Connecting You to a Healthy Life!

Commitment to Community

“At Gazelle Sports we actively pursue, encourage and celebrate a healthy lifestyle. We strive for retail excellence by providing the world’s best customer care, focusing on a never ending commitment to unmatched product knowledge and creating friendly, positive relationships with customers, vendors and our communities.”                                        -Gazelle Sports’ Mission Statement

So, it’s been a while since my last post – over a month, in fact. That’s not due to a lack of trying; rather, a lack of inspiration. I’ve tried many times to sit down and write something meaningful; something I would enjoy writing and something you would enjoy reading. Nothing.

Last week I had the privilege of attending The Running Event in Austin, Texas as a representative of Gazelle Sports. It is a convention/expo combination for running specialty retailers held annually. It’s a good opportunity to get away, get some tips, and get a good look at some new product. In conjunction with the event, Competitor puts on a dinner for the “50 Best Running Stores in America” in which they recognize, you guessed it, the 50 best running stores in America and Store of the Year. In addition, a few of the vendors have awards to give out; Balega presents the Ubuntu award, Nike presents the Just Do It award, and The North Face presents the Never Stop Exploring award.

As I sat with my co-workers around the table, none of us knowing what was coming, it hit me. Inspiration.

I’ve worked in a lot of different companies over a short period of time; everything from retail to sales to childcare and back to retail. Never have I been more proud to be associated with the people I work with and for. Never have I been so proud to wear a company’s logo on my shirt. I WANT people to know I work at Gazelle Sports because of what it stands for; in my community, in West Michigan, and in running specialty. We don’t do what we do for awards, but it feels nice to be recognized for doing the things we think are important. Thank you to everyone who keeps Gazelle Sports in business, and thank you to all my co-workers who make this such an amazing place to work.

 

16th December 2011
News, Uncategorized
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Plan Ahead: Hug a Runner

Adam Goucher and Tim Catalano are advertising Globally Organized Hug a Runner Day (G.O.H.A.R.D) on their blog. The blog itself offers very clever suggestions for training for this wonderful holiday. They offer tips for using intervals, speed workouts, and cross training activities. What stands out most to me, though, is that G.O.H.A.R.D isn’t until November 20. That is a ten-month training plan! I love being on a training plan and spend most of my year training for one marathon or another, but rare is the race that requires ten months of training. It did key an idea to me, though.

It’s not necessarily that we need a long time to train for our races, but we need to plan our calendar to include the most important events in our lives. It’s always frustrating to hear about an awesome race and realize that you can’t do it because of prior obligations. Now that you have that shiny new running log, go to our events page and pencil in the races you want to do. Get them on your Google Calendar now, so that you can plan around them.

Sometimes we don’t have any control over commitments. Cousin Suzy probably won’t consult you before planning her weekend for the same weekend as The Bix, and good luck getting your wife to induce labor around your marathon schedule’s all-important twenty miler. Having the races on your calendar far in advance will help you make room for your favorite races, though. It can help you remember to ask for those vacation days and hopefully help you avoid baby sitting your annoying cousin Veronica’s colicky baby.

Some races that are on my calendar this year are Town Crier (April 16), Road Ends Five Mile and Half Marathon (April 30), Borgess Run for the Health of It (May 6), Oaklawn Hospitality Classic (May 21),   Flirt with Dirt (June 11), Grandma’s Marathon (June 18), The Legend (August 6), and Fred Meijer White Pines Trail 200 Mile Relay (August 11). Now, I probably won’t be able to do all of these races, but I want to keep them on my calendar so that I can keep the possibility open.

What races are you going to do this year? When do you need to register? When do you need to start training? Plan ahead. Oh yeah, go to Goucher and Catalano’s facebook page to receive training reminders for G.O.H.A.R.D. and don’t forget to click the “I’m Attending” button.

20th January 2011
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Men in Tights?

People constantly ask me if I run outside in the winter. I always tell them that all it takes a good gear to make winter running work. It doesn’t take all that much, either. A couple of good thermal layers, a light shell to block some of the wind, hat, gloves, and a pair of tights. That’s when a lot of the men look at me funny. Most men believe that they’ll only wear tights in public after acquiring some new kind of super power. Even then, they’d probably want a mask like Spider-man.

The Breath Thermo Pant is $70 and suitable for super heroes and regulary guys.

A lot of the running companies figured that out, so now most brands make a running pant that is much looser fitting. It’s still tapered enough to not get in the way of running, but it’s also loose enough to not make men blush. My favorite pant in this category is the Mizuno Breath Thermo Pant.

I run in Mizuno’s running pant almost every day of the winter. I like the cut, and I like the fit. I also love the fabric. The breath Thermo fabric is moisture-wicking like all of my running gear, but it also has a special thread woven inside. This thread reacts to moisture to produce a small amount of heat. It’s not so much heat that it is uncomfortable but just enough heat to give it an advantage over other gear. They are my favorite running pants and would look great under the Christmas tree, too.

18th December 2010
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Protect your Investment

If you’re buying any of these wonderful products for me or your loved ones, it makes sense to help care for them. Runnergirl has be singing the praises of SportWash to everyone ever since she bought her Metropolis jacket. If you’re not familiar with this jacket by The North Face, it is a 600-fill down coat that is long, warm, and beautiful. Runnergirl is in love with it, and she even called The North Face to ask how to care about it. They talked about the need to wash and care for the coat in order to keep it looking and performing well.

SportWash provides a lot of benefit to performance fabrics. It can keep the pores from becoming clogged (traditional detergents clog the pores). This helps the fabric to breathe better and also improves the water resistance.For your outer layer, both of these are vital benefits to enjoying your run.

SportWash also helps your interior layers; it cleans out the oils and sweat. This means that SportWash will help prevent your performance fabrics from stinking at the end of the season. $12! For all that performance? Definitely a bargain! Buy one for all the runners on your list.

14th December 2010
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Looking good, running comfortably

Today’s item for the runners’ wishlists: The Nike Therma Lite Long Sleeve Crew. I love this shirt even if I’m opposed to the silly spelling of “lite.” Most winter days call for a long sleeve base layer and a jacket. Maybe a thermal layer in between on days (like today) featuring an arctic wind. This top can function either as the base layer or the thermal layer. Also nice, it looks sweet. I really like the ribbed texture: I think it makes it look classier than most running shirts. It’s a nice deal at $45, too.

These have been going out of the store pretty quickly, so I wouldn’t wait on it. Saturday, December 18, is the Shopping Jam in Holland. We usually have quite a crowd waiting to get into the store. From 8-9 am, you can take 20% one item (non-Garmin). It drops to 15% at 9:00. The sale ends at 10:00, so set your alarm. Feel free to come in with bed head like the model to the right.

13th December 2010
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Tulip Time Welcome Elite Runner

Well, we’re one month from the Tulip Time 5k. Festival Organizers are predicting a record turn-out for the race this year. In fact, over half of the 15,000 spots have already been filled. I hope you’ve got your registration in. I’m sure it will fill up now that registration for the Chicago Marathon has closed. Adding to the excitement, the race director, Andrew Deumling, announced the elite runner, April Poisson, will be racing. She may even make an attempt on the 5k world record. Poisson recently stirred controversy in the racing scene by while winning gold at the World Cross Country Championships. She stunned the running community by winning the race barefoot. The controversy began when she taunted her shod competitors during the race. Each time she passed an athlete sponsored by Nike, Adidas, Saucony, or Asics, she would point at their shoes and hold her nose. After the finish, she proclaimed that no one wearing the “shoes of the devil” could beat her. She may have cost herself some sponsorship dollars with her antics, but she definitely drew attention to the little-known trend of barefoot running.

The barefoot running science and Ms. Poisson have convinced us. Gazelle Sports recognizes that people’s form is drastically improved and running is significantly safer without shoes. We want to encourage all runners to do all of their running with the feet they grew-up with. We are working with our vendors to transition from specialty shoes to really durable socks. We’ll now fit you with custom socks when you come into the store.

Also, because your safety is our primary concern, we’ll now be selling custom running helmets. Many runners run at dangerous times of the day (the dark morning and dark evening). To protect runners from injury, we’re emphasizing the need for helmets. In fact, they will be required at the Tulip Time 5k. Be safe out there.

1st April 2010
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Community of Athletes

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they’re always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

As I begin my taper for Boston, I thought the old theme to Cheers would be an appropriate way to begin this post. Seriously, though, we do all want to go where “where everybody knows [our] name.” I know I crave to be welcomed and remembered. Humans are built to be social and to build community. How can we build this community?

One way is to recognize each other on the run. I love it when I see other runners and we each give that little nod of recognition. It happens everywhere I run. Runners don’t have to know each other personally; we recognize the drive and desire. If we’re going the same direction, we may share a couple sentences, but it’s not required. The connection between runners is even stronger when the weather is at its worst. Probably because it is a smaller community and, just like a small town, smaller communities offer tighter bonds.

Another way to forge bonds as a running community is to meet up and run with others regularly. Running groups offer advice, encouragement, and motivation. The communion of sweat and gu opens up lines of communication that would never be explored over coffee. One explanation for this is the sheer amount of time groups spend together if they’re training for a marathon. Another possibility is that physical labor breaks down our inhibitions. Or possibly it is a corollary of the video game rule. I read once (maybe in Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) that women communicate face-to-face, and men prefer side-to-side. I saw this was true immediately because my buddies and I always talked more openly while watching sports or playing video games. Now I see that running offers the same dynamic. Could it be that we don’t have to watch for glimmers of judgment while we bare our soul if we’re watching for some crazed SUV driver on the streets? Maybe. I’ve been hungering for a running partner lately and two opportunities have just been introduced. I met with someone who is running his ninth Boston Marathon this spring. He has been running with a few other folks for years and invited me to join them. I’m excited to get out there and meet his group. I also met a fellow runner from just up the Lakeshore. I met this runner on the Runners’ World forums while discussing the Boston Marathon. I hope to do a long run or two with him soon, too.

Another great way to build more community among athletes is to be involved in local races and at the local running store. Running in local races is a great place to meet and talk with fellow runners in the area, but you don’t have to race every Saturday. In fact, you’ll probably meet more runners by volunteering at the local race. You won’t be so focused on yourself, and you’ll be able to talk to people at all different paces. Just like any community, though, you have to participate regularly to be a “regular.” You can also attend great clinics at Gazelle or just hang out and get to know the staff. We love to talk about running and want to get to know runners in the area. Please come in and talk to us even if you’re not shopping for anything in particular. Gazelle should be a meeting place for the running community.

Help build the running community. Get to know your fellow runners. Hang out with them. Mentor a new runner. Train together. Chat with a Gazellian. We may not always know your name (I’m trying to get better at this part), but we’re always glad you came.

Monday: 6 miles

Tuesday: 6 miles

Wednesday: 5 miles a.m./10 miles p.m.

Thursday: 7 miles w/ 5 X 1000 @ 3:40 w/ 400 m recovery

Friday: 6 miles

Saturday: 5 miles

Sunday: 19 @ 7:35/mile

Total for the Week: 64 miles

Total for the Year: 652 miles

31st March 2010
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Barefoot Running Discussion

Hey everyone. I had fun creating this cartoon, but the discussion is happening every where right now. My Marine brother-in-law noticed the barefoot trend, colleagues at my main career are talking about it, it’s in the New York Times. If you haven’t seen someone rocking the Vibram Five-Fingers, then you’re not paying attention. My advice is to get the facts, try it out, but carefully transition. I would think of barefoot running like core workouts. They can improve your health and fitness, but I wouldn’t let them replace ALL of my running.

Barefoot Running Cartoon

Monday: 6
Tuesday: 12
Wednesday: 6 a.m./6 p.m.
Thursday: 8 w/ 8 X 800 (in 3:00-3:05) w/ 400 meter recovery
Friday: 6
Saturday: hilly 20-miler
Sunday: rest

Total for the Week: 64
Total for the Year: 588

25th March 2010
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Thank you

Everyone loves a sense of community. That feeling where you walk into a room and more than just the person you’re meeting up with knows your name, the feeling were people understand and can relate to what is going on in your life, a feeling of acceptance. Runners are such a community that care. Since my last blog, a various FaceBook status updates, countless amounts of people have asked me about my foot and how my running/cross-training is going.

Some examples:
a friend that I used to ride bikes with FB chats me daily and wished me luck on my first run back.
Jenni, a regular at Gazelle and serial Gazoom member saw me while I was working and checked up on the status of my foot and how I was feeling.
My Dad, of course texts and calls me to see how my recovery is going.
A random friend I run with sometimes asked me if I was sure I wanted to go 8 on Friday.
A new friend that doesn’t know me very well continuously asked me all week how I was feeling.
Co-workers, random customers that have read the blog, my Dad’s friends…the list goes on and on.
Runners Ready

It’s hard to get to the point with some people to have this community feeling. Often groups are hard to break into. Here’s a secret: your local running store is a perfect place to start. If you come into the store and are friendly, I may not remember your name right away but I will remember what race you’re training for, what shoe you love and probably the size. So come in and chat with us, we don’t bite! We’re runners too and are always looking to make our community grow in one way or another!

With all this being said, runners are such great people. I get concerned when a fellow runner friend of mine isn’t feeling great. But then I also get SO excited when one calls me, while at work to tell me she just “RAN SIX MILES” for the first time in her life, then comes directly to the store when I got out of work (still in her running clothes) to grab a…errr coffee, to celebrate! I love every second of being a runner because every runner loves every second of it.
So I guess the purpose of this blog is to say THANK YOU. Thank you to all the runners that care, ask, and support. I believe if you give support you will get amazing support back, and that’s what it’s all about—the support from the sidelines of a race is often what gets us through a race. Well, let’s all be cheerleaders for each other along the way and we can go even further.

Happy running. Happy cheering!

23rd March 2010
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Run Safely

I’ve been running a lot at oh-dark-thirty and have noticed a disturbing thing about my fellow runners. There are a lot of folks dedicated (addicted) enough to run at this time, but many of them seem to be living dangerously. I’m not some SUV driving nut who swerves and screams at runners to get on the sidewalk, but runners need to protect themselves. A runner vs. two tons of steel is not a fair fight. Please wear reflective/illuminated gear and run safely.

Saucony Vizi PRO

The most common life endangering activity is running in dark clothing. Companies like Saucony and Brooks have been creating wonderfully bright running gear. Check out the Saucony ViZi-PRO. Not only is it obnoxiously orange, but it also has a blinking LED light on the sleeve. Every morning I run by people wearing the ubiquitous black running tights and a dark jacket. Often, I don’t see them until they are within 30 feet. Do you know how long it takes a car to travel 30 feet? If you don’t want to totally update your wardrobe, at least add couple of lights to your clothing. Gazelle sells plenty of options for lights, headlamps, and reflective bands: BE SEEN.

Now, dressing like a ninja would be okay if everyone was on the sidewalk, but hard core runners at 5:30 a.m. don’t like the sidewalk. They’re in the street. Not only are they in the street, but they are two or three abreast in the street. Often they’re on the wrong side of the street (runners/pedestrians should ALWAYS  face traffic). Now, I know, sometimes there isn’t a sidewalk. Even if there is a sidewalk, concrete is a lot tougher on the legs and can contribute to stress fractures. I’m pretty sure that a giant pile of metal driving 45 m.p.h. will cause more than a stress fracture, though. If you must run on the road, have the decency to run single file on the left-hand shoulder.

An even better idea would be to find a traffic-free zone. I’ve seen a lot of runners lately at Windmill Island in Holland, MI. As I ran there yesterday afternoon, I realized that this is Holland’s version of Central Park. Once you get onto the island, there is a paved path that is somewhere around half a mile. No cars. Do as many laps as you want wearing your black, non-reflective running gear while listening to your Ipod.

Whatever you do, please be safe out there. Be reflective. Alertly run on the left-hand shoulder. Don’t assume drivers see you. Don’t stake your legal claim to the road because a half-awake driver may not see you. They may not know the law or they may not care. Every runner is an ambassador for the sport. If we’re antagonizing drivers and endangering our lives, we’re not representing the sport we love very well.

Monday: 9 @ race pace or faster
Tuesday: 6
Wednesday: 6
Thursday: 6
Friday: 6
Saturday:18
Sunday: rest

Totals for the Week: 51
Totals for the Year: 524

Mark Remy brought up several similar points in his blog on runnersworld.com (Remy, Mark. “RW Daily.” Runnersworld.com. 8 Jan 2009. Web. 18 March 2010)

18th March 2010
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