Run for Nepal (#FleetFeetFundRun)
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 While Fleet Feet Sports is a franchise, a majority of the stores are locally owned, and all are locally operated. Together, we form a family united in our passion for helping people live fit and serving our communities. Every June we meet to share ideas, learn and reconnect. Often, when staff relocates to other cities, they join the Fleet Feet team in their new town.
That's how Jonathan, Kathleen and Patrick came to us. Jonathan & Kathleen were both part of Fleet Feet Carrboro (check out Jonathan's love story in Courant) and Patrick joined us after working at FF stores in GA and CA, including the store in Menlo Park.
 It was here that Patrick became friends with a coworker who had immigrated to the US from Nepal. Like many Nepalese, Tashi had no last name so he adopted the last name "Sherpa" as many Mt. Everest climbing guides do and didn't know how old he was because his family never counted the years. He has worked at Fleet Feet for many years and is now their Inventory Director and is well-loved by the Menlo Park community.
 Tashi Sherpa is from a small town near the base of Mt. Everest called Namche Bazaar (pop 1600, elevation 12,000'). The town was hit hard by the earthquake. While his family is all OK, his grandmother's house and many of his neighbor's houses were seriously damaged. Tashi is currently raising funds that will go directly to his community via the Namche Youth Group that he is involved with there.
In a show of solidarity, many Fleet Feet stores across the country will be hosting a Run for Nepal fundraiser this Thursday for Tashi. Even though we may only directly help a few families, it will ignite a chain reaction of good whose aftershocks will last longer and penetrate further than those of the earthquake.
Our #FleetFeetFundRun will be this Thursday, May 7, from 5:30-7:00pm (come when you can!). It is open to all ages and abilities. Everyone is encouraged to run or walk our favorite half mile loop as many times as they want. For each loop run, we will donate 50 cents to Tashi's fund. We will also give the first 200 people to donate $25+ a sweet "Run for Nepal" Brooks tech tee.
We invite you to bring a treat to share (as a thank you, you will get a free gift from Asics) post run/walk. Our friends at Thomas Hooker Brewing are donating beer plus, we'll have ice cold Nuun on tap so we can eat, drink and enjoy the camaraderie - and celebrate the generosity - of our community.
Become part of the spark!
Steph
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Judd's Shoe Review - Brooks Launch 2
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 Summer is upon us, and we all know what that means! Saturday and Sunday morning races! It's the season of speed and fun. To celebrate, we will be looking into the Brooks Launch 2, which defines summers for me.
This is a super breathable, lightweight, bright, and fast. The Launch has been around for many years, and has been loved by elite runners, and amateur alike. It was sosuccessful, that Brooks left it as is for years. When they decided to cut this shoe from the line, there were bands of people uniting to bring it back. They did, in style.
The re-launched Launch got all of the updates into Brooks' new technologies, like BioMoGoDNA, seamless uppers, and Pure interior liners. All of this put together makes the sweetest feeling lightweight, fast trainer that Brooks has ever put out. This shoe is perfect for the neutral runner who wants something fast for tempo runs, or maybe even to be that racing shoe to bring you through your next big PR!
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What's New w/Nancy - Mothers Day Gifts
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Whether she is walks, bikes, kick boxes, Zumba's, runs for fitness...or runs errands, we have a great selection of gifts for mom starting at $6. We will even wrap your gift for you!
 Musee Bath Balms: Soak in Life! Give Mom a great bath treat! These are hand-pressed with essential oils and natural ingredients. We are loving new scents like "Oh What a Night", "Lucy In the Sky", "Don't Worry be Happy" and "Happy Birthday". Give mom the gift of relaxation with these wrapped/ready-to-give balls of luxury!  FitBook Journal: Write it down. Make it happen. Live life fit. Make Mom's fit journey inspirational and motivational with the fitbook. She can personalize this journal. It is flexible, functional and unique. Sometimes writing it down is all the motivation we need!
 Banjees: Live happy and hands free! Our favorite wrist/ankle pockets now comes in larger sizes to fit phones like the iPhone 6 and the Samsung Galaxy. Mom will enjoy this wallet for everything she does! It holds her phone, id, credit card and keys. They come in fun colors and patterns to match her favorite outfit!
 Chic Buds: Give Mom new earbuds with a microphone! This way while she is running or on the run she can answer that call (what's for dinner?) They are crystal clear audio, tangle-free flat cords and they come in a variety of fun patterns. We are loving these for all of our activities!  Garmin FR10: A GPS watch is on every mom's Wish List, but it always gets pushed the bottom since the kids always need something first. Surprise her with a Garmin FR10 so she can track her distance, pace, time and calories and set her own run/walk intervals. It tracks her runs and celebrates her personal records. Upload, save and analyze workouts via GarminConnect (which now records the day's weather - yay!) Now on sale for just $99!  Gift Card: Give Mom a Fleet Feet gift card and let her splurge on herself! Not sure of her bra size? This is a great time for her to come into our new Women's Annex with her gift card, receive a complimentary bra fitting and treat herself to a new sports bra! Spend $50 on a gift card and get a free gift with purchase now through Saturday!
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Bonus Judd Review: Garmin VivoActiv
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It's been a techie season. Fitness and life-trackers are giving people motivation to get moving, and showing how active their lifestyle is. Smartwatches are all the rage for productive people trying to stay connected, avoiding the inconvenience of checking your phone every 30 seconds (we've all been there). Running watches are getting ever more convenient and helpful in training for the next big race.
Buying a separate watch for every different activity in your life is expensive and inconvenient, since they all require charging. It would be awesome to have a simple device that does all of this, right? Garmin thought so, too. The Garmin VivoActive watch does....everything. It is a small, stylish watch (you can buy separate wrist-bands, including a leather one!), that keeps track of everything you do.
It has Smartwatch capabilities, like informing you when and who is calling/texting/emailing you. There are downloadable apps for custom watch-faces, weather, and calendar, along with the fitness-tracking capabilities that remind you when you need to move and walk around. All aided by a really easy to use touch-screen interface. Pretty cool, but other watches have that, right? 
The thing that sets the VivoActive apart is the stuff Garmin has been known for, and a market leader in: standalone GPS watches. In the Apps section, you have options for almost any activity Garmin makes a product for. The big ones are run, bike, and swim functions (yes, you can swim with it), but since Garmin was making a mini-computer for your wrist, they gave it other capabilities, like golf, tennis, rowing, or even keeping track of where you parked!
Out of all of the watches on the market, whether you're looking for a life-tracker, stylish, smart, or athletic, the Garmin VivoActive does... everything, and well!
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Speed Development Program with the
Run S.M.A.R.T. Project
|  Ready for a new challenge? Want to take your training to the next level? We have joined forces with Coach James McKirdy and the Run S.M.A.R.T. Project to offer a brand new Speed Development Program this summer! This 15-week program is great for runners who have a few 5ks under their belts and are ready to take their training to the next level. The Speed Development Program also benefits those who have completed farther  distances and feel the need for speed! Our goal race is theKey Human Services' 5k on Saturday, September 12th. This program is recommended for runners of paces from 6:00-11:00 minutes per mile. Practices begin on June 3rd at 6:00pm. Our first meeting will be at Fleet Feet Sports; subsequent practices will either meet at the store or the Conard High School track. Workouts will consist of form drills, speed intervals, hill repeats, and tempo runs. In addition to these Wednesday group practices, you are invited to attend optional group runs on Saturday mornings. For more information or to sign-up, click here . |
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Featured Race: Celebrate West Hartford 5k
Sunday, June 7 @ 9:30am (kids @ 8:30am)
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It's time to register for our favorite hometown race: the 28th Annual Celebrate West Hartford 5k & kids fun run! The USATF certified 5k begins at 9:30am and is open to runners and walkers of all ages.
The mostly flat course starts and ends near Whole Foods in West Hartford Center/Blue Back Square. Competition is always tough as this race features great prizes, like Fleet Feet gift certificates, for all age group winners.
There will also be a ½ mile kids Fun Run that starts at 8:30am. All kids aged 10 and under will receive a race number and a finisher's medal!
After the race, plan on staying to enjoy the community fair that includes an arts & crafts show, great food, entertainment, games and rides. It's fun for the whole family!
For more information or to register online, click here (register before June 1 for early bird pricing).
Fleet Feet Sports will be hosting race registration and packet pick-up on Friday, June 5 from 3-6pm and on Saturday, from 9am-Noon. Come early and skip the hectic rush on race day. As an added incentive, the first 800 registrants receive a free super soft race tee featuring the winner of the Celebrate! WH logo contest.
All proceeds from the race go to the West Hartford Leisure Services Scholarship Fund to help financially disadvantaged kids participate in organized recreational programs.
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Lemony Grains with Asparagus
By Aubrey Schulz
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Spring makes its grand entrance with fresh flavorful asparagus. Those bright green stems poking through the ground are the first seasonal vegetables of the season. When in Spain a few years ago, we saw stalks of it poking up along the roadside, as we cycled past. Local residents crossed the road to harvest the wild crop. I'm sure it was a welcome treat on the dinner table.
Like many of the recipes I share, use this as a guide or framework. I've intentionally left the grain selection blank to encourage you to try out a new grain and introduce some variety to your meals. Farro would be a good starting point, as would barley.
Lemony Grains with Asparagus
Ingredients:
- 2 cups grains, cooked
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 1 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 4 oz goat cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Prepare your grains and let them cool on a baking sheet. Zest the lemons over the grains and stir.
- Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a saute pan. Cook the asparagus over medium heat until barely crisp and tender.
- Toss the cooled grains and asparagus together in a large bowl. Add the sliced almonds and goat cheese.
- Whisk the lemon juice with olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your tastes. Pour the dressing over the salad to coat the grains.
Source: www.thekitchn.com
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Aubrey Schulz is a certified nutrition and triathlon coach with Get Out N Play. She works with clients to help them reach their nutritional and athletic goals, in the kitchen, out on the road and in the water! Check out her training program for the Shamrock Marathon. You can reach her at aubrey@getoutnplay.biz
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Need New Shoes?
Can't Come to the Store?
Click Here!
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STORE HOURS:
Mon: 10-7
Tues: 10-7
Wed: 10-8
Thurs: 10-7
Fri: 10-7
Sat: 10-5:30
Sun: 12-5
Phone: 860-233-8077
www.fleetfeethartford.com
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FREE Injury Assessments
Sat, May 9 & 16
9:30-11am
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Nutrition Strategies for Women - FREE Talk
Wed, May 13 @ 7pm
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FREE Train Healthy
Performance Running Clinic
Sat, May 30 @ 9am
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Featured Race:
Freedom Run 5k
Sat, May 16 @ 8:30am
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Featured Race:
Beardsley 5k & kids Run
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| Wed Night Fun Runs
6:30pm (at the store)
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Thurs Night
Track Workout
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Be Safe, Carry ID
on Your Run or Ride | |
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