Race season is underway and it feels so so so good! Thanks for being here.

Let’s get into it!

Junkyard Winter 5k: Shout out to you all that showed up, ran and volunteered! What a way to kick off the 2026 race season!

Tyler Giffey with the quote of the day:

Mark Knutson Shoes for Kids Legacy Fund: Giving Hearts Day was a success!

The 9AM to 9PM 12 hour challenges are complete:

185 miles biked at Moorhead Scheels
148 miles ran at Fargo Scheels

Money was raised and fun was had! Thank you to all that came out, who biked and ran and that donated!

There is still time to donate to ensure kids in need receive the running shoes they need to live an active, healthy lifestyle!

Donate here.

Who chooses to run in Fargo in February?

People who understand something about endurance.
About showing up when it’s dark.
When it’s cold.
When it would be easier not to.

We built Endure Thermal Spa for people like you.

Not as a luxury.
As a place to reset so you can keep going.
Every week we see runners walk in after long miles, icy sidewalks, early alarms, and training cycles that don’t care about the weather. They’re not looking for pampering. They’re looking for recovery that actually helps them continue doing what they love.

Heat.
Cold.
Breath.

A quiet place to recover.
A social place to connect.

The same things that build strong runners build resilient people.
And in a Fargo winter, that matters.

If you’re logging miles this season, whether you’re training for a race or just staying consistent through winter, we’re cheering you on.

And when you’re ready to reset, we’re here.

Katie & Ethan
Endure Thermal Spa
Come endure with us.

Brought to you by Lindsay! A fabulous race pacer, writer and community member! And our esteemed contributing author here at Runday.

Lindsay brings a thoughtful, practical approach to life, running, wellness, and real-life training. The kind that meets you where you’re at and helps you keep showing up. We’re thrilled to have her sharing her insights with the community.

By: Lindsay Paulson

When it comes to nutrition and exercise, there are always a lot of opinions, advice, and information swirling on the internet, especially social media.

Here’s what no one tells you though: Your goals, age, gender, lifestyle - so many things determine the nutrition and exercise best for you. Rather than worry about whatever exercise fad an influencer is pushing or nutrition trend is trending, focus the most energy on getting to know you.

Find the routine that works for you to be successful. Choose the foods and prioritize the nutrition that makes you feel and be your best. Do the exercise that supports your goals and that you actually enjoy.

Don’t chase influencers, trends, or fads. Chase yourself!

Got something worth sharing? A business you love, a killer deal to promote, a workout that humbled you, or just a friendly hello… Here’s your chance to say it loud to thousands of friends!

Endure Thermal Spa: It’s National Sauna Week! Through February 20th, try out their Social Sauna for $10.

Relax and rejuvenate with friends. You’ll love the results! Check them out on IG or at their website.

Runday Rewards Cards: Pre-order is right around the corner. We think you’re going to love the value!

Runner’s High: The Lake Agassiz Pacers St. Patrick’s Day 5K & 10K is a legendary run/walk tradition in Fargo–Moorhead.

Sign up today!

By: Dr. Lizette Sunde, PT,

A researched-backed approach to your rehab, recovery and wellness.

Runner Question: Hey Dr. Sunde, I’ve started marathon training with our local run group again, and it never fails, my right calf always gets the blunt of it.  It doesn’t matter whether I walk/run, add speed or mileage.  As soon as I start training it returns to the point where I can’t finish my training.  I don’t want to take my dream of a full and submit to a half marathon again.  What should I do?

Dr. Sunde Response: Hey runner! I’m sorry you’re going through it again.  Good news is there is a lot to unfold here that you can work on.  Assuming you’ve had no previous injury to your ankle, leg or calf and assuming your training started well (not too fast, not too long) there are other things to look at.

First, adequate ankle joint motion and calf flexibility is crucial.  The ankle needs to bend enough so that when the foot is underneath you, the knee can bend to about 45 degrees.  Rule of thumb is that the knee should be able to pass the toe.  Now, if the ankle is rigid or the calf inflexible, this can cause the foot to point outward.  It’s a compensation our body will naturally do if the ankle can’t bend.  This can cause you to push off on the inside of the foot and cause torque on the lower leg.  Running long enough like this causes outside leg pain or calf pain.

Another cause can be a lack of strength.  It’s surprising but the ankle supplies approximately 41% of our energy supply when running.  More than the knee and more than the buttock.

And even more surprising, our calf muscles like the gastrocnemius (its the pretty one with 2 heads) takes on 2.5-3 times our body weight in force.  The soleus which is the underlying calf muscle takes on 6.5-8 times our body weight in force!!

So if you don’t have adequate strength to manage those forces, you exhaust the calf beyond its ability to manage the load that running places on it. 

Find a running doctor that can assess your mobility and strength with a clinical exam.  But don’t forget to check your strength in your hips and knees.  Hip asymmetry’s can cause pain in the feet and ankles as well.

-Sincerely, Dr. Sunde

Hey everyone!

I’m Branden Scheel, a professional triathlete, endurance coach, and founder of Branden Scheel Racing. I grew up in Fargo, running for Discovery Middle School and Fargo Davies before competing in Division I cross country and track at North Dakota State University.

After college, I won the Wild Hog Marathon twice before shifting fully into triathlon, progressing from age-group racing to the professional ranks. Today, I compete at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events, with overall wins and podium finishes at the local and national level.

Alongside racing, I coach athletes of all levels, from first-time runners to elite competitors, with a focus on individualized training, long-term development, and understanding the why behind the work.

In Coach’s Corner, I’ll share practical training insights, lessons from coaching hundreds of athletes, and straightforward advice you can use right away, no matter where you are in your journey.

We’re excited to welcome Branden to the Runday community! Coach Branden has offered to host free virtual seminars exclusively for Runday readers.

No fluff. No generic advice.
Just practical, runner-specific guidance you can actually use.

Before we lock anything in, we want to know:

What would YOU want help with most right now?

^👉🏼 Take 30 seconds to tell us which topics interest you most
(and feel free to suggest something we didn’t list).

These sessions would be:

If there’s enough interest, we’ll start rolling these out soon — and you’ll help shape the very first ones.

Got an event, meetup and group you’d like to share with the community? Tell us more.

A popular event for young athletes in our community!

Register here.

Last week’s poll results: 100% of you are enjoying what we are doing here at Runday. And 71% are head over heels for it!

So, thank you!

This is for you and built by you!

We will see ya out there! Run the day!

Jeremy & James

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