17 Treasures from The Running Event - Part 1

  The Running Event made its way back to Austin this past year and this local gal couldn't have been happier! As their website indicates, The Running Event consists of more than 250 brands including some of the biggest fitness companies on the planet as well as innovative newcomers. It is, as they say, a great opportunity to see new product before any other channel of distribution and meet with key executives at the best suppliers to the run specialty channel. It's also the chance for the fitness-oriented companies to discuss industry trends and strategize with each other through changing times and shifting buying habits. For a fitness enthusiast, podcast and writer like me, it's the chance to go behind the curtains, catch a glimpse and sample what's to come. I also see it as an opportunity to highlight companies, old and new, who are working diligently to improve our well-being, safety, comfort, recovery and fitness potential. In talking to business owners, marketing gurus and salespeople, you see their true passion for what they do. If we don't invest in the future of our own health and fitness, what can we invest in?  Even though I learned about a variety of products from footwear, to nutrition, to compression, to bras, one thing rings true from all of the vendors and companies - they care about the end user. In fact, these days, so much of their marketing depends on it. Positive word of mouth carries more weight than any ad campaign in a magazine ever will. That's why I'm honored to share my positive experience with many of the booths I visited at The Running Event. So many welcomed me into their space to share their stories. Some of the products are fairly new, like family-owned maple syrup producers, Untapped. Others are larger companies like this year's Kona shoe juggernaut, Hoka One One, who seem to have found "their time to fly" as their slogan suggests. Big or small, new or veteran, each company had a human element and, on their behalf, I'd like to share their enthusiasm. This isn't so much a review of products because, the way I see it, every one of those companies is doing good. My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to visit every one of those 250 companies. There's always next year, right?   Here is Part One of my Treasures from TRE! Introduction (0:00-4:30) Hoka One One (4:35-23:50) Untapped (22:50-34:30) Headsweats (34:30-40:52) Safety Skin (40:55-48:36) Ultimate Direction (49:00-59:55) Runderwear (1:00:00-1:05:15) Feetures (1:05:20-1:09:45) CurrexSole (1:09:45-1:16:30) Tailwind Nutrition (1:16:30-1:22:00)   Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Stitcher Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved Theme Music: "Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/