Happy New Year!

Thank you everyone for shopping with us. You all are amazing! You allow us to do the job we love and we thank you for the opportunity to prove that a trip to RunAbout is well worth it.

Every year we work to be better, having the best products for our customers, amazing customer service, and a staff that can help you with all things running and walking. We also offer the best awards system (go ahead and compare it to any athletic store), and the best prices. If you find the product cheaper somewhere else we will match it, even seven days after purchase!

We want you all to enjoy life and be fit. Having happy feet is a big part of that. RunAbout Sports has new technology coming into the store that will allow us to do some incredible stuff! We will be able to create custom insoles. The new technology also provides recommendations for shoes. This will have a backup system to make sure our sales associates know all the options for you. It's essentially like getting a second opinion. You have to check it out!

For the events - we continue to think of ways to keep our community motivated to work out and get their friends involved. We have started the 3rd year of the 100 Mile January Challenge, the third year for the 1000 and 2018 miles annual goal, pub runs, and our race series. We have added a new race this year on St. Patrick's Day - the Shamrock 4 Miler and Little Lucky Leprechaun on March 17th. We have added to our free kids events and continue to support groups and organizations doing the same. It brings us great pride that we have been able to raise over $100,000 for charities over the years. This doesn't include the help and support we provide all year to coaches who have kids in need, families that are having a hard time, and community events raising money for so many great causes. As a small business we are honored to do our part to better our community. You allow us to do it!

Thank you!

James, Stephen, George, Kate, Caroline, Matthew, Noah, Bryce, Kenneth, Tricia, Peter, Theresa

This Newsletter covers:

$10 coupon

Frosty 5K Results and Pictures

2017 RunAbout Race Series

100 Mile Challenge Month

2017 Mileage Challenge - 1000 Miles and 2017 Miles

Runner's Gala Feb. 8th

Pub Run Fun Runs - every Wednesday at 6pm

Trail Runs every Saturday

Race Series Sponsors Thank You!

RunAbout Training Programs - Couch to 5K, Plus 1/2 marathon/ marathon

KIDS 2018 Programs

2018 Race Series Schedule and Information

With 2017 in the books report your December miles and any months you may have missed. Right now we have 99,016.29 miles recorded for the year by 97 people! AWESOME JOB! 1000 Miles and 2017 Miles were the two big goals to try and achieve. So far 12 people have reached the 2017 goal and 34 more have achieved the 1000 mile goal. Simply AWESOME! Last year we totaled 69,466.93 miles by 58 people. Way to get out there and bring your neighbors along. Awards will be given out at the Runners Gala on February 8th. The last day to report miles for 2017 is January 15th. Thanks!

Report 2017 Miles HERE

Check current mileage HERE

Runners Gala Awards Banquet will be February 8th

Always a fun evening, the 2018 Runners Gala Awards Banquet will be February 8th. Location will most likely be moved from Bull & Bones as we need a larger venue. The Gala is a get together with your runner friends to hang out, celebrate 2017 achievements and just have some fun! This is a free event and everyone is welcome!

Pub Run Fun Runs are EVERY Wednesday at 6pm from RunAbout

These fun runs are open to all abilities from runners to walkers. We average about 35 people at the runs but can be as high as 80 on nice days. After earning 100 miles, participants get their picture up on our wall and a 100 Mile Pub Run shirt. 200 miles earns a mug. Great group and lots of fun. Once a month we will do hills where you earn store credit for each hill you do and once in a while we have a scavenger run or poker run. Free!

Trail Runs with Jess and Erik are Saturday mornings at 9am at Pandapas Pond - looking to learn about the trails in Pandapas Pond? Come join Jess and Erik every Saturday for runs at 9am. Check out the Blacksburg Striders facebook page for updates.

2017 RunAbout Race Series Thank You to our Sponsors!

Thank you to our sponsors who help make our races better and the race series possible. The race series has been able to generate just over $100,000 to charities over the last four years. Helping our community become more fit and giving back. We also see this as an opportunity to support local businesses by boosting hotel rooms booked, generate traffic at our awesome local restaurants and all shirts, signs, awards and swag are from local businesses. THANK YOU!

Carilion Clinic- 4 year sponsor

Dowell Chiropractic - 4 year sponsor

Skip Slocum with Nest Realty - 2 year sponsor

New River Dermatology - 1 year sponsor

Blacksburg Physical Therapy - 4 year sponsor

Spectrum Brand - 3 year sponsor

Pearisburg Eye Associates - 3 year sponsor

Maready PLLC - 2 year sponsor

RunAbout Sports - 4 year sponsor

RunAbout Training Programs Starting Up in January 2018

RunAbout will be starting a Couch to 5K program for beginners or for those wanting to get back in shape in a fun group setting. We will also have a more advanced program from people wanting to do their first half marathon, to those trying to qualify for Boston. We will have an informational meeting at RunAbout Sports on January 14th at 4pm where you can meet the coaches and see what the training programs entail. Those that can't make the meeting can email RunAbout at [email protected] for the information.

KIDS

Our free Healthy Kids Run in the Spring and Fall are always a blast, and the Summer Youth Track League gets a lot of kids out running! We thank Choice Physical Therapy and Wellness Center for sponsoring our Kids programs. 2018 will be another great year for our kid programs!

2018 Kid Programs!

Blacksburg Classic 1 Mile Fun Run - February 11 - Free - Medal to finishers - Margaret Beeks Elementary School

Lucky Little Leprechaun 1K Run - March 17th - Free - Medal to finishers - Blacksburg H.S.

Spring Healthy Kids Run - Every Tuesday at 6-7pm - April 10th- May 29th - Free - kids learn running drills and do a mini workout and play games - Blacksburg H.S. - 25-50 kids on average..

Youth Track League - one practice and one meet per week - Starts week of June 4th and finishes last week of July. Cost is $60.00. Scholarships available. Blacksburg H.S. Track. 95-120 kids take part each summer.

Draper Mile and 300 Meter Kids Run - Draper Mile has a cost and family max fee. 300 meter kids run is free and kids get a finisher medal. August 3rd. Downtown Blacksburg, part of Steppin Out Festival

Fall Healthy Kids Run - Like our Spring session, tends to have fewer kids due to Fall sports. 10-25 kids on average.

HOKIE HALF MARATHON Children's Challenge - teachers, parents and other children group leaders can pick up the fun "course map" at RunAbout. Kids have to September 21st to complete 12.5 miles. Forms will be available August 10th. They can follow their progress on their course map that is broken up by 1/4 miles at school, home, etc. The last 976 meters (making it 13.1 miles) will take place at 11:30am at the VT Corporate Research Center and the kids will run the last part of the Hokie Half course and finish where all the runners had earlier. HokieBird medals will be awarded to those completing the challenge. This is a free event.

Frosty 1 Mile Fun Run - December 24th - free event - medal to finishers

2018 RunAbout Race Series Announced

33rd annual Blacksburg Classic 10 Miler and 5K - February 11th (Blacksburg)

Shamrock 4 Miler and Little Lucky Leprechaun - March 17th (Blacksburg)

4th annual Huckleberry Jam 7 Miler - April 28th (Blacksburg to Christiansburg)

10th annual Downtown Sundown 5K - June 16th (Blacksburg)

10K Hell Climb - July 7th (Giles County)

37th annual Draper Mile - August 3rd (Blacksburg - Friday night)

Eye Run 10K/ 5K and Kids Run - August 18th (Pearisburg)

6th annual Hokie Half Marathon and 5K - September 23rd (Blacksburg)

Braveheart 5K - October 20th (Radford)

Brush Mountain Trail Adventure (3 Miles, 7 Miles and 12 Mile options) - Oct 27th

Frosty 5K - December 24th (Blacksburg)

Everyone  who finishes eight of the eleven races receives a Race Series sweatshirt.  This includes the shorter race distance at each event and is new for the 2017 Race Series.  For example, running in the Blacksburg Classic 10 miler OR 5k both count towards sweatshirt eligibility but  NOT  towards race series points (only runners in the 10 miler are eligible for race series points). The same policy applies to all 2017 Race Series events.

To Earn a Sweatshirt, participants need to complete EIGHT of the following eleven events:

To Score Race Series Points, competitors must enter:

The RunAbout Race Series Age Group Winners will also receive a jacket. Top five overall point winners (male and female participants points are combined, not separate) win cash and a shopping spree at RunAbout Sports. Top 5 overall winners are removed from Age Group Jacket Winners but will also receive a Race Series Champion jacket as well. You  MUST  run in at least two races to earn a jacket.

Age Group Awards are broken into male and female categories with top three scoring. 5 points for 1st, 3 points for 2nd, 1 point for 3rd. 13 Age group categories exist for males and females each(26 total): 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

Overall points are added to age group points. Ten points for 1st, nine points for 2nd, eight for 3rd, seven for 4th, etc. One point for 10th.

Your points will be based off your age at each race. If you earned 12 points at the Blacksburg Classic and then turned 40 before the Mountain Lake Hell Run 10K, your points will travel with you to your new age group. On December 24th your age will be your final age category even if you don’t compete in the Frosty 5K.

POINTS FROM  ALL 11 EVENTS  WILL BE INCLUDED IN SCORING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU COMPETE. Thus, not participating can only hurt your overall score.