Running Insight

90 runninginsight.com ©2017 Formula4media LLC. double his spring output. Mystery and merriment in Montana With winter being the slowest season of the year at the Runner's Edge in Missoula, MT, owner Anders Brooker has focused on driving traffic and engagement through a pair of intriguing initiatives. On January 1, Brooker teams with a local running club to host a $5, chip-timed resolution run. The Runner's Edge hosts packet pickup for the popular race and includes a "no-peak envelope" in its goody bag. When race participants return to the store in January and make a purchase, Runner's Edge staff opens the envelope to reveal a prize, which ranges from socks and shoes to gift cards. "The mystery envelope alone drives about 300 people into our store throughout January," Brooker says. The following month, the Runner's Edge hosts its annual Treadmill Challenge. Brooker invites some of the area's top runners to compete in a bracket-style event that tasks runners to race 10 minutes on a treadmill set at a 12 percent incline. The treadmills sit on a stage at the front of the store, which welcomes upwards of 200 people into a festive atmosphere featuring an announcer, music, beer sales and a betting pool. "This gets people excited about the sport at a time when the excitement typically isn't there," Brooker says. "During the winter, we need to get that top-of-mind awareness and have people talking about the Runner's Edge and this accomplishes that." Holidays lights and running camps at Big River Running At Big River Running, a three-store operation in metro St. Louis, owner Matt Helbig has refused to cede to winter. On weeknights throughout December leading to Christmas Eve, Big River Running's South City store hosts runs through "Candy Cane Lane," a nearby neighborhood featuring home after home decked out in Clark Griswold-like holiday cheer. Each night, upwards of 25 runners arrive at Big River Running to partake in the fun run. "We've been able to leverage this local tradition to attract people into our store and capture sales during our slow season," Helbig says of Candy Cane Lane. Following Christmas, Big River Running then leads a running camp for local students. Over the four-day, $100 camp, 50-60 local athletes complete a daily group run, play indoor games, enjoy lunch and hear from guest speakers, including a popular college running panel featuring camp alumni currently in the collegiate ranks. The camp concludes with an indoor track meet followed by a pancake breakfast. For Big River Running, the camp spurs goodwill and sales. "These kids become hardcore Big River fans and the coaches support us because we support their kids," says Helbig, who also provides camp participants a bounceback coupon to spur future purchases at Big River Running. n Taking a Bite Out of Winter (continued) Intriguing Initiatives RUNNER'S EDGE Missoula, MT Anders Brooke, Owner January A $5, chip-timed resolution run. February Annual Treadmill Challenge. BIG RIVER RUNNING St. Louis, Missouri Matt Helbig, Owner December Candy Cane Lane January Running Camp for local students. Big River Running's South City store hosts runs through "Candy Cane Lane," a nearby neighborhood featuring home after home decked out in Clark Griswold-like holiday cheer.

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