April is here and that feels good. We are finally transitioning from the fun and challenges that came with winter running, racing and race directing and now the real season begins!

Thanks for being here. Oh, and go nominate an inspiring runner in our community will ya. They are our biggest motivator here at Runday!

Keep on, keepin’ on!

Alright… this is getting real.

After the overwhelming response to the idea of a Runday Run-cation, we’re taking the next step and you’re invited.

We’re hosting a virtual info session with the team from Run for Fun Cruise Tours, a travel group that specializes in race-focused trips around the world (yes… I guess it’s a thing!).

🗓 Date: April 23
🕕 Time: 5:30 PM CST

They’ll walk us through what a run-focused trip could actually look like including destination races, cruise options, logistics, and how we could bring the Runday community along for the ride.

Think:
🛳️ Racing at different ports
🏃‍♂️ Exploring new places on foot
🌴 Turning miles into a full-on experience

No commitment at this time! Just a chance to learn, ask questions, and see if this is something you’d want to be part of.

👉 Save your spot and RSVP here.

Let’s see where this could go. This might turn into something pretty special!

***For those more interested in other Run-cation events, those are in the works as well.***

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

A friendly reminder

It’s okay if you…

Miss a run
Eat candy
Take a week off from lifting
Enjoy a rest day
Stay up too late
Aren’t perfect

That last one is the real point - no one is perfect and you don’t need to be either. Just keep moving forward!

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!

Word Scramble: Last week’s word - Warmup!

Run Analysis: Get nearly 50% off your running form assessment with a treadmill run analysis! BOOK NOW by emailing or calling CompetePT!

$125, ends April 30th.

[email protected]

(701)248-6689

FM Scoop: The local newsletter for news, events and more! Always positive, always local! Check it out here.

Endure Thermal Spa: Go celebrate Endure’s first birthday with a Contrast Therapy session! Happy Birthday and congratulations, Katie and Ethan!

By: Dr. Lizette Sunde, PT,

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

Runner Question: Hi Dr. Sunde. I’m currently training for the Fargo half marathon but after every long run, I get very sore on the front of my hips around my hip flexor area. It’s sore the entire next day to the point where its difficult to walk, but then eventually goes away. Why is this happening?

Dr. Sunde Response: Hey runner, great question! Let’s explore the multiple things that may cause this. During running, hip flexors primarily work to bring the swing leg forward BUT the large hip flexor, which we call your iliopsoas muscle, is also a deep core muscle AND spinal stabilizer as it attaches on the front of your spine.  Hip flexors actually don’t really work a lot through the gait cycle unless you are running fast (something you shouldn’t be doing on your long runs)!  The force on the hip flexor is greater for moderate speeds and sprinting speeds, nearly 2-3.5 times your body weight.  You can read about that research HERE.  So if this is happening regularly on an easy long run, but eventually starts to hurt with simple walking, you’d want to rule out a stress reaction or stress fracture. A condition you don’t want to run on! 

After I’ve ruled out anything scary, what I normally see in my clinic is that hip flexors are tight. Here is an example of clinic testing to see if the hip flexor is truly tight. Figuring out the WHY is a bigger task.  And no, it’s not typically due to overuse. Now remember earlier when I said the hip flexor attaches to the spine?  Because of this, tightness at this muscle can pull the low back into more of an arch.  Not surprisingly, runners with tightness here can have hip pain on the front, similar to yours and/or low back pain and even knee pain.  Tightness at the hip flexor actually reduces how much you use your glute because of the low back arch, so tightness not only causes pain but limits your stride, limits your hip push off AND can result in overstriding.  Phew that’s a lot! 

So what can you do as a runner?  If it’s a true muscle extensibility problem, long static stretching will help. Hold your stretch for at least 2 minutes. BUT it’s important for you to know, stretching alone won’t help your pain or performance. HOW you stretch is also very important as it is easy to cheat with the low back.  A physical therapist using manual therapy which might include soft tissue techniques and joint mobilizations to the hip to allow the leg to come behind you and provide some flexibility to the hip flexor are also necessary. Caution: stay away from Psoas release tools which can be very dangerous due to important arteries in the front hip area.

Lastly, exercises that require learning how to use your butt and core to avoid arching from the back will help improve the flexibility but also help retrain running mechanics for optimal movement patterns. 

So lets sum it up. It can be a flexibility problem, maybe even a hip joint mobility problem, or a stability problem in the core and deep hip flexors which is causing the front hip to become tight.  Don’t forget, pain is a wonderful indicator of what’s going on.  Ignoring it too long may lead to more problems.

Happy Running,

Dr. Sunde

You may have already heard and registrations are running out…

The Sandy’s Donut Run is BACK for 2026!

📅 Saturday, May 2nd, 2026
⏰ Race Starts at 8:30 AM
📍The Lights in West Fargo
3150 Sheyenne St, West Fargo, ND 58078

*This is an untimed FUN RUN event 😄
**Online registration will close at 11:00 PM on Thursday, April 30th (or when the event reaches full capacity / SOLD OUT!)

Hosted at The Lights, this event delivers the same fun atmosphere and delicious rewards you’ve come to know and love from the Sandy’s Donut Run!

Registration Includes:
Custom-designed event shirt 👕
Unique finisher medal 🏅
Post-run DONUTS & COFFEE 🍩☕️

Mark your calendars, grab your running buddies, and get ready for one of the sweetest runs of the year!

By: Coach Branden Scheel

A new 3-part series to keep you healthy, motivated and ready to perform when it matters most.

Most athletes don’t burn out because they aren’t working hard enough, they burn out because they’re not training smart. The goal isn’t to do more, it’s to do what matters, consistently, while staying healthy and motivated all the way to race day.

Before any training plan works, your life has to support it. Training in a vacuum doesn’t exist, work, family, and responsibilities are part of the equation.

If you have a family, bring them into the process:

They should feel included, not like they’re competing with your training. When your life is aligned, your training becomes sustainable.

Your training should evolve over time. Doing the same workouts, at the same intensity, week after week will only take you so far.

Progression doesn’t need to be aggressive, in fact, it’s usually worse when it is aggressive. It just needs to be consistent. Small, steady improvements lead to big results.

Branden Scheel is a Fargo-born professional triathlete and endurance coach, former Division I runner at NDSU, and two-time marathon champion. He now competes in IRONMAN events and coaches athletes of all levels, sharing practical insights in Coach’s Corner.

Turns out… most of us are just out here trying to survive!

🥇 “Just trying to survive” - 39%
😎 Chill jogger – close behind - 23%
📊 Data nerd – right there too - 23%
🥉 Competitive – holding it down - 13%

This is what makes Runday so fun for us…

We’ve got:

And somehow, we’re all out there on the same roads, same trails, same community.

We will see ya out there! Run the day!

Jeremy & James

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