibilities into the field of interpreted experience for other people to experience - that is the hero's deed."
- Joseph Campbell