It’s always felt good walking into a running specialty store. Waiting to help, usually with a genuine smile are people who know the product and who lead an active lifestyle. The stores have been places where the active community may cross paths and catch up for a moment before returning to an often too-busy schedule. They are places wherein group runs may begin and end, a bit of motivation and socialization if either is missing in one’s life. They are places that can be operated on a small enough scale to remain in touch with the community which makes them possible.
The idea of a running specialty store began in my time running for Ithaca College in the 90’s. Countless days and miles were spent exploring but a few of the 800 miles offered by the Finger Lakes Trail in upstate NY, throughout 3 state parks within a 10 mile radius of Ithaca center. Little flat terrain was found between the Finger Lakes region’s networks of gorges, but many a hill were made more tolerable by being flanked by the hundreds of waterfalls scattered in and around the city proper. Stretches of beautiful country roads, some lined with but a few of the areas 70 regional wineries complemented the trail networks. The winters were long but highlighted by continuous NCAA and community race schedules underway at Cornell’s indoor track at Barton Hall. Numerous running groups such as the Finger Lakes Running Club, and competitive clubs such as Ithaca United’s youth program were present and solid. Ithaca was made for running.
Throughout the US towns have succumbed, better or worse, to becoming franchised communities. It has been my hope to return to Ithaca, a place whose long supported independent businesses and minded individuals to create a place patterned after the lifestyle and not necessarily the competition. To provide a store where employees may offer experiential advice regarding the product which they themselves use, develop personal relationships with return customers, and give back to the community which would sustain it. The Finger Lakes Running Company was thus born in 2006 as the overdue union between this vision and apparent need in the community.
I thank you so much for getting this far and being interested enough to spend time with the Internet face of the Running Company’s retail store. I hope to develop this site further in the future when things settle a bit. To do so I’d appreciate any feedback you may have, good or bad so that I can better serve you from a distance as well. And please don’t hesitate to give a call, say hello or ask a question about the products we sell or services we offer.
Thanks for your time and support. Thank you for supporting the wonderful community that Ithaca is and know that I’ll do my best to see that your investment is used to support a very real and tangible local community.
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