We are searching for a Retail Sales Associate/FIT Expert to join our Team with availability days, evenings and weekends.  

Do you have what it takes ?  Take our skill quiz and if you have what it takes, we want to hear from you.  Interviews will be set up in the beginning of March.

 

Come the winter months do you find yourself suffering from dry and itchy skin, chapped lips, dry coughs, nosebleeds, acne, or even headaches? What about stiff joints, tight muscles, cramping, and regular side stitches? These could all be signs of dehydration. A thirsty muscle is a tight muscle and will cause painful joints and cramping. Your latest knee issues or tight calves might be a direct result of dehydration instead of something more complicated.

Little do most people know; you are just as likely to get dehydrated in winter as you are in summer, in some cases, more likely. Think about it, you are still sweating and losing fluids but feel less hot due to the cold weather. You are also losing water vapor through your breath. Cold weather suppresses thirst, so you drink less than you would while training in the summer. This quickly leads to dehydration and muscle cramps.

 

 

 

No Boundaries is a beginner 5K training program - truly designed for individuals who have never run or for individuals who ran in the past and want to get back out on the roads.  No Boundaries is presented by Fleet Feet Sports in partnership with New Balance.  We have helped over a 1,000 people get started on the road to an active, healthy lifestyle.  Join us this Spring and become part of our Movement !

 

The purpose of the program is to introduce participants to the lifetime fitness activities of running and walking and to encourage them to live a more healthy and active lifestyle. No Boundaries will also motivate and educate beginners on how to improve their fitness and develop the habits of a healthy lifestyle while preparing for their goal race.

Our past groups of No Boundaries participants had fun, enjoyed the challenges, lost weight, gained confidence and made new friends. And most are still running - some increasing their distance, getting faster, staying fit and smiling!

 

 

Registration forms and online registration links are available on our website at

Beyond No Boundaries is a program built for people who have completed the No Boundaries program and want to move on to the next step, or runners that just want a faster 5K.

 

This program builds your skills and stamina before you increase to the next distance. Beyond No Boundaries is the program to help you meet those goals.  To participate in Beyond No Boundaries, you should be able to run 3 miles comfortably.

 

Beyond No Boundaries will offer a 12 week run plan that incorporates pacing drills and increases to a long run of 6 miles, gives participants guidance and advice from experienced coaches and mentors, weekly group runs and education on topics such as proper running form, efficient training and pacing, nutrition, strength and flexibility and selecting the proper gear all within a fun and supportive environment. 

 

This program can be used as a transition to the next level for No Boundaries participants. The program is designed to ease participants into longer distances to help build a better base and increase endurance. That means your schedule will include pacing and speed drills as well as cross-training days.

 

Beyond No Boundaries Spring Registration Information 

Registration is OPEN!  Register now and change your life!  

No Excuses ~ No Boundaries ~ Beyond No Boundaries ~ Be the Movement

Train with Fleet Feet Sports and TriVault and become a triathlete!  Our inaugural beginner tri training group from 2011 completed their goal race and had fun on the roads, on the bike, and in the water. 

 

Registration for the 2012 Tri Training season is OPEN!

Want to learn more ?  Attend one of our information sessions presented by Coach Jon Metz at Fleet Feet Sports.  Find out what it takes to be a multi-sport athlete.

New for 2012 - Three training groups to choose from!  Training begins in early March.

• Beginner Sprint is for healthy individuals who have completed one or two sprint distance triathlons or are new to the sport
• Intermediate Sprint is for healthy individuals who have completed multiple sprint distance triathlons and want to improve specific skills and techniques
• Beginner Olympic is for healthy individuals who have completed one or two Olympic distance triathlons or multiple sprint distance triathlons and want to complete a longer distance.

A Sprint Distance Tri consists of 750 meter swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run.

An Olympic Distance Tri consists of 1.5 km swim, 40 km ride, 10 km run.

 

Want to challenge yourself and try your first triathlon?  Want to improve your sprint time?  Or do you want to increase your distance?  Fleet Feet Sports and TriVault can get you there!  Want to learn more?  Visit our training link for compete details, registration form or online registration.

 

Fleet Feet Sports/TriVault Tri Training

Historically, distance runners have been known to do very little outside of running to improve their performance on the roads.  Strength and conditioning programs have traditionally been used only for sports such as football, hockey and baseball.  

Fitness360's Strength and Conditioning Program for Distance Runners is the first program of it's kind in Western New York. We consistently take experienced runners and transform them into athletes who break their own personal records on a regular basis. Flexibility and strength training combined with a nutrition plan engineered for performance and recovery, contributes to this one of a kind experience. 

The next session begin on Feb. 27th and times are 6am, 6pm and 7pm!

The STUFF Expert

You're local stuff expert is back with all the fun things you need to be excited about this month. This weather has us all tricked into thinking it is spring already, so most of the things I am excited about are to get ready for the next season. I think most of us are ready for the early spring.

 

Brooks Green Nightlife Apparel

Nothing says spring like the color GREEN! The Shamrock Run is a little over two weeks away and I know you are all scouting out your running outfits. You have to outdress your friends right? Do it in comfortable running style with the new Brooks Nightlife apparel we have coming in. In addition to the ever important high visibility of the nightlife collection - it is green! So, short sleeves, long sleeves, capris, shorts, jacket, or vest, make sure you pick up something in this highly visible nightlife green color. You will thank us when you can find your shirt in the dark after the Shamrock Run party.

 

Brooks Shamrock Hats
(& Shamrock Sweaty Bands!)

Sometimes it is all about the accessories, especially for a run as popular as the Shamrock Run. Show your Irish side this spring with a Shamrock Hat or Sweaty Band. These hot sellers are coming back, but I doubt they will last long. Last year the hats were gone before you could say, "Fetch me another pint!" So come snag them before they disappear. 

 

Superfeet for High Heels (and dress flats!)

Did you say spring? Everyone knows what that means; time to dust off those high heels and dress shoes for all the special events you have planned. You can't go to those weddings and fancy dinners in sneakers, now can you? However, as cute as they look, dress shoes are not the most comfortable thing in the world, for men or women. That is where the Superfeet come in. These little magic pieces of plastic make high heels comfortable and dress flats enjoyable. I can actually wear heels for a whole night and still run the next day! So break out the dress shoes and enjoy some time out of your sneakers.

We always tell our training groups - listen to your coach, be consistent, do the work and you will get to the finish line.  This is a tale of knowing what needs to be done but not doing it.  Look for lessons learned with this one!

Dan & I decided to take a vacation in 2012 - something we had not done since 2004.  As we like to do, we decided to add a race to our getaway.  So, when we saw that there was an inaugural Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon planned for February in sunny, warm St. Petersburg, FL, we knew we had to enter.

Commit to the race in November - lots of time to train, get strong, run long and really go for it in Florida.  My last 1/2 marathon was in Cleveland in 2009 and while I did not PR, I was just minutes off that accomplishment.  I did not want to kid myself this time so I was very conservative in my expectations.  But, I knew the right training would get me close to my goal!

We cannot tell you how many times we hear "You own a running store - you must be able to train all the time".  That does not happen and our commitment to our Fleet Feet community always comes first.  So, I went into this past weekend's race with my longest run being 8 miles.  One of those 8 mile runs was on a cold, windy day with horrible footing so I thought - that one counts for 10! 

So day of race dawns with temperatures in the low 40s and gusty winds - real feel in the 30s - I thought I was in Florida !  Never packed any thing appropriate for a 13.1 mile run in the cold - no gloves, no hat, no headbands.  So, CW-X capri layered up with a shimmel, long sleeve 15K shirt and my light Brooks packable jacket on, I headed to the start line. Let me tell you though to get there you must cross the Skyway Bridge over the bay - not like our Skyway, way scary higher!  With my Brooks VIP band, I managed to stay out of the winds at the start - but not enough to warm up at all. Being in the 4th wave, I stood in the cold for another 6 minutes before we started.  Once the race started, it was quite the experience.

St. Petersburg did a tremendous job for a first year race.  Course totally closed to traffic, police presence at every major intersection, tons of volunteers for traffic and great crews at the water stops.  An interesting course with bands along the route - winding through the city from Tropicana Field - a beautiful domed stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. Which to digress is where the expo was with all activities right on the baseball field - very cool.  At around 8 miles, the race tuned towards the water and we got to run the length out and back of the St Pete's pier, enjoying a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico.

So felt pretty good until - guess where - @ 9 miles!  At that point, finishing was the goal.  It got easier with some energy beans and water at 10 and a little help from the young kids at the water stop - cold hands make it hard to open those sport bean packages!   The excitement of getting to the finish line - even racing on empty - provided the energy I needed.  Dan at the finish, that big medal and a super post-race Brooks VIP tent made for the day.

Lesson learned - practice what you preach !  Take away - I am stronger than I thought and the thrill of long distance is back !!  I have a 5K in St Pete's before we leave - more fun in the sun and the heat - at least I hope.  Then I am looking for a few more 1/2 marathons in 2012 with the new perspective on my training !

 

Fleet Feet Sports Personal Rewards Program - 

Not a discount for membership in a specific group or organization.  Instead, a Personal Rewards program for every customer shopping at Fleet Feet Sports. Fleet Feet Sports appreciates your support of our business and Personal Rewards are our thank you for your loyalty.

~Earn a $25 in-store credit for every $250 in merchandise purchases (excluding sales tax & gift card purchases). No minimum purchase to earn Rewards. Every purchase counts from gels to shoes.

~No expiration on your earned Personal Rewards.

~No card to carry or sign-up fee.

And even more Fleet Feet Sports customer rewards.  We will ask you for your birthday month.  Give us your e-mail if we don't already have it on file.  Then in your birthday month we will e-mail you a $10 coupon to celebrate your special day.

 

Fleet Feet Sports is committed to FIT - from footwear to apparel to accessories.  We are the FIT experts.  And we are committed to your FIT with our return policy.

Fleet Feet Sports - committed to FIT, fitness, training and bringing the best to you - every day!

Inspiring people to move !

We appreciate your confidence in and support of Fleet Feet Sports.

Run Steady, Run Strong, Run FIT,

Alice and Dan Loncto & our staff

Fleet Feet Sports Buffalo

716.332.3501