BIG NEWS!!!

Big news! Fleet Feet Sports Winston-Salem was awarded the National Brand Builder award the Fleet Feet Sports National Conference in San Diego this week. Keith and Emily accepted the award on Thursday night. This award is given to the franchise that drives the Fleet Feet Sports brand throughout all areas of the business and community and supports the brand and brand initiatives throughout every area of their business. The award was presented in front of an audience of 350 including 90 franchises and key staff, and senior executives from over 40 different vendors including Nike, Brooks, Asics, and New Balance. We were one of three award winners that night (the other 2 were different awards). Way to go Fleet Feet Sports!!! Couldn't have done it without you!!!

How to Survive a Boring Swim!

There you are, standing by the edge of the pool and thinking, “Now how many laps do I need to swim?” That feeling of dread overcomes you and for a moment you think about turning around! But like the true athlete you are, you jump in and start the process. Here’s a few things we’ve heard that keep you in the pool for the full swim!

Train with a partner. Not only will this keep boredom away but it will also make you stay in the pool the required distance and not complaining about your goggles and getting out of the pool halfway through your swim.

Join a Master Swim Program. This is a great way to perfect your stroke and learn new tips and techniques about swimming. It will also bring out that competitive streak in you as you watch the other members of the program get faster or swim better than you! Plus this will bring you into the world of swimming and help you make new friends at the pool.

Think about swimming equipment. Buoys, fins and tubes are great ways to work the upper body while kickboards keep the legs in motion and give you plenty of time to talk with your swimming partner as they keep your head above water. A great way to break up the monotony of the water.

Remember that swimming is like any other sport, swimming laps is just like running laps at the track-it’s all in how you set your mind before you jump in the pool! Fleet Feet Sports has all the swimming equipment you need to keep those workouts from becoming boring. Stop by for a swim workout overhaul! How do you survive a boring swim?

Knowing when to stop!

As people we know exactly what that sentence, but sometimes as athletes it’s so difficult to listen to that sentence and do it! Your body is the most amazing miracle and has its ways of telling you when something is wrong. Here’s a few insights:

• Everyone is used to the usual stiffness, soreness and tightness as you start your exercise routine. These symptoms should subside after about 10 minutes of exercise. Listen to your body if sharp pain or severe tightness persists during the work as this could be a sign of serious injury.


• If you experience this pain during your workout decrease the intensity, decrease the distance and stretch mid workout. If the pain is gone is 24 hours continue on with your workout schedule.


• If the pain persists, rest and ice the area for 48 hours. If the pain is still there at rest then refrain from running and try some other pain free cross train for a few days.


• If the pain still doesn’t go away and is present during rest, it’s a good idea to seek the help of a medical physician.


• If the injury was a running injury consider cycling more if a triathlete to keep fitness level up without the stress on the feet, vice versa if the injury is a cycling injury-decrease the cycling days and add in more swimming or running.

By listening to your body, small nagging injuries don’t become full blown ones that interrupt your fitness routine for longer periods of time. Even if it is painful to refrain from running, listen to your body and it will run better! What advice do you have to stay injury free?

Gift Ideas for Dad

Father’s Day is coming up this weekend and you’re stuck with crickets on the brain when thinking of the right present for Dad. Why not a present of fitness? Give Dad a gift certificates to Fleet Feet Sports for a pair of shoes also include the proper fitting! You know the right pair of shoes for your feet are monumental in controlling injuries, what about Dad? Get him the right pair of shoes and he’ll thank you as knee pain, hip pain go away. Many forget about the benefits of our cooling craft fitness apparel, why not get a shirt for Dad? Even if he isn’t out running the Buena Vista roads, our Craft shirts are a great way to keep Dad cool on the boat, on the beach, and even working in the yard! Hats for the family bike ride, even our Orthaheel sandals for those lazy days of summer. Fleet Feet Sports not only carries shoes and apparel for the fitness Dads but the shoes and apparel that the weekend warrior Dads will love. Stop by for Father’s Day suggestions or make it easy on yourself and purchase a gift card and let Dad get what Dad WANTS!

How fast can a human being run?

The fastest a human being can run is 27 miles per hour. The fastest ever recorded was Usain Bolt in the 100m, during his 9.58 second run, his speed averaged 23.3 mph but during the 60m stretch he increased it to 27mph. The strange part is that there isn’t much distinction between faster animals – cheetahs, dogs, ostriches, their tendons and muscles are not much different from ours.

Another surprise is that it doesn’t matter how many legs you have on your speed. The key to speed is now how fast the legs move but the force they exert on the ground. In a study, the slowest runner of the group repositioned her leg the same way Donovan Bailey repositioned his leg. A fast animal can exert 2.5 times their body weight in force on their feet. Human beings at this time can exert 4 times their body weight on their feet. Researches see our speed increasing by 5% as muscles get stronger.

Why are sprinters more muscular that distance runners? Distance running is more cardiovascular running that sprinting. The most important part of the body is the heart, not the muscles. A 100 pound antelope can run a marathon in 45 minutes compared to our marathoners clocking in under two hours because that antelope has a heart twice the size of ours, it increases the number of red blood cells in the system.

Sprinter, distance runner, recreational runner-it’s all in the genes. Let us make sure you have the right equipment on your feet.

Is Competitiveness Gone from Kid's Sports?

My son competed in his first Kid’s Triathlon this past weekend. As a parent I wanted this to be a positive experience for him. For my son’s age group, this kids triathlon was a 100yd swim, 1 mile bike, and a half mile run. The older age groups went to a 200 yard swim then to a 300 yard swim. The swim seemed long to me and they allowed the younger kids to use kick boards to help them. All the older kids were expected to swim their distance. As the older kids swam the pool, I noticed a young girl halfway through the swim at the end of a lane crying. My heart went out to her because I’ve been in that situation, wondering if I could finish, willing myself to finish. Some volunteers talked to her as she cried, then let her swim under two ropes to swim one less lap. I lost track of her as my son jumped in the pool.

He finished in 18 minutes and 49 seconds.
“Well, what did you think?”
“It was great. I had fun. The swim was really hard though.”
“Are you glad you did it?”
“Yeah, I feel really good.”

I thought again about that girl. Were the volunteers right to let her swim less than others in her age group? She recorded a shorter swim time but didn’t swim the distance. Will that bother those that swam the entire length of the pool and finished after her?

I know that this is just a kid’s triathlon, a more casual race. Was this the right thing to do?

Facebook Fast Pick!

Fleet Feet Sports is starting a Fast Friday Pick in coordination with our Best 50 Running Stores Campaign! Here's the deal:

Go and vote for us www.competitor.com/50best

Print off your confirmation sheet, then come into the store on Friday and receive a 50% discount on a single pair of socks!

50 Best Running Stores, 50% off....can't get any better than this! Vote today!

5 Reasons TRI4WOMEN is RIGHT for YOU!

1.. You’ve done a triathlon, now you want to do it right! This training series not only gets you in shape for the Ramblin Rose Triathlon, but it helps you train RIGHT, get ready for race day the RIGHT way. Learn tips and tricks, learn how to transition in a jiffy, or just learn how to perfect your swim stroke, TRI4WOMEN perfects your race day!

2. You want to be fit, you want to surround yourself with fit people. Meet other women who want to be fit, learn how to train with them. We’ve watched people join together in our training series then continue as fit partners for the love of the sport and the love of exercising. TRI4WOMEN is a great way to meet others in the community and train with them after race day!

3. You have a bike and it’s gathering dust in the garage. Let Ken’s Bike Shop show you how to use your bike efficiently! When to change gears, how to climb hills, how to change a flat-Ken's expertise is a great way to get the bike out of the garage and have FUN on it!

4. You are a procrastinator. You’ve talked about doing a triathlon, but then let things get in the way of your training schedule. TRI4WOMEN's great motivational coaches keep you excited about training. They keep you on schedule and motivated to train. Plus putting yourself on a schedule where people are expecting you to show up is a powerful way to make it to the pool, to the track, to the bike course.

5. You’ve never done a tri and want to try. Train with Fleet Feet sports and let us get you to the starting line. We motivate, we challenge, we celebrate when you cross the finish line. Ladies, this is the best way to conquer the Ramblin Rose and become a triathlete!

Need any more incentive? Sign up today!

Help us win 50 BEST RUNNING STORES!

Fleet Feet Sports is reaching out to all customers to vote for us as one of 2010’s 50 BEST RUNNING STORES. We need your votes! This award is given out annually by Formula4Media, the industry’s media leader. The selection process of the 50 Best Stores begins with stores being nominated by consumers and members of the trade. Nominations are edited, and then more than 100 stores will be mystery shopped and “rated” by Franklin Resource Group, the leading retail merchandising company serving the sporting goods market. Stores are also evaluated based on ratings from vendors and their involvement in and support of the local community. Emily, Keith, and the Fleet Feet Sports staff are so proud to be part of the fitness community in the Triad and hope you will continue to show your support by casting your vote for us!

www.competitor.com/50Best