What: Product Knowledge. How: in January of this year I started running. In order to keep myself motivated I started signing up for local 5ks. I am also going to be attempting a half marathon in September this year. I have been longing for a new pair of shoes that fits me. I have bought several pairs from Nike's, Asics, Saucony...none have made me feel comfortable or as if this shoe was made for me. (Runners you understand what I am talking about). Last week I ran an 8k and was chatting with another racer and she put me in touch with a running store that can help fit me with the perfect shoe. I went on Saturday to Running Fit. When I walked in the door I was greeted by a young man name Brian. He introduced himself and gave his name right away. I told him my story of needing the perfect shoe that I feel comfortable in. That is where Brian surprised me. Instead of asking my size and bringing out several shoes for me to try on...he asked me to roll up my pant leg and take off my shoes. Brian then instructed me to start walking to the other end of the store. Next I laced my shoes back up and we headed over to the tread mill. Brian asked me to run for a couples minutes to see my stride and position. After all that he took my size and said he would be right back. Brian came back within a few minutes with three styles of shoe. New Balance, Saucony, and the Vibram 5 finger. Based on what Brian saw with the walking and running test, I don't need a lot of support. A light weight shoe would serve me best. I tried all three shoes on and ran on the treadmill, and jumped around the store like a crazy woman in each pair paying particular attention to the fit between the shoe and my feet. The New Balance 890's was the perfect shoe for me and the Vibram 5 finger felt like I wasn't wearing shoes at all. Each shoe felt as though I was running on air. Much better than any shoe in my closet. Brian was so knowledgeable about each shoe in the store. Virbram 5 finger was always a strange shoe and before yesterday would have never attempted to try on. Now I own them along with my New Balance. Why: The experience around product knowledge has made me a running fit customer for life! Whether it is a pair of shoes or a pair of denim we are all looking for the perfect fit! It takes product knowledge to make that happen! Happy Running! Nichole

Talk about a shitty ass picture. I don’t have time for this shit right now. Actually I’m lucky I even captured this picture. My ass has been boggled down with work I’ve been working like 24 hrs a day since a big spill kicked off at my job 11AM Friday morning. FUCK! But here I am at 6:00 AM Friday morning running on my treadmill. One shot – done. I kind of did this shot as a backup in case I wouldn’t be able to capture anything else that day. Thank fucking god. Gotta love the backup shots. Let me explain this a little. I have will power like no one else. I’m sure there are people on this planet with more will power that I have. But there aren’t many. If I tell myself to do something, you can pretty much consider it a done deal. Put myself through college, done. Move 3000 miles away to California on a whim next week, done. Quit major drug addiction, done. Don’t eat sugar and avoid candy, donuts, and fast food for the rest of my life, done. Lose 5 pounds and wake up 45 minutes early to run on my elliptical every fucking day (as seen), done. I don’t pussy out to things I promise myself I will do. It’s important for me to keep promises, especially to myself and even more to the ones I love. If I tell my kid I promise her something, it’s as good as GOLD. For me, I actually sit myself down when there is something important I have to do and have a conversation with myself. Not really a crazy person weird conversation, but more a pep talk with myself. And once that talk is completed, it’s a done deal. So, last week I sat myself down one night and decided I needed to lose my “love handles”. I basically decided I needed to exercise like humans are MEANT to do and made certain I would wake up early everyday to run on the above seen exercise machine. I own it, I bought it, and I might as well use it. And when I get off of it after running on it I feel like a motherfucking champ. I love it. Sorry for the sorry ass picture and the stupid wordage here, I am boggled down with work and this is the best I can give you. Happy weekend! Taken May 29th, 2009 Posted May 30th, 2009 *=lapse