The Bird Love

Ya know, we really think the Akron Marathon is one of the most exciting and well organized events around. In fact, if you look a the numbers, its popularity is growing at such a steady rate it has the potential to eclipse its northern counterpart in the not to distant future. So best of luck to all of our friends, customers and family members who will be out there to brave "The Bird"! In honor of the big race I thought it might be fun to think of the top 5 things we at Fleet Feet love about the Akron Marathon. Enjoy the run.


5. The blue line - runners, you know what I mean...
4. The Sand Run leg of the Relay
3. The Relay and its huge popularity (it sold out at 2000 relay runners for the first time!)
2. The grand finish in Canal Park
1. Executive Race Director Jim Barnett personally shaking hands with and thanking every single finisher of the race. Talk about a classy move for a classy race!

Birthday Sale

So this is your best chance to get the best deals of the entire year! We really pull out all the stops on this day and offer the most insane deals!

Come by, check out all of the new Fall/Winter apparel, footwear and accessories!

HAppy hour is a new addition this year, how can you go wrong with a few drinks while hanging out and shopping at FF! Also, get you last minute BBQ fix from 12-2 while we have the grill hot and turning out some good eats! Hope to see you all out on 10.10.09!

Baby Runner

Oh baby baby!

Stay tuned!...

Compression Socks

Lance and Robin Williams love The Tour and compression socks! He wears them post race and so should you! Funny stuff!

Tour de France 2009: Lance Armstrong Chats With Robin Williams -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Run with Us!

Just a quick reminder...

Wednesday night runs from the store
6:15 pm, trails in the summer, roads in the winter

Sunday morning trail runs
8:00 am, different trail heads around the CVNP.

Call or email the store to get added to our weekly run Yahoo Group to get all of the info!

Great running, great friends and great food (after the run)

Hope to see you soon!

Find us on Twitter

Hey check us out on Twitter! Follow us for fun daily updates and shenanigans!

click here

Few More Cool Products

I forgot to mention two products that we got in recently that are really something to check out. First the Nike Free 5.0!

Now this isn't a brand new shoe but it is new for us and we are excited. The Free is such a unique shoe because it is not really built to actually run in more than once maybe twice a week. The key to this shoe is the wear it around casually throughout several days and it will actually make your feet and ankles stronger. It's is built to simulate walking barefoot on grass, to allow the foot to bend and flex naturally. This will make the foot stabilize itself over time and make you stronger! But remember! Not a lot of running in this shoe! Think of it as more of a training tool, not a running shoe! The Nike Free 5.0 at Fleet Feet, for you to try! Check them out!

Next we have the Oakley Jawbone (my over all favorite new product of 2009)...if you follow the blog you will remember me mentioning these a while back when i first saw them on the faces of a few pro cyclist in the Giro back in May. Oakley has always been quite revolutionary with their shades and designs but these, i am convinced, are a milestone in optical design, ease of use, lens function, and all around sweetness.


Here is the deal. I could do my best to explain to you why they are so awesome. How the lenses are super easy to switch and how they are so light you forget your wearing them. Then I could tell you how they come with two sets of lenses, a hard case, and a cleaning bag, and how they actually have a hinge on them to making replacing the lenses easier than ever and without visual distortion. I can tell you that the lenses are vented and fit perfectly with a helmet or under a running visor. Yeah, i could...but what i really should do is tell you to watch this:

Off Runnin'...and Summer Go Fast Shoes

You can say that we have been a bit lax when it comes to updating the store blog. You would be right. But after all it is summertime and we have been quite busy collectively putting in miles on top of miles before, after, and even during store hours! Then of course with all of your love and support for us, there has not been too much down time at the store either! Its a good thing! So between running, racing, triathloning (my favorite non-word) and keeping all of you in the best shoes and apparel money can buy...we have not been super consistent on the blog! Our apologies.
Now lets get excited with some new shoes that have just been put on the wall. I call them your summer "go fast" collection! Whether your a student putting in your summer miles getting ready for XC season, a marathoner or halfer in the midst of summer training, a multisport freak looking to do/buy anything to make you faster or just a normal runner looking for something light and fast to kick around in, we have got a pretty cool collection for you! Now dont be confused, these are not flats, just your everyday trainers on a diet. A bit lighter, more flexible, and over all a littler jazzier!

Check em out...

Oh ya, I threw in my personal favs for our spike wearing student fasties too!
This season called for a dark horse to claim the top spot for XC spikes in my opinion. Amidst the Nikes and Adiddas's of the world I think Saucony has come out with some pretty rockin' spiked kicks. So if your a perenial wearer of the typical Nikes, do yourself a favor and throw on a pair of the Shay's or Kilkenny's to compair. You might just be suprised. The fit is snug, the weight is little and the look is very very cool! You might agree!

Other than the spikes, check out the Mizuno Precision and Brooks Ravenna. Both of these shoes are not too far away from their big brothers the Rider and Adrenaline/Infinity respectively. So for a bit more"go fast" and flexibilty for your next 5k, 10k or track workouts, these are some pretty sexy options! The other good news is that in general they all range about $5-$10 cheaper than their heavier counterparts . So like i said, next time your in, make sure to test out the lighter side of things! Afterall its summer time and summer time is go fast time!

Until next time...Sunshine.

Well, you put in the miles...

Now its showtime! Sunday morning thousands of Clevelanders and otherwise will tow the line of the Cleveland Marathon! We at Fleet Feet just want to say good luck, have fun and run happy!

Over the past several months, through the cold, the wind and snow you all have been getting in the miles, putting in the time and gutting out the training to get yourselves ready for Sunday. Whether you pounded the treadmill for miles in the gym or trudged through the winter yuck, you have earned your place at the start line and we are proud! You should be too!

Anything can happen on the 26.2 mile trek but just know that whatever happens you will give it your best and you deserve to enjoy the day! But don't be afraid to give it a little push at the end and dig deep to gut it out. Don't be afraid to pull out the stops and run through the pain in the late miles! Marathons are supposed to hurt, that's what makes the finish so awesome!

So enjoy your run, enjoy your pain and enjoy the glory! We will see you at the finish line! Cheers!

Your Friends at Fleet Feet!

PS - Don't forget the Body Glide!

Ray Zahab from Running the Sahara to Speak at FF Event

10 Miler Job Well Done

I want to give a quick job well done to everyone who participated in and helped put on the Hermes / Fleet Feet 10 Miler and 5k. It was the first bigger race of the season and it was a ton of fun for us to get out there and support everyone. I am not sure we could have dreamed for a better day weather-wise. Thanks to Hermes for another solid new race venue, it seems everyone was stoked about Edgewater Park! One more quick job well done is definitely in order to the Winking Lizard, they certainly pulled out the stops with their post race egg souffle, not something they whip up all the time, but lets face it have you ever put something in your mouth from the Lizard that you didnt like?! So thanks to John and the guys at the Lizard for that delicious treat!

Here is a shot taken by all around Multisport guru and the unofficial Ohio Triathlon King Mickey Rzymek: Checkout NorthCoast Multisport and the Greater Cleveland Triathlon

Myself and first place overall winner for the 10 miler, David Mooney.
He came in at a staggering 55:01! Bravo! Rockin the Lunaracers we sold him just a few days ago!

Making it Easy on ya! The Big Squeeze!

As a runner or triathlete you are flooded with information about new products that claim to help you be run faster, recover quicker, gain more endurance and even give you extra energy! Now, without down playing the roll of technology and great product design we sometimes feel that these claims are a bit lofty. Sure, there are some products out there that really do help, however it's not often something comes along that truly lives up to its marketing managers word.

So we feel one of our jobs and obligations to you (our customers and friends) as a run specialty shop is to trudge through the masses of claims and products, fend of the marketing jargon and hoards of B.S. to come up with the products that truly can make a difference in your athletics. So when something comes around that really peaks our interest we like to tell you about it.

Lately it has been all out the big squeeze! By that we mean compression! Whether your a triathlete, runner, active traveler or trying just trying to improve blood flow (reduce visible veins) or aid recovery, we think all the hype about compression lately actually has a leg to stand on...well some of it!

The skinny:
Medical grade compression is nothing new. Just ask your local medical supply rep! What is new is medical grade compressions entrance into the endurance athletes world. The way it was designed to improve blood flow to the heart for medical patients is now being realized as a total benefit to athletes seeking improved recovery and reduction in swelling and muscle vibration and warmth. The down side is that compression products have almost as many advantages as there are brands making (and claiming) the stuff. That is where we come in to find the best.

What did we come up with? Well after searching through about six companies and over twenty different products we narrowed it down to one extra squeezable product that we feel comes out ahead in value, effectiveness, durability and medical research that actually makes sense to our friends in the medical world. Oh, as a side note they all failed the "looks awesome" qualification because nothing that fits this tight will make even the studliest athlete appear studly! However it is quickly becoming a more accepted look among the spandex/lycra clad athletes that we all know and love! Back on track, the product we love:

Zoot ULTRA Compression Socks. And here is why...

1. They are simple yet very effective
2. There is substantial research by the medical company that makes them for Zoot that shows they actually work.
3. They are not $100 plus like some other compression products out there. (namley other Zoot Compression products)
4. They have a precise but not complicated fit
5. You can swim in them bc of the high poly propelene content
6. they are white without crazy logo application and can we worn under causual pants to reduce swelling and not make you look like a goof.
7. they hold up in the wash...believe me some don't!
8. they come in a really cool resuable storage tin.

So, come check them out, we really think they are pretty cool and are one product out there that lives up to its claim and is worth your cash. For more indepth information on Zoot compresion socks check out this link to their white papers from their reaearch.

Zoot Research

Cheers and sunshine!

Lilac and Oaks

We got some new Oakley shades in today...pretty awesome styles. Some sport but also some real cool casual lifestyle ones for men and women.

Hey ladies...you know that awesome sock you got from us with the pink or blue stripe. Remember? The one fits better than all of your others and looks real cute. We always have it in white and black and with the pink and blue...but now, for a limited time. Lilac! As in purple. As in real real cool...come check them out because I am sure they will not last long!

Rare Footwear Bliss

We see a lot of shoes around here and we think they are all pretty cool. Each of them having something a little unique or special about them. Sometimes the color, or the new technology, and always a little bit of hype. Regardless, running shoes are what we do, they are what we know and we love them...all of them.

But every once and a while something comes down the pipeline from some company that really ruffles our feathers. Something with a little extra spark that catches our eyes and makes us say. WHOA! The guys around here dream for days like that. When it happens some of us will immediately grab our size, throw on some running shorts, hit the door and get a quick few minutes in just to experience the unspeakable lust that the specific shoe has to offer, even just for a moment. Once back to the store their faces and postures are ones of euphoria. Orgasmic. Disbelief. Some shoes, but not many, do this to us. They make us feel funny inside. A good funny. A fast, sort of wild, i can't believe my feet feel this way, funny. It the unspoken reason why many of us work here. For that razor thin possibility, that odd chance that one day, one shoe from one brand will change what we know as running forever. The next few days are filled with restless chatter and playful boasting about what each of think we can pull off in that particular shoe; the PR's we can hit and the new mile splits that we swear are attainable now because of the beautiful new dogs that have been placed at our feet.

Well my friends I tell you this for one reason. As the warm breeze blows our direction this Spring and more and more shoes begin to kick the pavement, a clear victor has risen. A shoe has come to us like a budding April flower to stake its place in the world as one to make the running shoe geeks foam at the mouth with adrenaline spiked drool. They will have glorious nightmares before religious morning runs that only a shoe of this rare caliber can evoke. For them, for us, this shoe has changed the game. And we are all drunk with excitement to have it for you...and ourselves.

The Nike Lunaracer. Racing Flat.

Fast. Lite. Revolutionary. Holy.

Not much more to say about it than that.

Just come in, try one on and experience the love.

Cheers.

Shameless Promoting!!!

I am not going to sugar coat this one for all you straight-shooting athletes out there…being injured SUCKS. There is nothing fun about putting in exuberant amounts of time and effort, training your heart out, to wake up one morning with a hint of something not right. You head out for your run and that confirms it, that something not right, is downright wrong. I hope there is someone out there who can’t relate to what I am saying because that means you have been blessed with an injury free running past which is almost as great an accomplishment as the insane miles we put in every week.

Whether you are a hundred-mile per week guy hammering the pavement every day or if you are new to the sport and just can’t seem to work the kinks out, learning how to prevent over-use-injuries as well as knowing how to assess and treat them are all fundamental basics of being a runner, at least if you want to stay a runner!
Since we know how defeating these injuries can be, we are calling in the experts to educate you on how to get rid of them if you got ‘em or how to stay on the straight and narrow of not getting ‘em!

Dr. Nilesh Shah from Summa Health and Wellness Institute will be here discussing common over-use injuries in runners and how to prevent them. His colleague, Terri Angelo, ATC, will also be here to inform us about Graston Technique. Graston Technique is a simple technology that is improving injury treatment and rehabilitation.

We hope you can come to the store to check out what these folks have to say!

Wednesday, February 25th @ 7pm.

Don’t forget…Fashion Event at Fleet Feet Sports in Northfield. It is going to be H-O-T!! You can come to watch the many models or you could even just come for some good company! But if you really want to capitalize on this event, come for the fashion forward styles and colors that we will have in the store on this night ONLY! We want your feedback so we know we are always buying the BEST clothes for our customers. If you want to guarantee yourself a seat (and a FREE goodie bag!) RSVP today!

Thursday, February 26th @ 7pm

Hey Ladies...Support'em and Be Active!

So we are doing this really cool thing with Moving Comfort. As you may know they are a sports bra specialty brand and we do really well with them and our bra fit process. Let me first clear the air with this statement: I know more about sports bras than I wish I did and yes, I actually can help women find the perfect bra for them...in a very non-hands-on, distant sort of way...(awkward pause)...ITS TRUE! Most women are not in the correct size sports bra. In fact a correctly fit sports bra is just as important to a woman as her correctly fit running shoe...(awkward pause #2)



...Anyway...So Moving Comfort came to Fleet Feet with this really cool initiative. Lets make a really cool tee shirt with a real cool saying, sell it to active women, and give part of the money to a really cool organization that's dedicated to educating young women on the importance of being active! Awesome Right?! We thought so!

They just arrived today and they are very limited! So stop by and grab one for your self or your mom, or your sister or wife or girlfriend or any other non male figure in your life that you love. At the end of the day we thought that it would be a nice way to show our love for the ladies and encourage active lifestyles!

So that's all I got on that...(#3)...

Support Your Girls!

Cheers

"AWAKE"

It is the time of year when a little motivation goes a long way. It has been cold, windy, snowy, and all around a typical Cleveland winter. This is a favorite around here to put a little fire in each of us to keep training and to put in the tough miles when you really don't want to.

A famous man once said "We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."

So on those early mornings get up and be AWAKE!!!!

More Drinking...

Green Goodness...anything with seaweed and algae in it is good for you right?



I'll have a lemon with my water please...


During times of extreme boredom, focus on hydration...

Coffee and Snow

Snow...this is all I have to say about that:

Coffee...It is what you do when you can not run and there is not much else to do:

What Do Runway Models and Tri Geeks have in common?

Have you heard? We teamed up with Bike Authority over in Broadview Hts to form the 2009 BAFF Multisport Team. Both sides are real excited about the partnership and it has already made a splash within the community. And the plan is to continue to make some noise all season long at races! At this point we are just shy of 50 members both elite and enthusiast alike. The best part is that what every teammate has in common is their love and respect for the sport. The team website is clevelandtri.com, it has all sorts of good news and info on the team...hopefully even more as the preseason and season progress. So anyway, we are stoked about the team and can not wait to start training, racing and turning heads!

So that hasn't been all we have been doing over here. We have 2 events planned that might just give every women and ultra trendy dude something to look forward to during the next few frozen weeks.

1. Our newest installment of a longstanding tradition that we like to call DIVA NIGHT! January 22nd at 7pm. (Also happens to be a certain blog posting, store managing, super cool tri guy's birthday) but anyway, Diva night will be, once again, filled to the bring with free pampering for all of our female friends. The details are still getting hashed out, but trust me there will be plenty of specialists of all sorts on hand to make it a super comfy and warming January night for everyone here...and by warming I refer to the several cases of wine that will be in attendance...if you into that kind of thing.

2. Why not try something new...How about getting psyched for the spring by joining us at the first ever Fleet Feet Fitness Fashion Event, Thursday, February 26th at 7pm. We are talking, runways, models, exclusive one night only styles from Nike, Brooks, Pearl Izumi and others that all guests have the chance to view and buy! Also we will raffle off some really cool prizes and give each guest a gift bag packed with goodies unlike any we have ever give away before. So make sure you RSVP (by calling the store) soon because spots are limited! This is just our way to get everyone pumped for the summer by checking out some really cool new styles, trends and colors that surely make you the looker at the gym and on the roads this summer! Oh ya, the wine will be flowing all night too, so if you didn't get enough pampering at Diva Night be sure to put this one down on the calendar and be here when Fleet Feet hits the runway!

Lets recap, A Multisport Team with Bike Authority that is going to make some noise, a night of Divas at the store that will make some noise, and a new Fitness Fashion Event Fleet Feet style that will...yep, make some noise. So in your constant search for excitement and fun in this winter wonderland, stop by the old FF to find some really cool things going on that I promise will warm you up, pump you up and maybe even shake you up...ear plugs not required.