Today I wanted to discuss running ambassador programs. You’ve probably seen them. Folks who apply to specific brands to test future products, buy stuff on discount and most importantly promote brands. This in my opinion is very different than being sponsored by a brand. I’ll be completely honest from the beginning. I’m not a very big fan. I say this knowing full well that some of my closest running friends are currently ambassadors for several different products. Why I’m not a fan of ambassador programs has very little to do with the people selected to be ambassadors and more to do with how these programs impact businesses like mine.

The running industry can be cut-throat. There is a lot of crowded space; meaning many brands are competing for market share. This means that they will do pretty much anything to make a quick sale. Including leveraging relationships with small businesses against ambassadors for their specific brand. And this brings me to the key factors I want to discuss today. Trust, discount culture and where purchases are made.

First, I want to talk about trust. In 2019 trust in general is at an all-time low. Honestly, it is easy to understand why too. Just look at some of the local news stories. I generally shy away from discussing local politics too much on this blog so I’ll leave that last line up to interpretation. The point is that we don’t trust anybody anymore.

At 605 Running Company we are constantly trying to build our trust, with you our customers. We do this by using the products we sell, but it is more than that. I personally take time and money to travel to industry trade shows, meet with vendor’s in-person year-round and sample hundreds of items each year. By shopping around and trying a lot of different stuff we do our very best to offer a wide variety of items from socks, packs, nutrition, apparel and of course shoes. This at its core is what makes a running specialty outfitter unique.

Brand ambassadors are sought out for some of the same reasons. Mostly it comes down to trust. If you can get a bunch of people to apply for an ambassadorship by offering free merchandise and product discounts you get a built in community trust factor surrounding your brand. Seems pretty straight forward correct? My issue here is the discount culture that this feeds into and it sends folks online instead of downtown (figuratively and literally).

You might see a post similar to this by a brand ambassador that was recently gifted an item or sold an item at a steep discount.

“Hi guys! I’m so honored to be representing brand x this year. I’ve been using this product and really like it and you should to. Use my code xxx and get a percent off your next order at brand website!”

I have multiple issues here. One, if this is a product we carry the ambassador is pushing customers away from my door and online. Remember our industry is cut-throat and our vendors don’t always care how they get a sale, as long as they get a sale. Two, if this is a product we don’t carry, but it is something very similar to what we have in-store, again, we are missing out on a potential sale. Finally, this type of promotion feeds into a discount culture that is poisoning retail business.

On this blog I’ve written about why it is important for us to sell the products in our store as quickly as possible. Everything you see in our store is already paid for or will be paid for in the next thirty-to-ninety days. Our business is successful when we can collect the best possible margin on each product we sell. It is in the margin where we are able to pay staff, keep the lights on and invest back into our community. That pie gets sliced up pretty quickly.

The feeling of getting a great deal is pretty intoxicating; but the feeling of getting a product you can touch, feel, try-on and ask questions about should be better.
 
The best way to save some money at my store is to join the Sioux Falls Area Running Club, the 605 Race Crew, the Sioux Falls Women Run Training Team or join or rewards program. If you do those things you’re going to have almost as many benefits, if not more, as some of the best ambassador programs out there. We also price match any advertised price from reputable sources.

This brings me to my final point today. Where purchases are made. I’m not naïve to the drumbeat you’ve been hearing on the radio about the power of shopping local or the social media posts about how you should shop local to pay for my kids’ daycare. The truth is I value all of that messaging, but I want to take a different approach today. As a local business we’ve made some strong partnerships with amazing organizations and we offer great programming that is free.

Tonight we will have Kathy Grady at our Tuesday Night Chat Series. We’ve been doing chats for months that tackle topics important to runners by bringing in local experts in an “ask me anything” style format. When you make your purchases here you directly support programming like these chats. Along with our free programs and group runs; we also support local running clubs and races. We are a business built on building a community. That is not lip service either, we truly believe that our business is successful when we lift up our community as well as maintain the bottom line. Without one the other one isn't possible.  

​Greg Koch is the Co-Owner and General Manager of 605 Running Company and Co-Produces the Sioux Falls Skedaddle Half Marathon. He serves on the Board of Directors for Downtown Sioux Falls, the 605 Race Crew and the Sioux Falls Area Running Club. When Greg isn’t with his family or working he enjoys being outside biking, kayaking, golfing or playing church softball.

​Instagram: gregrun605
YouTube: 605 Running Company
Facebook: facebook.com/greg.koch.583

Today was cold. Today was not the end of the running outside cold though. This morning I was greeted by the most beautiful full moon. Clear skies often mean cooler temperatures. I know this because my wife told me I’m in charge of the weather at our house. Who knows exactly what that means, but I’ll take it as meaning I get to make stuff up about the weather like a politician. It might not be factual, but it sure sounds about right.

So how cold was this morning? Three degrees with a light five mile per hour wind. Honestly, once you commit it isn’t that bad. What makes a cold run this time of year difficult is the mindset. We are not acclimated yet. At the end of January today’s run will seem like child’s play. How we prepare for the season is key.

Here is what I wore today for six miles outside.

605 Boco Beanie: $30
605 Boco Buff: $18
Mizuno Breath Thermal Base Layer: $85
Run Jacket: $180
Mizuno Breath Thermal Tights: $75
Balega Long Mohair Socks: $18  
Under Armour Boxer Jock: $35 (2 pack)
Brooks Ravenna 10: $110
Total: $551

I know what you’re thinking.

“Jeez that is a lot of money for winter running gear!”
   
So let’s break it down for context. All of the gear I just listed is three-to-five years old. For math’s sake let’s say it is three years old. In the past three seasons I’ve been wearing this gear for about four months of the year and I run about one-hundred or more miles per month.

4 months * 100 miles = 400 miles
3 years * 400 miles = 1200 miles on my gear
That breaks down to $2.18 per mile and counting.

My point is running apparel is a good investment that lasts long, feels good, looks good and offers technical components that other gear cannot offer. Let’s walk through what I wore again in a different context.

Today was three degrees and all I wore was a pair of pants, a long sleeve shirt, hat, gloves and a jacket.

In my experience when I talk about what I wore versus what my customers think they should be wearing for a day like today, we are in different places. Yes in cold temperatures dressing in layers is important. How we manage those layers matters. As we stack up clothes our mobility gets limited and it becomes more difficult to run. This is when quality over quantity makes a huge difference. I could discuss gear all day, but I promise I’m almost off of my soapbox.

One last talking point about the cost of our apparel. I understand that you as a customer have a choice in how you choose to spend your dollars. I also know that there are other options than what I’ve currently got in my shop. Another thing we know here at the shop is that most of you are going online to read reviews on products before you come down to make a purchase. We are not naïve to how the world works. Our goal is to curate the best products available to us, from our vendors, to help you make your choice. We view ourselves as your teammate in finding what works best for you and your situation. We don’t hide the fact that we are a business and we’ve got margins to make to keep the lights on and the doors open. With that being said we have started a rewards program at the shop. For every $250 you spend you earn a $25 gift card. The program is free to join. So the next time you visit I will ask if you’d like to join. All it requires is your name and a phone number (I promise I’m not going to call or text you – it is just an ID number that we are pretty sure you won’t forget).
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As you know we are now in one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. I personally cannot thank all of you enough for choosing to shop with us, run with us or participate in our local programming (reminder that tonight we have a Tuesday Night Chat!). It is truly an honor to be your local running specialty outfitter.          

Greg Koch is the Co-Owner and General Manager of 605 Running Company and Co-Produces the Sioux Falls Skedaddle Half Marathon. He serves on the Board of Directors for Downtown Sioux Falls, the 605 Race Crew and the Sioux Falls Area Running Club. When Greg isn’t with his family or working he enjoys being outside biking, kayaking, golfing or playing church softball.

​Instagram: gregrun605
YouTube: 605 Running Company
Facebook: facebook.com/greg.koch.583 ​

Think about a time when you had to really embrace a challenge. Maybe it was an exam in school or a test to be certified in something that really matters to you. In my life I’ve had a few of these moments. You know, the times where you start to question your abilities. Is this challenge something I can handle or is it too much?

In a previous life I drove a school bus equipped with air breaks. In fact I drove a charter bus in Downtown Minneapolis! When I worked for the YMCA obtaining my Class B Commercial Driver License was one of those times that I personally had to embrace a challenge. I had to first pass a written test, followed by a period of practice driving with licensed driver. Next, I had to perform a walk around inspection of the vehicle. I learned about tire tread depth, leaf springs, oil seals and all sorts of other unique components of a vehicle. After the walk around inspection I performed a test of the air brakes system and if I could do all of that I finally got to take the driving exam. This included a set of unique commercial vehicle maneuvers (yes, I had to parallel park a 45 foot bus and would later do it often on Minnesota Avenue in front of the YMCA) and finally driving on the streets with my rig.

For my camp friends and I this was a big challenge. I was nineteen years old when I got my CDL. What this meant for me at camp was that I could make more money. It was a challenge worth embracing. It also meant that I had a lot more responsibility and it gave me the opportunity to show my superiors that I could handle added responsibilities. Moments like this in my life stand out because they have helped shape the person I am today. Eventually, I trained other camps staff on how to successfully complete the process of gaining their CDL.
 
The truth is on my first attempt at my walk around and skills test for my CDL I failed. I was crushed. Some of my friends had already passed and I felt like a loser for not successfully obtaining my license on the first try. This was a one of those moments where you have to dust yourself off and try again.

Why am I talking about this on the blog today?

Winter running. I’m asked questions almost daily about year-round training outside. I love running this time of year. The thin cool air, the harvest moon and on the clear mornings when the stars pop so bright, you feel like you could reach up and grab them. Yes, this is a challenge worth embracing. Running this time of year takes a different kind of commitment. You have to plan what to wear for the conditions. Every run is an adventure and most of them are in the dark.

I can tell you to dress in layers, I can offer different styles of shoes for more grip and I’ve got tips galore on how to avoid chaffing and wind burn. But, the anxiety of being cold, falling on ice or justified fears of what might lurk in the dark are much more difficult to speak to. All I can do is offer perspective from my experience. Our group run on Wednesday Night at 6:05pm and on Saturday morning at 7am is a safe way to embrace the cold running challenge. We will also have a fantastic Tuesday Night Chat on the 12th with my good friend and member of the Sioux Falls Police Department, Sergeant Jess Speckmeier to discuss personal safety.
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Many of you are new to the sport and that is fantastic. I know winter running is intimidating and a seemingly unsurmountable challenge. Trust me, some challenges are worth embracing!