Author Archives: Steve Wagner

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About Steve Wagner

On an icy spring morning in 2006, I found myself at the start of the Fargo Marathon as a newspaper reporter. The positive vibe and contagious energy prompted a simple vow: run something, anything, the following year. A group of co-workers graciously agreed to run the 26.2-mile relay. That experience prompted me to start entering smaller local races and then a half marathon. Soon, despite my original plans, I began training for a marathon, and my journey as a runner continues today. Since 2008, I've been competing in marathons, a path that has taken me to the starting line of Grandma's Marathon (3 times), Twin Cities Marathon (2), Fargo Marathon (2), the Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon, the Chicago Marathon, the Surf City USA Marathon in Huntington Beach and most recently, the Minneapolis Marathon. During my journey, I've found a true passion for the path less traveled, particularly country roads, trails and the Ragnar Relay series. To this end, my running isn't about destinations, rather discovering my limits in an experiment of one.

A mental lift

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It turned out to be a perfect night for a run, again making me thankful for the chance to experience life and nature on the go.

This morning, I bypassed the chance to run, opting to make pancakes instead – mostly since I simply didn’t want to put on layers of running clothes with 32-degree temperatures. So after work, I slipped on shorts and a T-shirt, set my course for out of town and climbed a few hills.

While out running, I kept thinking back to a conversation earlier in the day. A runner, who is planning his first half marathon Saturday in Fargo, asked for some tips about the weather. He had read my column Monday in the Forum, and wasn’t too concerned about warm temperatures. Instead, he asked about how to handle rain, which is a possibility.

My suggestion was simple: Dress normally, but take a large garbage bag, cut out holes for the arms, and wear it at the start if it’s raining. It will keep the core warm and dry, and at some point when he decides he doesn’t want or need it, tear it off. He can leave it at the curbside, with a fan along the course, or a water station. The sweepers will clean up after the race.

I had one other tactic I shared with him to prevent going out too fast: Line up further back than the pace group running the time he hopes to run. It will force him to start a little slower, but he’ll begin passing people, giving himself a mental lift and provide an energy boost later in the race. It might not work for everyone, but I know it’s worked for me. Best of luck Paul!

The pursuit of passion

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“Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless… When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you’ll be fast.” – Caballo Blanco in Born to Run.

Yes, I’ve used the above quote to start a few blog posts in the past, and in a recent tribute to Caballo Blanco, also known as Micah True, who died unexpectedly early last month while out on a run.

But those words carry great meaning – whether you’re waiting out the final days before a race, just starting a new training cycle or find yourself coming back from injury.

Easy. Light. Smooth.

That’s exactly the way running should feel. Those 3 words put the focus on fun, form and attitude.

As I rebuild from a tough spring, getting back on the roads has helped me regain some perspective. Yesterday, Riley and I struck out on an early morning run – a tough turn around from an 8-miler the evening before. The wind, normally my nemesis, felt terrific in the pre-dawn hour. Half way into the run, the sun poked above the horizon, suspended in a haze above the lake. Riley splashed into the water for a drink.

Regaining confidence, I feel better about running Grandma’s Marathon, now a little more than 4 weeks away. Not at a pace to set any personal records, but simply to enjoy the run pain-free and share the experience with friends. And I’m now looking at running the Twin Cities Marathon, perhaps as a charity team member, something I’ve not done before.

But, first up, I’m excited to return to Fargo this weekend for the half marathon. Four months ago, the goal was to set a personal best in the half on my way to chasing a Boston qualifier in Duluth. A severely sprained ankle, and the resulting issues from the injury sustained in a desert trail race, derailed those plans. Most importantly, though, I’m back to running better and enjoying it. So while Fargo won’t be a fast race for me, it will be a celebration – a chance to soak up a terrific atmosphere, visit with friends, share in their victories and embrace running as a lifelong study in the pursuit of passion.

After work delight

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After a successful 22-miler Saturday, the goal was to get out and ride my road bike for 2 hours on Sunday.

But a few hours of yard work, and some other errands, and I found myself wiped out on Sunday. Even with 9 hours of sleep, I didn’t feel like moving much. One good sign was that I wasn’t sore from my longest run since my January marathon. Just tired from the cumulative running and work around the house.

So I decided to be lazy.

It carried over to Monday as I found myself a bit lethargic for a run. So I waited until Monday night, when I came home from work, slipped on my running shoes and struck out on an old familiar route.

As I headed down the road, and found myself winding through some rural neighborhoods, I basked in the sun and 75-degree temps. To me, it was the perfect weather for an 8-mile training run.

While I know many people who don’t like running in those temperatures, I reveled in it. I’ll take it every day. And thinking ahead to the Fargo Marathon, which could see some warm temperatures on race day, I thought warm-weather running would do me good. In Fargo, I’m running the half marathon, so temperature may not be too much of a factor.

But I have Grandma’s Marathon looming in less than 5 weeks, and if the weather is warm there, I will be prepared for it by doing some training after work. For this week, though, I’m looking at putting a little bit of faster paced running back into my training, and the half marathon will be a long speed workout as I hope to see a boost in the training effect in the final weeks before heading to Duluth.