Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

New Longmeadow sports shop to host running program

Date: 9/25/2014

LONGMEADOW – For more than two months, Fleet Feet Sports has been offering its athletic specialty products in the Longmeadow Shops, offering athletic gear to both the seasoned 5K runner and individuals interested in a casual walk through the park.

“We don’t cater to one segment of the running industry,” Timothy Murphy, owner and operator of Fleet Feet Sports, said. “We don’t cater to the new runner or the elite runner; we cater to basically everybody.”

Fleet Feet Sports carries footwear, massage and compression products, athletic socks, and technical wear.

“We focus a lot on getting the right recommendation on the right shoe so that you’re in the best shoe for your body mechanics,” Murphy added. 

The store is hosting a 10-week couch to 5K program called No Boundaries, which has 55 people running and walking, he said. Currently, the program is in its third week. There is a $75 fee to enter the program.

Murphy said Fleet Feet Sports hopes to host No Boundaries at least twice a year, in the fall and in the spring.

On Nov. 8, participants in the No Boundaries program will run in the Warrior 5K at Greenwood park, which is sponsored by the Longmeadow Veterans’ Services Office. Proceeds go to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

“They get some technical apparel from New Balance, who is one of the sponsors,” Murphy explained. “They get discounts on the store, and they get a discount to the race at the end.”

Fleet Feet is a franchise but each individual store is owned and operated by different people, he said.

“People walk in and just say ‘Hey, how are you doing,’” he said. “And [people] talk about their runs and talk about their races coming up. People come in and just chat even if they’re not in the market for another pair of shoes and that’s what we want.”