News Archive
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Following a successful 2025 Summit at the Westin Buckhead in Atlanta, the Running Industry Association will return to the same venue next s…
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Mark your calendar! We’re looking forward to seeing you at TRE! Members and interested potential members alike are welcome to join us at ou…
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If there’s one truth that defines the running industry it’s this: we can’t afford to stay still. That applies to our retail members, our br…
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In this series of short videos created for the Running Industry Association, Holly Wiese of 3 Dots Design shares practical merchandising id…
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Over the past few months, the Running Industry Association team—in collaboration with our technology partners at Contentserv—has been hard…
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Hello All,
As previously mentioned, the time has come for RIA Board Nominations!
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This summer, Mark Sullivan, longtime journalist in the field and one of the founders of The Running Event, and Chris Farley, owner of Pacer…
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Hello Friends,
I hope this note finds you well and that today has been kind to you. I’ll be honest, when I first sat down to write this…
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Join the next RIA Huddles on October 7th and 8th! Swap ideas and experiences around vendor relations before The Running Event and upcoming…
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Our goal each month for the RIA Pulse is to create value through information. Like the RIA itself, the purpose of the Pulse is to inform, i…
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TerraLoco's $5 5K program brings runners, walkers, community members, and local non-profits together to raise awareness and funds.
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Our Q3 Huddles in early July focused on Staffing and Organizational Planning with RIA board members leading three sessions with member reta…
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As we move into the back half of 2025, I want to take a moment to share some updates on where we stand as an industry—and what the RIA is d…
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For many of us in the specialty run world, our stores are more than just retail spaces. They’re where friendships are built on the sidewalk…
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Greetings! I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share some of the projects that we, as a board, are working on behind the scenes, specif…
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Kathy Gates, Owner of The Running Well Store, led an extremely well researched, insightful, and action inspiring conversation at the Summit…
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There’s no other way to say it: 2025 has been a strange year. We started off with significant headwinds, and in some cases I mean that lite…
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82 stores, 37 brands, and 9 associate partners brought the energy to Atlanta for our sixth annual RIA Conference!
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Lizzy’s career journey began as an athlete, competing in track and cross country at Marist College while pursuing her BA in Communications…
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I started and walked away from a draft of this letter multiple times before finding direction and focus. After a call with John Benedict I…
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When I penned my opening letter to our membership in February, I had no idea just how quickly the year would go by. Now, as we prepare to w…
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RIA retailers, if you’re attending TRE, please make sure you add the annual RIA Member Meeting to your schedule. The meeting will take pla…
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On behalf of the team at the RIA, I'm reaching out to 1) share an update on the Product Data Collaborative and 2) present an updated financ…
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When we gathered at the Summit, I shared that a time would soon come for new voices to join the RIA Board. Time has flown, and now we find…
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Every September, the Brave Like Gabe Foundation hosts a nationwide annual 5K event to raise awareness and funds for rare cancer research. G…
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As our member businesses head into back-to-school and a busy fall selling season, the Running Industry Association (RIA) is getting into pl…
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The RIA along with many of our retail, brand, and associate members are fully on board with the idea that sharing point-of-sale (POS) data…
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Charlotte Running Co. (CRC) partnered with the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) to host Find Your Path: Running Industry Career…
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The RIA is pleased to share an update on the Product Data Collaborative (PDC), our cornerstone initiative aimed at simplifying product data…
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In last month's Pulse, we talked about our plans for the back half of 2024, and elaborated on the strategic initiatives we have in place to…
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“We run on hope. We run for research. We are not giving up.” – Gabe Grunewald
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Across the industry, the influx of new consumers picking up running over the past few years has generated plenty of buzz, along with plenty…
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On April 29th the RIA welcomed 85 retail stores, 33 brands, and 9 associate members to the RIA Summit in St. Louis.
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It’s been a long time coming, but the RIA Product Data Collaborative (PDC) quietly went live May 13th. Members can now access an expanding…
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It was the RIA's great honor to induct three new individuals into the Run Specialty Hall of Fame at the RIA Summit last week in St. Louis…
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April is a big month for the Low Impact Alliance (LIA) and we’re excited to share some upcoming activations that are happening alongside ou…
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In the fast-paced world of the running industry, every second counts and every penny saved contributes to success. That's why the Running I…
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The RIA is excited to announce that the Product Data Collaborative (PDC) will go live in early May, with exact dates to be announced at the…
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April 2024 is shaping up to be the most impactful month in the history of the RIA, as we simultaneously prepare to welcome our members to t…
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Project update on the PDC from our Executive Director
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Updates from RIA Board President
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The Better Bins product recycling program is one of the latest initiatives of the LIA (Low Impact Alliance). Partnering with Recover, Sneak…
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Greetings from our new Board President
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A solution to product data management is on the way
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Originally shared in the Running Industry Diversity Coalition's Monthly Newsletter
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A Message from the RIA Board President
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As 2023 draws to a close, I’d like to take a quick pause from our frenetic pace of business and reflect on the key initiatives and benefits…
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Turn your data into dollars through Upper Quadrant marketing services partnered with Run Free e-commerce analytics
from Upper Quadrant
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On Wednesday, November 8th, the Running Industry Association held its first-ever Town Hall meeting, and we were pleased to welcome over 100…
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The RIA is pleased to introduce a new resource for careers within the run specialty channel. Presented exclusively for our members, this c…
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Lessons Learned from a Hall of Fame Coach
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What does run safety mean for our BIPOC community, and how can the running industry cultivate welcoming spaces for people of color?
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Matt and Aimee Balzer opened Reno Running on September 20, 2011. The pair built the company specifically to cater to the unique needs of no…
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More customers than ever are considering the environmental impacts of their purchases. As retailers in an industry that depends on outdoor…
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I had an engaging conversation recently with a retail member who was looking for resources and some advice about bringing new partners into…
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Imagine a community garden in your neighborhood, where every resident is invited to contribute. This garden promises a variety of fresh, h…
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More than 90% of consumers, possibly up to 97%, find local businesses through online searches, according to a variety of technology compani…
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When it comes to RIA initiatives, there are none that match the scope and ultimate value that the Product Data Collaborative (PDC) represen…
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Saving Soles to Support Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
Every year, Americans dispose of hundreds of millions of shoes. Of those, th…
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With 14 retail locations in Massachusetts and a strong ecommerce presence, Marathon Sports serves the running and fitness communities in th…
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Important topics for RIA this June.
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Every store leasing deal is different so having knowledge and skills in negotiations is a key to success.
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Bryan and Kim Kelpe opened Missouri Running Co. in southeast Missouri in 2012. As a small, locally-owned business committed to community me…
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On May 15, the Little Rock Roadrunners presented a $57,000 check to Rock City Running. The $57,000 was the total from 612 donations that ca…
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Marathon Sports was in high gear throughout April as the 127th Boston Marathon was happening. The company has 14 locations across Massachus…
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I know it is cliché to say this, but 2023 just seems to be flying by. January seems like it was yesterday, but here we are staring down Ma…
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Before the turn of the century, Dave Finger ran high school cross country with Jon Beck in Fairport, New York. Years later, Jon founded Red…
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Throughout February, the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) spotlighted Black leaders who made history, or are currently making hi…
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I’m a product guy. Even though I started my running industry career as a sales rep, for me it was always about the product. I geeked out on…
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Running Center in southern California started using Upper Quadrant Cadence package for data analysis less than a year ago, and the informat…
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How can companies and individuals in the running industry prevent and reduce the environmental impacts of their business activities?
Pl…
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Over the last few years, Red Rock Running Company signed leases on three store locations in the Las Vegas area. Each time, the company was…
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605 Running Company General Manager Gregory Koch reminds us: “Never underestimate the value of what we are doing at our shops. Even when yo…
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RIA Executive Director Terry Schalow shared insights about the growing benefits and use of data tools in running store operations, during a…
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The staff at Philadelphia Runner started comparing store performance to industry averages as soon as the RIA began offering the Weekly Benc…
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As the run specialty channel moves into 2023 and continues to evolve to meet the challenges of the market, the Running Industry Association…
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One year ago in the RIA Pulse, I had the pleasure of congratulating the run specialty channel for what was without a doubt the greatest yea…
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Fitted is the first universal platform that connects brands and retailers like never before. Fueled by Fitted, brands and retailers streaml…
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RIA is pleased to offer its members two new ways to save on shipping. In a continuous effort to support the running retail channel, we’ve t…
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"It is inspiring what you and your organization are doing, and I truly am grateful to hear we have the RIDC here to help build and support…
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Fitted is the first universal platform that connects brands and retailers like never before. Fueled by Fitted, brands and retailers streaml…
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In a quick but informative 45-minute meeting, RIA staff will introduce you to three powerful member benefits that are evolving into essenti…
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OptIO is a web browser-based suite of software that greatly streamlines every aspect of buying and inventory management. It strikes a balan…
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An update from Terry Schalow, RIA Executive Director as we wrap up 2022.
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Our Executive Director, Terry Schalow, speaks to upcoming trends as we eye 2023.
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Charm City Run is a 20-year-young running and walking retailer, event organizer and training company with seven retail stores around Maryla…
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Skinny Raven Sports general manager Aimee Chauvot is an early adopter of the RIA’s Weekly Snapshots powered by UQ Cadence. Since the fall o…
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In mid-May, the RIA hosted 300 members in Chicago at Runchella 2022. In the exit survey that followed, we asked what we could do to improve…
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Brand Member, Superfeet, is excited to share their new promotions within the organization with RIA Members.
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The vote is in, and the RIA is pleased to announce that our Board of Directors slate for 2022 has been approved by our members.
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By most accounts, 2021 was one of the greatest years the run specialty channel has ever seen. Considering that total sales exceeded 2020 by…
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RIA Weekly Snapshots in Action will feature stories of RIA retails that utilize RIA Weekly Snapshots, our newest premier member benefit pow…
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In late September, the Running Industry Association brought our members together at Runchella, the first in-person run specialty event in a…
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RIA Weekly Snapshots give retailers and brands key benchmarks and trends via their inbox.
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To the members of the Running Industry Association:
We hope this letter finds your business strong and your families and communities hea…
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Terry Schalow is the executive director of the Running Industry Association, a non-profit organization whose main mission is to support the…
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Do you ever find yourself hunting through emails from your brand representatives because you can't recall a booking deadline, or perhaps th…
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As part of their mission to drive the running industry forward, the Running Industry Association (RIA) has partnered with Sezzle, a ‘buy no…
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The RIA is excited to introduce a new series of webinars designed to keep our members up-to-date on relevant channel topics. Webinar Wednes…
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Sharing an interview with RIA's Executive Director, Terry Schalow, that was featured in SGB Executive, highlighting the specialty run chann…
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As we wrap up 2020, wow what a year, and look forward with the first quarter of 2021, Executive Director Terry Schalow shares some thoughts…
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The RIA (Running Industry Association) voted for new members to the 2021 Board of Directors, adding five new directors to replace an equal…
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Welcome to the first edition of the RIA Pulse, our new membership newsletter. With the launch of this digital publication, the Running Ind…
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The RIA is excited to announce the first of our planned webinars exclusively tailored to our members. We’ll kick off the series with a 202…
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From all the way back to my days as a prep and collegiate runner, I have a strong passion for the sport of running. That passion is now hel…
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RIA Connect is a new mobile app that we’re building out specifically for RIA members, placing many of the most valuable features of the RIA…
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