Store helps runners find their stride

If you have resolved to add movement and activity to your routine, running may be the answer for you.

If you have resolved to add movement and activity to your routine, running may be the answer for you. Fleet Feet is in the business of running, and running alone. It sells all the basic and extra gear for running, including shoes, sweat-wicking clothes, nutritional gels, training plans, and treatment tools for muscle injuries.

Even shoe selection for each customer has been boiled down to a science. “The process has kind of evolved in the past few years,” said Nathan Dressel, the events and marketing director for the store. “Each person has a personal gait, and they need a shoe to help them remain comfortable during a run. We take several measurements. We can tell you the length of your shoe size, but we also take the vertical measure of your arch collapse, and the width of your foot. That process takes 10 minutes.

“Then we put the customer on our treadmill, which has four video cameras to record gait during a short jog. They’re on there for 30 seconds to a minute and, from that, we can see the exact biomechanics for that person, and whether they’re a pronated, supinated, or neutral runner. Then we can take out a few pairs of shoes from that information.”

Like most fitness businesses, Fleet Feet sees an uptick soon after the new year, with a big boost in March and April when the weather becomes nicer, he said.

In addition to retail goods, the store hosts events and classes in running and other exercise. Group runs are held every Monday night and frequent runners can have a card punched for Saucony merchandise.

A full events calendar can be found at www.fleetfeetbonneylake.com.

Fleet Feet is located at 19685 state Route 410 East.