Hello Runday!
It’s been nice not to have to complain about winter weather lately! And soon enough we can start complaining about that summer weather!
Enjoy the sunshine and mild temps!
Running Legend: Jeff Galloway, pioneer of the run-walk method and Olympian, recently passed away. While not a local legend to us, we’ve all certainly been impacted by his approach to running.
Check out ESPN’s article, honoring his legacy.
YOU SPEAK AND WE LISTEN
Run-cation
We get some wild ideas here at Runday. And if we think it’ll bring the running community together in a positive way and is a ton of fun, then we will test the waters!
Serious question…
Would you go on a Runday Run-cation?
Think:
🛳️ A cruise where we dock at different islands and run a race at each stop
🏔️ A destination trail-running weekend in the mountains
🌊 Sunrise miles somewhere warm in the middle of winter
Is this crazy… or is this brilliant?
Would you be in?
If you have any thoughts or questions, reply to this email. I would love to hear from you!
As always, thanks for reading and helping shape the future of Runday!
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Meet
Heather Sailer
Flamingos, Finish Lines, and Forward Progress
“Raise the Roof, Wahoo!”
Read her full story here!
Want to share your story or nominate a community member? Share it with us!
KEEPIN’ IT REAL
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.
Guilt Has No Place on Your Plate
By: Lindsay Paulson
There’s a word we need to remove from every discussion about food: Guilt.
More than the direct feelings of guilt about eating certain types of food, I’m talking about the innocent, “Pizza is my guilty pleasure” or, “Here’s my guilt-free cupcake recipe” kind of comments.
Never associate guilt with what you choose to eat. Food is here to nourish you, fuel you, and, in some cases, just make you happy. Especially as runners, we need it all. The nutritious food, the fueling food, and the enjoyment food.
When I treat myself to, say, a donut, I eat it with zero guilt, zero regrets, and all sorts of enjoyment. I hope next time you’re eyeing up your favorite food, you do, too :)
SPREAD THE WORD
The Bibs
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!
Young Runner’s Seminar: Peak Form - Mind, Muscles & Meals for Young Runners. A popular event for young athletes in our community!
March 29th, 2026
1-3pm
EHP Performance
1400 25th St S, Moorhead
Register here.
Social Sauna: Know a college kid? Social Sauna College Night at Endure Thermal Spa is hosted every Tuesday evening. Check it out!
Tell Us: Got news?
Got gains?
Got a deal?
Got a “hi, Mom!” moment?
Drop it here and let thousands hear it.
ASK DOC
Should You Run Through Pain? Here’s How to Know.
By: Dr. Lizette Sunde, PT,
A researched-backed approach to your rehab, recovery and wellness.
Runner Question: Hey Dr. Sunde, I’ve started training with a local run group and generally have pain when I start every run. I’m fairly new to running and so I don’t know if this is normal. Should I stop or should I run through pain?
Dr. Sunde Response: Hey Runner! Thanks for submitting a question. It is hard to distinguish between “soreness” and “pain” sometimes as people generally feel they can be the same depending on the intensity. So here are some questions you should consider before continuing:
Is it warming up as I run? Generally, if pain is below 4/10 and dissipates or warms up as you run, this is generally safe to run through. I tell my clients to use the stop light system for safety. Typically tendonitis pains warm up so anything under a 3/10 pain is a green light, 4/10 is a yellow light and you should proceed with caution. 5+/10 is a red light and you should stop.
Does it limit function or increase after runs? Soreness generally goes away after 24-48 hours, so if your pain increases or limits function longer than this on multiple runs and the pain causes you to limp or wakes you up at night, you should see your running doctor.
What is the quality of the pain? Pain that feels “sore” or “achy” and warms up with the run are generally safe to run through; unless it goes beyond that 4/10 then stop and walk. Pain that is sharp, stabbing or causes difficulty with weight bearing should not be ignored and should be seen by your physical therapist right away.
General or local? Pain that is diffuse and around a muscle or tendon may not be worrisome and you are in the clear if this warms up. But pain that is highly localized and concentrated to a small area, especially combined with sharpness or high intensity, should trigger a red flag.
Things that may help: complete a dynamic warm up before your run. Static stretching or long hold stretches are usually best after a run. Help your tendons and muscles by making them resilient with strengthening!
Got a question for Dr. Lizette Sunde? Hit the button below!
P.S. All questions will remain anonymous.
RUNNER’S HIGH
St. Patty’s Day 5k & 10k
The time is now!
The Lake Agassiz Pacers St. Patrick’s Day 5K & 10K is a legendary run/walk tradition in Fargo–Moorhead...
And in 2026, it’s getting a BIG return!
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026
Time: Race starts at 10:30 AM
Location: Swing Barrel Brewing Co. Moorhead
Sign up today by clicking the logo! 👇🏼
COACH’S CORNER
Training Around Real Life
By: Coach Branden Scheel
Training around real life means building a plan that works with your schedule, energy, and stress — not against it. Consistency over time always beats perfect training weeks. The best athletes are rarely the ones who have flawless execution; they are the ones who can keep training through work deadlines, family obligations, travel, and random life chaos. And this doesn’t always mean training well, or a lot, but instead focused on maintaining consistency.
A good starting point is prioritizing key sessions over total training volume. Each week should have a small number of workouts that truly drive fitness forward.
1–2 high quality intensity sessions per week
1 longer endurance session
Everything else is supportive work. If life gets busy, protect these first and cut or shorten the rest. Fitness comes from repeated quality stimulus, not occasional hard training spikes followed by burnout.
Train based on daily energy, not just the calendar. Real life is unpredictable, so match training stress to life stress.
High stress life days → aerobic work, recovery training, mobility, even rest days
Low stress life days → harder intervals, threshold work, long rides or runs
This helps you maximize adaptation without constantly accumulating fatigue.
Flexibility is a performance tool, not a weakness. If you miss a workout:
Shorten it instead of skipping it
Move it to another day when possible
Convert hard sessions into easier aerobic work rather than eliminating training completely
Momentum is more important than perfection.
Finally, think in life seasons instead of perfect training weeks. There will be times to push fitness and times to maintain it.
Growth seasons → higher volume and intensity
Survival seasons → maintenance training with consistency as the goal
Performance is built by staying consistent through real life, not by trying to out-train it.
Finally, one of the best ways to manage the training load around life’s chaos is to work with a coach instead of just a training plan.
The Benefits of Having a Coach
Having a coach gives athletes structure, accountability, and smart training adjustments that are hard to manage alone while balancing work, family, and life stress. A coach helps you train smarter, not just harder, by focusing on the workouts that create the most fitness while protecting you from burnout and injury.
Coaches also provide objective decision-making. Athletes often want to push harder even when fatigue or life stress suggests otherwise. A coach helps you stay on track when motivation is low and helps you make smart adjustments when life gets busy, travel happens, or recovery is needed.
The biggest value of coaching is personalization. Training is adapted to your schedule, energy levels, and goals so you can keep progressing without training becoming another source of stress in your life.
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.
RUNNER’S POLL
Do you prefer to run by yourself or with a group?
Last week’s poll results: We have a clear favorite race distance amongst our community members!
4% of you love the 1 mile or the Ultra. Which basically means you’re either lightning fast… or built different.
12% say the 5K is where it’s at. Short. Spicy. Done.
21% are rolling with the 10K. Long enough to hurt, short enough to survive.
48% of you claim the Half Marathon as your favorite. The sweet spot. The goldilocks distance. Not too short, not too long… It’s just right!
And 12% prefer the Full Marathon. Embracing the grind and kicking that mile 21 bonk in the rear.
That’s it for this week.
We will see ya out there! Run the day!
Jeremy & James
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