December 2009

Hi Folks!

In some of my previous emails I mentioned that I've lived a scattered, yet interesting life so far. Not since my high school days have I spent more than three years in one place. When I came to Aptos I arrived with everything I owned in a VW van. I slowly acquired furniture and a perfect place to live. I put down roots for the first time in my life. It felt good.

During my short time in Aptos my staff and I have managed to fend off all the economic negativity heard on the news. In fact, we beat the odds and grew the business by more than 50% in less than two years. We wholeheartedly believe that our business is about connecting with people. I don't think it's a fluke that this philosophy has successfully led our charge through the looming recession.

Fleet Feet is a national franchise of 91 stores. It's still got a "mom and pop" feel because we refuse to allow size get in the way of service. The guys in corporate take care of franchisees like family. The CEO of Fleet Feet, Tom Raynor, called me on my second day in Aptos and sent me home. Literally. It was 1:00 am and I was burning the midnight oil but he told me he wanted to hear the door close behind me. He said that we need to make sure we take care of people. Ourselves included. Aptos' commitment to people stems from the top. It's how we live and how we work. In that order.

Last month I was presented with an opportunity. I was asked to be a part of a training team that will attempt to bottle all the good things I did in Aptos and translate it franchise-wide. It would require me to relinquish my ownership in Aptos and move cross-country. The offer was a huge compliment to my staff and an honor to me. It validated all my long hours and sleepless nights. But it meant change. And I thought I was done with that.

As proud as I am of what I've done in Aptos, and as comfortable as the community has made me feel, I am still the same guy who has bounced around the world always trying to make a positive impact wherever I landed. Having a chance to work nationwide with a variety of stores in different markets makes this sort of lifestyle a lucrative career path. At this point in my professional and personal life it made sense. I accepted the offer.

My departure will be bittersweet. I've made some wonderful, lifelong friends and have had an opportunity to feel the embrace of an entire community. I will be back occasionally but in a different capacity. Aptos will always be the place I chose, for the first time in my life, to stay. But as it ends up, I wasn't meant to stay here forever.

My friend and store manager, Jon Knapp will be the new owner of Fleet Feet Aptos as of January 1, 2010. Jon and I have worked a lot together and run a lot of miles together. He, his wife, his son and a baby on the way are embracing their new opportunity as I am mine. I leave you in good hands.

Words cannot express how thankful I am for you all. There are so many things I'll miss - the beach, the redwoods, great weather and great people. But most of all I'll miss welcoming you as you come into my store. It's Jon's turn to do that now.

Happy holidays to you and your families.

To Your Health,

Tom Griffen
tagriffen@yahoo.com

November 2009

Hi Everyone!

As most of you know, we have a weekly Saturday Run. Compared to our other store events, this one is tough to nail down. One week we'll have five or six folks show up and the following weekend we'll have one. When the weather's nice we have less folks than when it's pouring rain. A holiday weekend may bring extra runners one weekend but none show at the next. I'm left scratching my head as I try to figure out how to make this run a valuable community resource.

I think I may have just figured it out. Our one-and-only regular Saturday runner, Keith, enlightened me.

I can always count on Keith to show up for our Saturday Run. All too often he's the only attendee. But this doesn't deter him. He still comes, religiously, and helps me brainstorm how to get the word out about the run. Though we enjoy each other's company we also would like to include others on the list of Saturday "regulars".

During a run a few week back, Keith mentioned a way he and his wife help raise money in their church. Coincidentally, at this same time I had been thinking about how to do something similar in the Fleet Feet community. Keith's idea was exactly what I needed to hear. Serendipity. With his permission I decided to steal it.

I want Fleet Feet to be an integral part in the local community of giving. So we're challenging our entire customer database, some 7500 folks, to identify someone they know who would benefit from a financial gift of some sort. Giving just to give. It feels good and it is good.

Now for the challenge...

Fleet Feet is giving five customers $50 cash with the challenge to turn it into $500 for their recipient. We hope that this initial $50 gets the ball rolling and multiplies over the next two months. But there's a catch! If you accept the challenge, you MUST tell us how you did it and for whom you did it. We can't wait to read those stories!

We call ourselves a community. Well, now's the time for us to act like one.

Thanks Keith for making me see the value (and potential value) in our Saturday Run. And thanks to you ALL for considering this challenge in any capacity. See below if you are interested.

I toast you all at my Thanksgiving table!

To Your Health,

tom

October 2009

October 2009

Hi Everyone,

When I was a teacher I told my students that they should make it a point to better themselves each day. Of course my lessons for them coincided with this goal. Each day as they left my classroom I reminded them that they are, "better today than they were yesterday." I always felt that they walked away with an answer to the generic parental question, "So...what did you learn at school today?"

I've never stopped believing in the on-going process of life. When I hear people refer to their lives as stagnant, sedentary, or stuck in a rut I encourage change as a means to get things sparked again. I live by this rule too. Each day I try to figure out a way to better myself and I encourage my staff to do the same. We hold ourselves to high standards, both personally and professionally. We feed on personal growth. I liken us to sharks. If we stop moving we die.

Last month I sent one of our staffers, Jon, to a training for potential (future) Fleet Feet franchisees. This month staffer Michelle is headed to Washington for three days to learn advanced foot anatomy/pathology at the Superfeet headquarters. Also this month I am closing the store for a day so that my entire staff can be a part of an intensive customer service workshop being held in Davis.

Many of you have asked, often reluctantly, how our business is doing. It always makes me proud to share with you that since January 2008 our monthly growth percentages are very strong. We attribute our success to our dedicated customers and to our commitment to excellence. We really try to stay one step ahead of your expectations so that each and every time you visit us you feel special.

So next Tuesday if you happen to stop by the store only to find it closed, please know that we're doing it for you. Improving your experience and constantly rededicating ourselves to exemplary service is important enough to sacrifice a day's worth of business. You are worth it. Totally.

To Your Health!

tom

Iroquois 100 Race Report 2009

Photo from Steve Gallow

IROQUOIS TRAIL 100
SEPTEMBER 19-20, 2009
VIRGIL, NY

The first week of September I was in Los Angeles running portions of the Angeles Crest trail as I inhaled gobs of smoke from the growing Station Fire. The fire was in its infancy but I knew deep down that it would impose itself on the AC100 ( http://www.ac100.com/ ) race scheduled for 2 weeks later. Though I enjoyed my training runs, I knew that figuring out a plan B was in order. Upon my return home to Santa Cruz, I received an email from the AC race directors. Even two weeks out they knew that there was no way the race could go on. Unphased, I jumped on http://www.run100s.com/ to look for a different 100-miler to do.

The Iroquois Trail 100 caught my eye as it was in upstate New York and only two hours from my family whom I hadn’t visited in two years. I contacted the race director Ian Golden and explained my situation. He welcomed my registration and I began my last minute plans to visit family and some old friends.

All I knew of this race was what I read in various race reports from their inaugural year (2008). All in all things were pretty vague – which coupled with my lack of familiarity with the terrain of central New York piqued my curiosity. I was most intrigued by the elevation change stated on the website. 18,000 feet of climbing. It sure seemed like a lot for New York. Most definitely my ignorance to the local geography kept me from respecting the difficulty level until it was too late. But I’ll get to this later.

Three days with family in Rochester then off to Virgil I drove. Folks in upstate New York drive pretty slow compared to the California speeders I was familiar with – and the New York State Troopers all wear Smokey the Bear hats. This strangely intimidated me and I opted to drive my rental Ford Focus as close to the speed limit as possible. It seemed like it took forever to drive two hours. There’s some irony here when comparing this to the actual race.

As I took the exit into Cortland I stopped to consult my map. When finally I oriented myself I turned onto the main drag heading into Virgil and nearly sideswiped the only other car on the road. He honked and gave me the finger as I shook my head, wondering why I didn’t see him coming. I was tired, but not that tired. Not yet. Then I drove to the start of the race – The Gatherings – and imagined how it would look the following morning. I’d have to return later that afternoon to pick up my bib number but decided to find a hotel room in the interim. I returned to the scene of the near-wreck and rented a room at the Days Inn. I was happy they had wireless.

After checking in and relaxing a bit it was finally time to return to The Gatherings for the pre-race briefing. Ian had organized a delicious pasta meal. I sat with some new friends, Scott and Garth, both from New York City, and we awaited the briefing. Ian’s briefing was rather confusing for those of us who had no experience on the Finger Lakes Trails. After Ian the author of Born to Run, Chris McDougall was introduced. Under other circumstances his presentation would have been great – but I’m pretty sure the entire room of folks was as ready as I was to hit the hay for the night. Unfortunately Chris seemed to drone on and on. I had originally planned to have him sign the copy of his book I lugged from California but changed my mind on the spot. As he wrapped I was out of there and with a quickness. I needed sleep.

I dozed off watching Ultimate Fighting and woke up many times with a sore back. I grew worried about this as morning got closer and tried unsuccessfully to will it away. 3:30 am arrived and I was up and ready to go in a flash. The plan was to arrive at the start early enough to get a good parking place near the finish line. I wanted to use my vehicle as a place to stash my aid. My preparation paid off and I got a prime spot. It was a cool morning. After checking in I sat in the comfort of a heated car. A few minutes before the gun I headed towards the slowly growing group of silhouettes at the start line. And just as Ian had promised, the race started on time.

In my first loop I managed to link up with a few local runners. No sooner had they warned me about the gopher holes on the newly mowed downhill off the ski hill (Greek Peak) that I stumbled in one and rolled my left ankle. It didn’t tweak it too badly, or so it seemed, but for the next 94 miles or so I felt it getting tighter and tighter. Enough so that I chose to not change my socks nor my shoes out of fear that relieving the pressure might allow swelling. I was somewhat pleased by this as I really didn’t want to change shoes anyhow – no matter how wet my feet were going to get.

At about the 25 mile mark I hit a low point per usual. The course was taxing me and I started thinking too much about the overall distance. When one’s only consolation is the idea of having “only 75 miles to go” there may be a sudden rush of anxiety that makes the next few miles a bit tough. As a friend in Aptos says, I was forced to “suck it up” and have an out-loud conversation with myself. Actually it was more of a scolding. I ripped myself a new one and got over the hump. Then for the next 10 miles or so some amazing classic punk rock songs filled my head. Namely some angst-filled tunes by Suicidal Tendencies.

As my body began to cooperate I also wondered about the random musical selection my brain was unconsciously making. The punk riffs were replaced with other, more relaxing genres. I realized that each song’s tempo perfectly matched my pace. It goes without saying that when the mental music shifted from Suicidal’s “I’m Not Crazy” to Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” I’ve probably started to slow down. No matter how much I tried to impose faster songs into my mental radio, all that was coming out was slow jams. When Lionel Ritchie’s “Running With the Night” came on I wanted to turn off the damn thing.

The most challenging aspect of that first 50-miles was the footing. I most certainly was not used to the rooted single tracks, nor was I familiar with having to look up for trail markers. Combining these two conflicting actions together only made me misstep over and over again. My ankle begged for mercy and I grew concerned that the second loop, in the dark, would be tough going. Nonetheless, I managed to complete the first 50-mile loop in about 9:30. I realized the time was respectable but also felt as if it might have been too fast. I was very impressed with the aid along the way and the general support of the spectators. Apparently the access points were very easy to get to – and the crews and volunteers made sure we each arrived at the stations with a fanfare.

The second go of the Greek Peak loop was much more enjoyable than the morning loop in the dark. I managed to negotiate the loop without stepping into any holes. It was also during this loop that I finally met up with a runner who’d been trading places with me all day long - Chris Luberecki from Tahoe City, California. I’d seen his name on the runner’s roster and even did a pre-race search on http://www.zinsli.com/ to compare our finish times. He and I ran races at similar paces so it was relieving to see that we had done the first 50 within minutes of each other.

Upon my arrival at mile 57, Ian connected me with my pacer who was then standing grill-side learning how to cook quesadillas. We introduced ourselves and since I didn’t feel in need of a pacer at that time, nor was it dark yet, I told him to continue with his cooking and meet up with me at the Pipeline aid station nearly 10 miles away. I was happy to knock out this section while there was still ample sunlight. I also had decided to put on my glasses and realized that maybe the footing problem I’d been having was more of a vision problem! Suddenly the stretch seemed easier and I kept a pretty solid clip until the Pipeline aid station when I picked up my pacer.

At Pipeline I quickly learned that my pacer had never run more than 26.2 miles (and on road no less). Plus, he’d never paced anyone and hadn’t the foggiest idea what his role was. Fortunately I was coherent from this point until the race’s finish. Most certainly I learned the hard way about the risk that comes with being assigned a pacer, sight-unseen.

My pacer talked non-stop even after I explained that at this point in the race I’m usually not too chatty. He just said he’d fill the empty space with noise and that’s exactly what he did. His banter made it difficult to focus as I was compelled to remain engaged with him in conversation. I didn’t want to be rude. But eventually it was too much to deal with and I contemplated asking him to drop at the next aid. However, I knew that he knew the trails and I was worried about missing a marker without him in the lead. In hindsight I’d have probably been fine – but under the gun I felt a sense of relief with a local leading the way. I could tell he was frustrated by my slowly declining pace and soon felt a strange sense of guilt for “dragging” him along with me. Quickly I got over this and maintained the best pace I could – a.k.a. “very slow”.

At some point the clock struck midnight. And since September 20th was my pacer’s birthday I wished him a good one and thanked him for sharing part of it with me.

The sky was so clear and the stars seemed frighteningly close. Each time I looked up I felt dizzy and overwhelmed. I tried to keep my eyes from glancing up as I feared I’d be pushed over by the view.

My 11 minute miles quickly turned to 13 and soon to brisk 15 minute walks per mile. The last 20 miles of the race were all walked miles and I found myself growing more and more worried about my time goal. Originally I had wanted to break 22 hours, but soon after the sun went down I altered these plans and figured sub-24 would be more realistic. As I was walking I became concerned about this and expressed my concerns to my pacer. “Yeah, I don’t think we’ll make the cutoff,” was his response. Talk about a buzz kill! He also then went on to ask me what a pacer should do. I didn’t really feel like going into it at mile 85 but I did anyhow to kill time. It really didn’t make a difference though. I only had finishing on my mind.

I have to send three cheers the folks at the Daisy Hollow Road aid station as they fed me perogies (spelling?) for the first time in my life. Though I was craving Dunkin Donuts I settled for this pasta potato concoction. Absolutely delicious! Thanks Daisy Hollow!

Had my wheels still been turning from this point I just may have hit my original time goal. But the best I could do was a brisk walk at best. The last 15 miles took me nearly 5 hours. Ugh. Yes, it was as horrendous as it sounds.

The final 2-mile hill down to Tone Road was a test of fortitude. Knowing that the finish was just ahead put a smile on my face but certainly didn’t speed things up. My finish made it look like I still had something left in the tank but I really didn’t. As I crossed the line I saw Ian and a small group of amazing volunteers cheering me in. As I crossed the finish line I announced, “Now THAT was a character builder!” I shook Ian’s hand, thanked him for a kick-ass race, and within seconds I was shivering uncontrollably and had to escape to the warmth of my rental Ford Focus. My pacer needed a ride to his car so I drove him – then fought sleep for the next 20 minutes as I drove back to my hotel for a shower.

Back at the Days Inn I defiled the towels by wiping off my legs and made the decision to abandon my funky shoes in this New York motel. I took a 90-minute nap and woke up to shower and pack. Slowly. En route back to the start line, I stopped at Dunkin Donuts and grabbed a dozen assorted, eating three within the next 5 minutes. Back at The Gatherings I watched a few more folks come in before seeing my parents pull into the parking lot. We ate breakfast together then went to the awards ceremony. Apparently too many runners finished sub-24 since Ian ran out of buckles!

All in all my experience at the Iroquois Trail 100 was a good one. This course is much more difficult than I expected and I encourage any future participants to respect the surprisingly difficult terrain. I’m glad it was a suffer-fest because it forced me to challenge my limits. Such challenges make me a better runner, and a better person. I appreciate the lesson in self-improvement, Ian!

Next time I do this I’ll go sub-21.

See you all in a few years. Thanks Ian for putting on a great race. And thanks to my pacer for dealing with my sleep-deprived attitude. Maybe someday we’ll see those belt buckles.

Tom Griffen, Aptos, CA, 23:15

September 2009

Hi Everyone,

September? Already? Last week we counted the days until Christmas and we're down to like 110 days or so. This year is totally flying by.

I'd like to share two important things with you that happened to me last month. They really don't have much to do with the store, nor do they have anything to do with our fitness community. But they are things I'm thinking a lot about lately and, per usual, I'd like to share.

Last month my best friend Kent visited me from Southern California. He and I have done a fair bit of travelling together and to rather exotic places. Our last trip was to Mongolia because it was the biggest blank space on a globe. Anyhow, Kent is a professioinal photo-journalist and is getting ready to embark on a walk across America. The purpose of his Aptos trip was to collectively determine some logistics of the crossing, namely how to lug enough water for the desert stretches. I'm not sure if we completely did this, but we certainly figured out that a pack full of water will not be fun to carry very far. More than likely Kent will be either pushing a baby jogger (sans baby) or pull something constructed from the parts of a baby jogger. Either way, I'm very excited for him to start out on this journey. I've always wished to do the same sort of trek. Someday... If you like amazing photos, check out his website at www.kenttreptow.com.

And also in the spirit of endurance-type adventures...

Some of you may remember that nine months ago (or so) I was starting my return to running after 18 months of injury. Like many of you I needed an event to keep me honest. So I registered for the Angeles Crest 100 and have been putting in some serious miles in Nisene Marks since then. As August wrapped up I ventured to Los Angeles to get a feel for the final 25 miles of the course (everyone I spoke to said it was the toughest section). While the trails were tough and I spent a good portion of the day picking ticks off my legs and dodging rattlesnakes, what I remember most is how close the fires were to the trails and how congested my lungs were from breathing smoke (and smog) all day. Two days after I returned, the race was cancelled. I figured it would be. But just like any obstacle, I saw it as an opportunity. So I signed up for a newer 100-miler called the Iroquois Trail 100 near Ithaca, NY. Most of my family is in NY and I haven't seen them in years. Both the race and the family visit are a long time a'coming.

I hope you all are enjoying your own journey.

And don't forget, it's not too early to start holiday shopping! Ugh!

To Your Health,

tom

August 2009

Hi Folks!

For two consecutive weekends Fleet Feet has been honored to sponsor amazing local events - The Wharf to Wharf race and the Sandman Triathlon. Of course there are countless equally-amazing events in the area to satisfy all our active needs, but these two races happening back to back infused me with thoughts about why Fleet Feet exists in the first place.

Sure, you need shoes and the typical gear. You also need a place to get advice on where to run and maybe even common injuries or training strategies. But ultimately Fleet Feet doesn't need to exist for you to get this stuff.

When I came to Aptos I knew exactly what I wanted. My goal was to make Fleet Feet an extension of my living room. I wanted you to feel like you were walking into my home when you passed through the doors. Shoot, if I could have a couch and fireplace in the middle of the store I'd do it! Yes, of course we wanted to fulfill your active needs, but more importantly we wanted to build relationships and celebrate your accomplishments. Life's too short to miss out on these opportunities. Gear wears out. Friendships last forever.

Race sponsorship makes for a very long day. Usually the booth is set up hours before the participants arrive and stays up after the final participant leaves. But working a vendor booth is a rush! It gives me an opportunity to cheer on customers while meeting some new folks too.
Events encapsulate all that drove me to make a career out of this business in the first place. The positive energy is palatable, athletes revel in their achievements, and people share a passion to complete the task at hand. Watching this happen gives me chills. The unspoken bond still exists long after the event as two folks pass each other in the grocery store, both wearing the finisher's t-shirt. It's kind of like a secret handshake. Both think, "they did it too..." One word sums up what's at play here - community. It should happen more often.

Hope to see you in the living room soon.

Thanks for being part of our Fleet Feet community. We appreciate you.

To Your Health!

tom

July 2009

Hi Folks!

What do the movies Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Field of Dreams have in common? No, Kevin Costner was not in both, but that's a good guess. In both of these movies, the lead character is driven by voices in his head to accomplish a goal. The guy in Close Encounters obsessively builds a volcano-like thing that eventually resembles the setting of his climactic alien encounter. The lead man in Field of Dreams (yes, this WAS Kevin Costner) is driven by whispers to transform a cornfield into a baseball diamond. He believes that such lunacy will draw spirits of baseball's past to play a final ghostly inning in his backyard.

Both men are connected by a crazy vision that drives them to action. And when they start building on that vision, things start happening.

Rewind real life to 1973 in Santa Cruz. Feel the summer heat and the ocean breeze. Imagine a jog along the coast in shorty shorts and flat shoes. There's music in the air. Guys have big mustaches. Women wear long socks. Santa Cruz was an active destination even then. For some reason a local runner had an idea to start an organized run along the coast with a group of fellow ground-pounders. Somehow this idea evolved into the Wharf to Wharf Race. Who knew?

Way back when in the summer of 1973, the building began. They built it and the people came. And they still do. En masse.

Recently I've started thinking a lot about this concept. To quite Kevin Costner's character, "If you build it, they will come." I'm starting to wholeheartedly believe that if you want something bad enough, and you put a healthy amount of thought and action into it, you'll one day find it materializing before your eyes. Positive energy is magnetic and we have more power than we realize to be the source of it.

I tell my staff that when the store is slow we need to become bustling magnets that create and share positive energy. It draws people in. I know, I know, it sounds so "Santa Cruz". But go figure. It works.

Wharf to Wharf started with a few dozen locals who shared a great idea. They built it and people came.

Every day at Fleet Feet we try to build it too. We'd like to thank you for continuing to come. We plan to be here a while.

To Your Health!

tom