low-res version - SportsOneSource.com

NOV 2010 Volume 5 | Issue 11
BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY...
“TRIATHLON
AMERICA”
www.sofsole.com | (800) 446.7587
The NEW Sof Sole® Airr ® Performance Insole
The first performance insole to incorporate air chamber technology in the heel and arch.
“Outdoor Retailer offers an unparalleled opportunity to meet
with the movers and shakers within our industry, and to find
new and exciting products to offer to our customers.”
– Doug Davis, River City Canoe & Kayak
(New retailer & 1st time attendee - Summer Market 2009)
201 1
201 1
JANUARY 20-23, 2011
Salt Palace Convention Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
AUGUST 4-7, 2011
Salt Palace Convention Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
All Mountain Demo
JANUARY 19, 2011
Wasatch Range, Utah, USA
Open Air Demo
AUGUST 3, 2011
Wasatch Range, Utah, USA
VISIT OUTDOORRETAILER.COM OR CALL 949/226-5722 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
NOV 2010 Volume 5 | Issue 11
Group Publisher / Editor–in–Chief
James Hartford
[email protected]
Editorial Director
Michael Pallerino (678-457-0691)
[email protected]
Senior Business Editor
Thomas J. Ryan (917-375-4699)
[email protected]
Associate Editor
Kyle Conrad (704-987-3450 x111)
[email protected]
Contributing Editor
Mackenzie Lobby
[email protected]
Creative Director
Teresa Hartford
Graphic Designer
Camila Amortegui
VP Business Development
Bill Bratton (409-392-5029)
[email protected]
VP Business Development
Barry Gauthier (774-553-5312)
[email protected]
Business Development Manager
Katie O’Donohue (704-987-3450 x110)
[email protected]
Senior Ad Sales Manager
Susan Tauster (630-858-1558)
[email protected]
FEATURE
Circulation & Subscriptions
[email protected]
Technology
Chief Information Officer, Mark Fine
VP Research & Development, Gerry Axelrod
Manager Database Operations, Cathy Badalamenti
SportsOneSource Publications
SGB
TEAM Business
Sportsman’s Business
The B.O.S.S. Report
Sports Executive Weekly
SGB Update
page
8
NEWS
4 ASICS America Sees Surging Sales And Profit Gains In Fiscal Q2
RIDING THE TIDE Saucony Tops $250 Million In Revenue Citing
Four-Point Growth Plan
DOWNLOAD THIS New Iphone App Enables Runners To Simulate
Their Favorite Courses On The Treadmill
THEY SAID IT
THE NUMBERS GAME
Footwear Business Update
PSR Update
Sportsman’s Business Update
Team Business Update
SGB Weekly
Team Business Weekly
Sportsman’s Busness Weekly
Footwear Business Weekly
Outdoor Business Weekly
FEATURES
8
12
“TRIATHLON AMERICA” Building A Strong Community And
Positive Image Fuels Growth
RUNNING INTO 2011 The Latest And Greatest In Cross Country
Footwear For Training and Racing
I AM PSR
14 PAUL CAROZZA Owner of Run-Tex in Austin, Texas
Cover photo courtesy of Ironman
SportsOneSource, LLC
2151 Hawkins Street • Suite 200 • Charlotte • NC • 28203
t. 704-987-3450 • f. 704-987-3455
www.sportsonesource.com
Copyright 2010 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers & contributors to
PERFORMANCE SPORTS RETAILER (PSR) are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. PSR is not responsible for
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in PSR may not be reproduced in whole or in part without
the express permission of the publisher.
PERFORMANCE SPORTS RETAILER, Volume 5, Issue 11, is published monthly by SportsOneSource, LLC, 2151 Hawkins Street,
Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704-987-3450. Subscription: one year, $99.00 (U.S. funds) in the U.S. and its possessions; Canada and Mexico,
$149.00 (U.S. funds); all other foreign delivery, $249.00 (U.S. funds); Printed in USA. Postage paid at Charlotte, NC and additional locations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PERFORMANCE SPORTS RETAILER, 2151 HAWKINS STREET, SUITE 200, CHARLOTTE, NC 28203; 704-987-3450.
ASICS AMERICA
SEES SURGING
SALES AND PROFIT
GAINS IN FISCAL Q2
running new york
releases more than just sweat
Asics Corp. reported robust gains in earnings in the fiscal second
quarter ended September 30 but results still fell short of prior forecasts
due to lower-than-expected sales in Japan as well as changes in foreign
exchange rates.
Net income for the Japanese footwear giant climbed 40.3 percent
to ¥2.07 billion ($24 mm) from ¥1.47 billion in Q2 last year. Operating
income was up 4.5 percent to ¥4.39 billion ($51 mm) from ¥4.20 billion
in the year-ago period. Overall global revenues rose 2.0 percent to
¥56.99 billion ($664 million) from ¥55.86 billion a year ago.
Revenues in the domestic Japan business were up 2.1 percent to
¥28.49 billion ($332 mm) versus ¥27.91 billion ($298 mm) in the year-ago
quarter. Operating income in the region was down 4.6 percent to
¥545 million ($8 mm).
The Americas posted a 15.1 percent sales increase to ¥16.90 billion
($197 mm) from ¥14.68 billion ($157 mm) in the year-ago period.
Operating profits in the region surged 25.1 percent to ¥1.32 billion
($15 mm) versus ¥1.05 billion ($11 mm) in fiscal Q2 last year. In U.S.
dollar terms, revenues in the Americas region jumped 26 percent for the
period and operating income increased 36 percent for the quarter.
In Europe, revenues declined 8.3 percent to ¥12.19 billion ($142 mm)
and operating income slipped 7.5 percent to ¥1.49 billion ($17 mm).
Asia Pacific revenues jumped 17.9 percent to ¥6.04 billion ($70 mm) and
operating profit surged 47.0 percent to ¥1.04 billion ($12 mm).
In a statement concerning the six-month year-to-date period, Asics and special appearances by Asics Olympic Marathoners Ryan Hall and
officials said the global economy “recovered at a moderate pace, but Deena Kastor. The campaign’s tagline: “Running New York Releases
conditions remained difficult amid persistently high unemployment More Than Just Sweat.” The ad featires a visual of a runner releasing
rates and concerns that economies such as those of Europe and North negative words and “sweating” them off.
Asics also noted that it acquired 100 percent of the shares of the
America could take a turn for the worse.’
Swedish
outdoor products company Haglöfs Holding AB as well as the
Although the Japanese economy also picked up, owing to a
recovery in corporate earnings and a pickup in capital investment, sales rep company Agence Québec Plus Ltée in Canada, making these
difficult conditions continued due to deflation, the strengthening yen companies consolidated subsidiaries. Asics also noted it is opening
Onitsuka Tiger Madrid as a flagship store in Spain.
and other factors.
Looking ahead, Asics sees revenues reaching ¥237 billion in the year
On the positive side,Asics noted that although sporting goods industry
conditions “remained challenging,” interest in sports remained at a “high ended March 31, 2011, representing a gain of 5.6 percent versus the prior
fiscal year. Operating earnings are expected to climb 16.6 percent to
level” due to increasing awareness of health consciousness.
“Under these conditions, the Asics Group took actions on a global ¥20.5 billion while net income is forecast to climb 20.1 percent to ¥10.0
scale to continue reinforcing and expanding its core running business,” billion. Compared to the forecast provided when releasing fiscal first
Asics said. This included steps to raise the visibility of the corporate quarter results on Aug. 4, sales were adjusted slightly higher versus
image and reinforce the Asics brand by supporting the Gold Coast ¥231 billion forecast previously, the operating income forecast was the
Airport Marathon as an official sponsor and supporting the Stockholm same at ¥20.5 billion, and net income was adjusted downward from
¥11.5 billion.
Marathon as title sponsor.
For example, at the 2010 ING New York City Marathon, which they also
sponsor, the company launched a new print and outdoor ad campaignam-Advertisement above: Asics’ “Running New York” campaign around the New York
Photo
courtesy
of featured out-of-home placement at Time Warner Center, Times
City
Marathon
with interactive personalized billboards, exclusive Marathon productsTimex
Square, Union Square, Macy’s Herald Square, taxi tops and double-decker buses.
Proud sPonsor of the ing new York citY marathon
4 PSR | performancesportsretailer.com
Asics’ new ad campaign’s tagline
“Running New York releases more than
sweat”, featuring a runner releasing
negative words and “sweating” them off.
Proud sPonsor of the ing new York citY marathon
Woodworth cited four priorities for driving Saucony’s growth:
Olympic Sprinter Lauryn
Williams with Saucony’s
president Richie Woodworth
RIDING
THE TIDE
Saucony Tops $250 Million In Revenue,
Cites Four-POINT Plan For Growth
Saucony has seen its sales grow from $168 million in 2008,
to $192 million in 2009 and $227 million in the past 12 months –
representing a CAGR of 22.5 percent. Including children’s sales, its
sales reached $257 million over the past 12 months, according to a
report given during its annual investor meeting by parent company
Collective Brands in late October.
During the meeting, Saucony president Richie Woodworth said the
running brand has seen growth across channels and is evolving into
a performance lifestyle brand dedicated to runners and performance
athletes. “We’re going to continue to go after balanced growth. We’re
going to continue to look to drive specialty. We’re going to continue
to look to drive sporting goods. And that’s going to be critical for us
in terms of our long-term success, because the halo of that helps ride
the tide around other distribution channels.”
6 PSR | performancesportsretailer.com
• Balanced growth across multiple distribution channels broadening its accessible consumer base
• Strengthening core franchise footwear models while expanding into new categories
• Expand apparel through product innovation and collection approach
• Elevating the brand through enhanced imagery and sports marketing
Woodworth said the brand has benefited from growth in its core franchise models: the Ride and Guide series, as well as the Hurricane
and Triumph series. At the same time, it is having success tapping
growth in categories such as trail running and minimalism/natural. He mentioned the winning launch of its Kinvara model, which
has earned numerous review awards for “best debut” in magazines
across the world.
“We have become leaders, really, in this minimalism and natural
movement category.” Woodworth said. “[It’s a] new trend, but we
think it has a lot of sticking and a lot of staying power.”
Apparel also remains a sizeable opportunity. Woodworth said
Saucony has grown to become the No. 4 apparel brand in run specialty after entering the channel with apparel two years ago. Plans
call for extending its ViziPRO nighttime-lighting concept across
multiple products as well as growing its AMP PRO2 compression
apparel collection.
The marketing factor
On the marketing side, Saucony’s increased marketing spend has
enabled it to ink endorsement deals with the Seattle Marathon and
Brighton Marathon in England. Endorsement contracts also have
been reached – for the first time – with sprinters Wallace Spearmon,
Lauryn Williams and Dee Dee Trotter. This helps Saucony reach the
“scholastic athlete, said Woodworth, pointing out that track &
field/cross country is the No.2 participation sport in the country in
girls and third in boys.
With the brand traditionally “very focused on running,” sprinter
endorsements are expected to help the company reach athletes
whose cross-training in multiple sports and help increase the brand’s
appeal in the sporting goods channel. He also expects that some
of Saucony’s endorsers will win medals at the London Olympics in
2012. “We need to continue to elevate and raise our brand awareness
in ways that we haven’t done before and we’ve started to do that
across every touch point,” Woodworth said.
Internationally, Saucony’s sales are expected to grow from 30 percent
of the brand’s sales currently to 32 percent by 2013. Said Woodworth: “We
have got a compelling story and we’ve got great balance in terms of how
we’re going to market and we expect that that will continue.”
THEY SAID IT
“Sustainability concerns all of our
actions. We started experimenting
with cork, and developed a unique
cork blend that both enhances
the material properties of our
products, and reduces the amount
of petroleum-based products that
would normally be used.”
–Product director Rob Nathan on Sole’s partnership with
ReCORK, in which the footbed manufacturer is designing a
line of products from recycled wine cork
“Our initiative to double the federal
investment in walking and bicycling
projects in three years is both bold
and essential to creating more
livable communities.”
DOWNLOAD THIS
New iPhone app enables runners to
simulate favorite courses on treadmill
After a friend challenged him to a race, Brett Galbraith tried to
retrace the course he’d run 20 years ago in his head. After his
friend beat him (by 5 seconds) the iFit Technologies CEO went to
work. The result: the Fun Run Trainer (FRT), an iPhone/iPod Touch
application featuring more than 200 running events, streets and
other famous locations.
From New York, to Boston, to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, and
beyond, the FRT enables you to watch a moving Google Earth
satellite video map of the route of your choice on your iPhone, iPad
or iPad Touch, as you virtually run or walk through the course on the
treadmill of your choice. Simply select the event or location, set your
desired speed and go. The app even tells you when to adjust your
treadmill’s incline to account for hills, while a little blue dot on the
map shows you where you are on the course.
You can also integrate the Fun Trainer with iTunes, so you can
listen to your favorite playlist while you train. The FRT lists for
$4.99 on iTunes.
– League of American Bicyclists president Andy Clarke on the
three-year campaign to double federal funding for bicycling
and walking by 2013 with partners SRAM, which makes
bicycle components, and the Alliance for Biking & Walking
THE
NUMBERS
GAME
69
55
28
The average selling
price of a pair of
Running shoes in
October
The percentage
dollar share Nike
owned in Running
Footwear for
October
The average selling
price of an article
of Running Apparel in
October
IRONMAN
PARTICIPATION HITS THE BIG TIME
By Michael Pallerino
Photo courtesy of Ironman
Photo courtesy of Ironman
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles that will explore
the triathlon market, including how manufacturers, retailers and
event organizers are taking advantage of this growing and evolving
consumer base.
Jack Caress remembers the “old days” of the triathlon movement.
As he tells the story, you actually had to spell the word “triathlon”
for people.
How times have changed. Today, the sport continues to attract
scores of enthusiasts looking to fuel their competitive fires in the
spirit of running, biking and swimming. Nobody knows this better
than Caress, who has spent the past 30 years participating, conceptualizing and running multi-sport events, mostly through Pacific Sports,
the company he founded and serves as president. Caress has even
competed in more than 400 participant sporting events, including the
famed Ironman World Triathlon Championship in Kona (four times).
Most recently, Caress helped form Triathlon America, a coalition of
business leaders dedicated to increasing and retaining advocates to
the sport. Amid the continued growth and interest in the sport, Caress
saw the need to leverage the knowledge, talent and resources of
industry leaders for the mother of triathlon causes – growing the sport.
The membership organization will advocate for the interests of
triathlon businesses, provide educational and informative programs,
and encourage increased participation in the sport. Founding board
members include representatives from Pacific Sports, Washington
Sports and Event Management; The Active Network; Tri-California
Events; Competitor Group; TYR Sport; Switch.com; Revolution3;
Orbea USA; Champion System; IMG; VO2 Partners; Sports Multiplied;
Ironman; and Life Time Fitness.
“Building a stronger community and advocating a positive image
for the sport will be a large part of our vision for the future,” says
Caress, who also serves as president of Triathlon America.
The timing couldn’t be better. A recent survey conducted
in September by The Active Network, which operates online
sports registration and related sites, revealed that more than
90 percent of individuals who consider themselves “triathletes”
plan to participate in a 2011 event. In fact, 32 percent of the
1,560 respondents say they will participate in more than five. The
respondents were recruited exclusively from its Active Lifestyle
Panel. Each respondent either participated in a triathlon (any
distance) in the past three years or planned to participate in one
this year.
performancesportsretailer.com | PSR 9
THREE THINGS EVERY
RETAILER SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT
TRIATHLONS
1. Triathletes are less impressed by
traditions and traditional industrial
hegemonies. They are as likely to
buy a Newton as they are a Nike.
2. Triathletes tend to be professionals
in their business lives. Attorneys are
No. 1. Doctors are not far behind. The
majority tend to be business owners.
3. While they are confident in their
professional lives, they often
consider themselves outsiders
when entering a bike or run store,
and they enter a store sensitive to
that. It is best to greet a triathlete
when he enters the store and make
him feel welcome. He won’t mind
waiting for service, but he might not
like feeling ignored.
Source: Dan Empfield of Slowtwitch.com
and founding board member of Triathlon
America
10 PSR | performancesportsretailer.com
“When you keep seeing stories about
triathlons in publications such as the
New York Times and Wall Street Journal,
you know you’ve hit the big time,” Caress says
of the recent press the sport has garnered of late.
A lifestlye choice
Ask any triathlete and he will say that the
sport speaks to his soul. And when body,
mind and soul make that connection, you
make that lifestyle choice. Caress says
that connection is fueling the sport’s
popularity. “Whether you participate in
a triathlon once a year or run a couple
of 5Ks every year, this is who you are,”
he says. “Triathletes dress and live the
part. You can see this at more and more
events.”
According to the Active Network survey,
when asked what motivated them to participate in a triathlon, the highest response from
participants was: “The personal challenge”
(92.8 percent of those participated in a half
Ironman). The other responses include: “To
get or stay in shape” (78.8 percent); “Enjoy
the training journey” (74.9 percent); “Enjoy
living the triathlon lifestyle” (70.0 percent); “I
like how I look and feel” (56.0 percent);
and “The emotional” or “spiritual experience” (50.8 percent).
“Having witnessed over 200,000 individuals
cross the finish line at Ironman events
around the world, the sport of triathlon is
not just about the physical transformation,
but an emotional journey” says Mike Reilly,
a vice president at the Active Network and
the voice of Ironman. “For many participants,
finishing any triathlon represents a huge
lifetime milestone.”
Dan Empfield, publisher of Slowtwitch.
com, an online site dedicated to all things
triathlon, and a founding board member
of Triathlon America, says the sport is
becoming more mainstream. “In every social
movement there are explorers, colonizers
and homesteaders,” he says. “Triathlon is at
the homesteading stage. In the early days of
triathlon, the transition area bike rack was
a tree against where you leaned your bike.
The changing tent was behind the same
tree. Today’s triathletes require a bit more
civilization. Triathlon is just intrepid enough
to excite today’s newcomers.”
Some of the credit is due to the increasing number of triathlons, which are well
organized, well funded and feature strong
brands [think Ironman]. When a triathlon
comes to town, participants recognize the
level of professionalism. And the events are
converting people.
A CLOSER LOOK AT ACTIVE
NETWORK’S TRIATHLON
SURVEY
In September, Active Network’s Active
Lifestyle Panel conducted a survey on
triathlon participation. The survey was
conducted with respondents who either
participated in a triathlon (any distance) in the
past three years or planned to participate in
one this year. Active Network operates the
online-community website, active.com.
The following are some of the results.
IRONMAN PARTICIPANTS
• 95 percent have completed an Ironman in
a U.S. location (including Kona), with the most
popular location being Coeur d’Alene, ID,
almost 18 percent
• 21 percent have completed an Ironman in a
foreign location with the most popular location
being British Columbia, Canada, at 14 percent
• 7 percent have qualified for the World
Championship (in Kona) in the past three years
HALF IRONMAN PARTICIPANTS
Photos courtesy of Ironman
It’s fair to say that the triathlon is built for
21st century man. According to the Active
study, the No. 1 motivator for competing in a
triathlon was to accomplish a “personal challenge,” followed by “staying in shape” and
“enjoying the training journey,” regardless of
the race’s distance. Not surprising, a closer
look into demographics shows that out of endurance sports, triathletes represent some of
the most affluent, educated and most professional individuals.
The survey says the average age
of triathletes is 40, with close to half
earning an annual income of more than
$100,000. Education levels also are high,
with 40 percent college graduates and
more than 40 percent holding a post
graduate degree. Eighty-six percent also
are employed full-time or self-employed.
Regardless of their income levels,
triathletes spent an average of $2,135 in
2010 on gear alone to support their event
participation and training (excluding
travel or event entry fees).
“What every retailer should know is
that triathletes know what they want
– and they are not afraid to pay for it,”
Caress says. “They want the newest and
best running shoes and bikes. They want
them, and they want them now.”
The Female Factor
While triathletes skew heavily toward
male participants, more women are entering
the sport. According to the Active survey, of
those who participated in a half Ironman,
70.4 percent were male and 29.6 were
female. For those participating in a full
Ironman, 61.7 percent were male and 38.3 percent
were female. And for those who have not
participated, but plan to, 52.2 percent were
female and 47.8 percent were male.
“Fifteen-years ago, maybe 10 percent of
the participants were women,” Caress says.
“But those numbers are changing. The influx
of women participants is helping change the
game. You can see it in the way the events
are being run. It changes sponsorship opportunities – everything.”
Changes + progress = opportunities. “We
continue to see an increase in demand for
Ironman and 70.3 percent events globally,”
says Jessica Weidensall, spokesperson
from World Triathlon Corporation. “Each
year, more than 160,000 athletes attempt
to earn coveted slots to the Ford Ironman
World Championship and Foster Grant
Ironman World Championship. We expect
to see even more growth across all brands
as we offer new, exciting opportunities in
the sport.” ■
• 92 percent have completed a Half Ironman
in a U.S. location (including Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands) with the most popular
location being Gilford, NH, with 6.4 percent
• 9 percent have completed a Half Ironman
in a foreign location, with the most popular
foreign location being Ontario, Canada,
5 percent.
• 9 percent have qualified for the World
Championship (in Clearwater, FL) in the past
three years.
OTHER FINDINGS
• Of those who participated in a half Ironman,
67.4 percent said they typically train alone;
50.2 percent said they train with one or two
other triathletes; 31.2 percent said they train
with a triathlete group/club; and only
8.1 percent trained with a personal trainer
• 50 percent of triathletes surveyed train for
10-15 hours a week, with 33 percent indicating
they train for three to four months leading up to
an event; approximately 28 percent train for
nine months or more
• Regarding age groups, the biggest group
participating in a half Ironman was between
35 to 44, representing 41.6 percent of survey
respondents; the second was 45 to 54,
representing 30.5 percent; ages 25 to 34,
represented 15.9 percent; and ages 55 to 64,
represented 9.7 percent
performancesportsretailer.com | PSR 11
RUNNING
INTO 2011
THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN CROSS COUNTRY
FOOTWEAR FOR TRAINING AND RACING
By Mackenzie Lobby
As temperatures cool and competition heats up on cross country
courses across the United States, running footwear developers and
designers are hard at work conceptualizing and creating the latest
and greatest in cross country racing and training shoes. The market
always has something new to offer.
From more efficient ventilation, to better traction, to less weight, and
improved support, the newest cross country spikes and training shoes
continue to set up athletes for success. Debuting some of the advances in
the cross country market, 2011 is sure to be a good year.
Staying Cool: Moisture and Temperature Control
Cross country runners must weather the many storms of the
summer and fall seasons. As a result, shoe companies are pushing to
improve moisture and temperature control in their footwear while
also maintaining durability. “In cross country footwear, the upper is
constructed of more substantial material that can withstand the rigors
of racing through mud, grass, rocks, gravel, tree roots, and all the other
wonderful things found on a cross country course.” says Ian Connor, sales
and marketing director for The Running Store in Gainesville, VA. Adidas emphasizes the importance of moisture and temperature
regulation by using a Climacool upper in most of its training and racing
footwear, making the shoes 100 percent breathable. The lightweight
trainer Adizero Aegis 2, utilizes a wide-open mesh on the lateral side and
a ripstop nylon on the medial side for both ventilation and support. New
Balance uses a double layer mesh on its training shoes and a thinner
single layer on its cross country spikes. “The mesh is going to bend and
move moisture,” says Claire Wood, product manager at New Balance.
Borrowed from its performance apparel line, Saucony is making use
of a Hydrator collar lining in its technical running shoes. “The collar
provides next-to-skin comfort and helps move moisture away from the
foot,” says Emily Carano, product line manager.
Get a Grip: Traction
The grassy, rocky and muddy terrain negotiated by cross country
runners calls for superior traction in racing footwear. That’s why Kristen
Nicolini Lehmkuhle, a professional runner and general manager of
Marathon Sports, a running specialty store in Minneapolis, emphasizes
the importance of enhanced footing in the sport. “Spikes are a must. You
can plan accordingly for any kind of weather with various lengths of
removable spikes,” she says.
New Balance’s current cross country spikes, the RX507, offers an
aggressive cross spike with great traction. In addition to the actual
spikes, the lug pattern on the outsole of the forefoot allows for a sturdy
grip. The company credits its Ndurance rubber compound for maximum
outsole traction. “That layer of rubber throughout the lug design creates
the grip you’ll need on a muddy course,” Wood says.
Photo courtesy of Adidas
12 PSR | performancesportsretailer.com
Mizuno also uses a special rubber, called the G3 outsole, on its
spikes and several training shoes, including the lightweight Wave
Elixir 6. “The G3 outsole is both lightweight and provides good grip,”
says Rod Foley, director of marketing.
Training
Asics GEL-Speedstar 5
(Available January 2011)
MSRP $90
Better Load: Lightweight Footwear
The biggest buzz on the running scene this year has been all about
weight, or rather, the lack thereof. The Running Store’s Connor says a
lighter shoe will increase your stride length and allow you to cover
more distance with less effort. “While flats and spikes aren’t miracle
workers, they will undoubtedly give you an edge that you didn’t have
with your training shoes,” he adds.
Jon Teipen, footwear product line manager at Brooks, says a lot of
the shoes on the market “tend to be overbuilt with extra material and
pieces that aren’t needed and add superfluous weight.” Weighing in
at just 6.5 ounces, the Brooks Mach 12 spikes are certainly one of the
slimmer cross country spikes on the market.
As they jumped on the lightweight bandwagon, both Mizuno and
Asics overhauled their 2011 lines of cross country spikes. Summer
2011 will feature Mizuno’s Kizuna cross country spike, which is said to
be a major upgrade to its current Kaze line. “We have reinvented our
offering in cross country. We revamped the entire midsole and forefoot
outsole to make it much lighter,” Foley says.
Terry Schalow, manager of performance running and track and
field at Asics, offers similar lightweight sentiments. “We’re building
our shoes to be lighter weight by taking off unnecessary design elements,” he says.
To do this, Asics researched the possibility of removing all synthetic
materials from the shoe. What resulted was “Flexion Fit,” to be featured in
the 2011 cross country spikes, the Dirt Dog 4 and Dirt Diva 4, as well as the
GEL Speedstar 5, a lightweight neutral training shoe. Shedding all synthetic overlays, the upper mesh is coated in a polyurethane that’s completely perforated, but also durable, flexible, and of course, feather light.
Adidas Adizero Aegis 2 (Available February 2011)
MSRP $120
Mizuno Wave Elixer 6 (Available January 2011)
MSRP $110
Stable Ride: Upper Control
“The uppers in training and racing shoes have changed a lot over
the years,” says Marathon Sports’ Lehmkuhle. “In some cases now, an
extra overlay is added to create an arch lock for added support.” It is
this trend that has allowed companies to rely on both the upper and
the midsole to provide an all-encompassing stability for runners.
Adidas has begun to employ ripstop nylon, the same material used
to make tents and hot air balloons, to provide support on the medial
side of their Adizero Aegis 2. “The ripstop nylon on the medial side
wraps around the side of the foot to support it better,” says Chris
Brewer, adidas’ manager for running specialty.
Asics’ asymmetrical lacing, to debut on the 2011 cross spikes,
meets the same goal by following the natural shape of the foot. By
locking the foot into the shoe, preventing it from shifting while negotiating sharp turns or running fast speeds, the shoe insures superior fit
and support.
Brooks’ “arch straps” give a locked-in feel to keep the foot from
moving around in the shoe while racing. Utilizing a similar method,
Saucony builds in a Stability Arch-Lock system in several of their
shoes, such as the ProGrid Hurricane. “The upper construction definitely comes into play when designing a stability or motion control
shoe,” explains Carano. With the help of the arch-lock, the shoe provides a snug midfoot fit while simultaneously holding the foot securely
over the platform.
As this technology evolves, the footwear will continue to improve, along with the runners that wear the shoes. As we enter
2011, cross country runners will be out negotiating the mud, rocks,
rain, heat, and snow of courses across the nation, as they test out
the best of what the industry has to offer.
Racing​
New Balance LD1000
(Available January 2011)
MSRP $90 Brooks Mach 12
Spikeless (Currently Available)
MSRP $60
performancesportsretailer.com | PSR 13
I AM PSR
Were you a big runner growing up? I have had a long love/hate relationship with
running. Being an athletic kid with lots of speed and asthma, I have spent my whole life
trying to push my limits and extend my speed into endurance with the “no limits” attitude
on beating asthma.
Proudest athletic moment? All-American at 1500 Meters NCAA II, National
Championship Team at Abilene Christian University. National Championship at USATF
Championships in Eugene, OR – 1:59.7 off a 62.7 second first lap. My proudest long-term
moment was breaking 2 minutes in the 800 meters from the age of 17 to 45.
First job? Stock boy at a health food store
What did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor
First job after college? I majored in biology. I worked at health clubs, coached and
sold shoes out of my trunk.
What drove you to open RunTex in 1988? It was an extension of my passion – the
competitive runners’ lifestyle, events, gear and coaching/team.
Who were your mentors? My parents. My wife, Sheila. Customers. Michael Dell.
Business leaders in Austin and Mayors. They all taught me that relationships are the core
of business and serving.
What’s great about operating a running store? Running is the great equalizer.
Slow, fast, young, old – it’s about enduring to the finish. That creates mutual respect. But a
major influence in my career was spending so much time building custom running shoes
and adapting current ones to understand how to truly fit people properly. The right shoe is
a must. There are so many choices, but no real societal knowledge about proper fit.
What’s different about running a store in Texas? You have to deal with extreme
PAUL CARROZZA
Owner, RunTex, Austin, TX
When it comes to running, few can match the
contributions of Paul Carrozza and his wife,
Sheila. The couple founded RunTex in 1988,
building it into one of the country’s largest stores
devoted exclusively to running. Along the way,
they created RunTex University and the RunTex
Events. The 120-plus RunTex events raise more
than $5 million annually for local charities. Paul,
who serves as footwear editor for Runners World
Magazine, also co-founded and sponsors the
RunTex Marathon Kids Program, which has taught
more than 100,000 children the joys of running. He
also is co-chair for the Governor’s Fitness Council,
serves on the Board for the Texas Department of
Aging and the Greater Austin Sports Association,
and sits on the board for Shoes for America, the
Austin Parks Foundation and The Star of Texas
Rodeo. PSR caught up with him to see what keeps
him going.
14 PSR | performancesportsretailer.com
weather, but people are friendly by nature and inclusive.
Having asthma and being exposed to a bad
combustion system left me dealing with chemical allergies. Proper nutrition, organic
foods and supplements have allowed me to overcome the effects. Also, my Dad was in
education and my Mom was an RN and advocate of organics, etc. All that left me wanting
to educate people on how to live a healthy life.
What made you a fitness nut?
What inspired RunTex University? I wanted to take the methodology of training
for an event, with a coach on a team with proper gear, to the workplace. It’s been really
successful. We want to be companies’ PE and athletic departments.
RunTex orchestrates numerous runs in central Texas. Was there an
epiphany when you decided to dedicate your career to health awareness?
I could see how people’s lives changed when they starting coming to our workouts, and
that the same methodology we used to get really fast worked on beginners. They would
lose weight, get fit, get fast, get happy, get productive, become evangelists and bring their
friends. Their cholesterol would drop and depression would go away.
Favorite hobby? Being with my family
Favorite activity? Stand-up paddling; watching my kids compete in swimming
If money wasn’t a concern, what would you be doing? Running, coaching,
putting on events, getting people in the right shoe – all in a collaboration, but at no charge.
eccousa.com
TRAINER
If you believe, as we do, that form should follow function, then you
will appreciate this shoe. Developed on the principles of natural
motion, BIOM TRAINER increases the benefits of all forms of training.
Whether the wearer is running, working out, or simply doing errands,
ECCO’s
breakthrough
BIOM
shoes support
the foot’s
natural
ECCO
natural
motion helps
strengthen
the muscles
of the
feet motion
paths.
taking
advantage
of the outstanding
foot’s natural
systems,
BIOM
and
lowerBy
legs
— allfull
the
while delivering
comfort
and
increases performance, enhances comfort and helps strengthen
performance.
the muscles of the feet and lower legs. After the acclaimed
introductions of BIOM Run and BIOM Walk, we are excited to
CONTACT:
DANA
SAWYER
@ 317.578.4192
ORshoe
[email protected]
launch BIOM
Train,
the first
natural motion
for multi-use
training and daily casual wear.
SS11BIOM_TRAIN_SGB.indd 1
9/1/2010 11:09:54 AM
The ground breaking Aetrex Edge Runners offer
extraordinary performance and comfort. The
exclusive adjustable Lockdown™ Heel Strap
provides customized stability and fit and allows
you to set the rearfoot control to your particular
needs. The state-of-the-art Cobra™ Support Pod
and Heel Cradle Midsole ensure the support and
stability needed for long runs.
aetrex.com/edge