To say I’ve been absent on the blog over the summer would be an understatement. As many of you know following the Skedaddle, Chelsea and I welcomed our first born Violet. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you are well aware of this, because I’ve been posting photos of her for five months straight, with no sign of stoppage coming soon.

I cannot begin to describe all of the joy and excitement each day brings with a baby at home. Fatherhood has brought immense personal joy into my life, but I’ve had to face a lot of “stuff” this summer. I was recently asked during a podcast appearance if I’ve dealt with imposter syndrome. The feeling of inadequacy despite success. Nagging self-doubt that makes you feel like you are doing nothing right.

As a business owner, member of non-profit boards, general manager of the shop, co-worker and athlete; I certainly felt like an imposter many times throughout the summer. To veteran parents, I’m sure reading this is almost comical, but seriously a baby changes everything. The reality of the situation is my list of commitments is long, but only one thing holds the top spot. My top priority is to be a great husband and father. For me being able to process that; the fact that my other commitments don’t get top billing from me has been a challenge.

How am I not an imposter if I’m not all-in on the business, or all-in on my volunteerism or all-in on training?

As a young adult I found John Wooden and his pyramid of success. When I left South Dakota State University I studied Wooden in depth more than any subject I tackled when I was actually in school. Not only was Coach Wooden a champion on the basketball court, he was a champion at life. As I’ve struggled with imposter syndrome I was reminded of one of his many famous quotes.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
― John Wooden  

What this all comes down to is time. I cannot focus on what others think and I’ve got to stay focused from moment-to-moment. So while I can’t commit as much time to everything that I once could, that doesn’t mean I’m not working hard or committed to the things that make me, me. Now that we’ve covered all of that I’m happy to say that today I’m back on the blog! You can also follow me on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram. Most importantly I’m still here at the shop on a regular basis too and would love to chat about your running adventures and how we can help you achieve your running goals.   

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 

Altra (all-tru) is our next brand on deck. Not really known for having a funny name, but once you saw one of their shoes, you’d know exactly what I was talking about. When I first saw this brand the words that I used to describe them were clown shoes, and that is the truth! A friend introduced them to me a few years ago and told me that I should give them a try. My exact words were “why would I wear clown shoes!” Long story short, they are now one of my favorite brand of running shoes. Enough about me let's talk shoes!

History
    Now this brand started off in a very unconventional way. One of the founders of Altra, Golden Harper, actually started off working in his family running store. After years of hearing about his customers injuries, he sought out a solution to their pain. In 2009, after years of research Golden finally came up with a possible solution creating the term Zero Drop. When a customer came in with an injury, he would take their shoes and throw them in a toaster oven, to heat the midsole of the shoes, so he could cut and level the amount of cushioning in the shoe. Little weird right? But here’s the kicker, it actually worked! Those customers actually found relief from their common running injuries. Golden and one of his high school friends, Brian Beckstead, put everything they had towards creating a prototype for Altra. In 2010, the first prototype was made and was launched and tested on a make-or-break test run on the Wasatch 100 race course. 100 miles! That is the ultimate test for any shoes and it surpassed their expectations. Leaving them emotional and blister-free from running that many miles. The first Altra running shoe hit the market in 2011 and since then Altra has received numerous awards including Runner's World Best Debut and many editors choice awards.

Unique Tech
    Altra is known for having 3 core values to their shoes.

Foot-shaped Toe Box- the shape of the toe box in the Altra’s allows the toes to spread and relax naturally and the big toe to remain in a straight position for maximum stability and power. Also, since the toes are more free it actually reduces overpronation and enhances stability for all-round comfort.

Fit-4-Her- Altras cater to the specific form of the female foot which has a narrower heel and mid foot, higher instep, a longer arch and unique metatarsal spacing. Altra is the only shoe that has gender specific shoes, which is just another thing that sets them apart.

Cushioned Zero Drop- Now you have probably heard the term Zero Drop used for a minimalist shoe, but Altra does something a little bit different. They position the heel and forefoot an equal distance from the ground but add more cushion to give you a little bit more protection from the road and trails. The Zero Drop aids in optimal alignment of the foot and cultivates better form and encourages a low-impact landing.


605 Best Seller

The Torin has been the bestseller at the store. The Torin is a high cushioned shoe ready to be taken out on the roads. Altra has lately been making two different versions of this shoe. The Torin 4 and Torin 4 Plush just came out in May. The difference between them is that the Torin 4 is a lighter, faster version of the previous Torin and the Torin 4 Plush is more like a maximum cushioned shoe. So if you like do some faster runs or just like a lighter shoe then the Torin 4 is a great shoe. Now if you’re in it for the long haul and want something with a little bit more cushion, the Torin 4 Plush can be your go to shoe. 
    

​

Our first brand on deck is Saucony! Now I know you may be wondering how the heck to even say that word. The pronoun citation of it is (sock-uh-knee). If you ask Greg (605 store manager) he will tell you to think of it as if someone SOCKED you in the knee and you yelled out UH my KNEE. But if you ask me I would say it fits like a sock and doesn’t hurt your knees.

History
To see the start of this brand, we have to go all the way back to 1896. The first Olympic marathon was run in Athens, Greece that year. If you were to look at the footwear that athletes wore back then you would see uncomfortable, leather shoes. Imagine running a marathon in leather dress shoes, hello blister city! The founders of Saucony wanted to change that so just two years later in 1898 Saucony was founded in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Later in 1968 they moved their operations to Cambridge, Massachusetts where they have stayed ever since. In 1972, Saucony was awarded “Best Quality” in Consumer Reports Magazine. They became a brand that you could trust and not one that would kick you in the knee! In 2006, Saucony launched the Run for Good Foundation to help end the childhood obesity epidemic. Not only is that a brand that strives to make a great, reliable shoe for you. They also what to make a difference in the world we live in.

Unique Technology
Everun- This the type of foam that Saucony uses in there shoes that is super soft and springy. It’s a great combination so you don’t feel like you’re just sinking into a sink hole but then also not running on a brick. Think of a trampoline with a water bed top. It springs you up but when you hit the ground you just sink right in.

ISOFit- It’s like a suit made for your foot. It’s tight where it needs to be to stay one but leaves you enough room for your foot to boogie.

PWRTrac- Is a tacky, durable rubber that gives you more grip when you are running. This is a great feature for trail runners and anyone looking for more traction in our harsh winters here in the Midwest.

Arctic Grip- This feature is only on the Saucony Peregrine Ice+. It uses Wet Ice technology to help you stay upright on the ice and on wet surfaces. We all know that winter running can be dangerous, so this feature helps those warriors braving the harsh, cold conditions be safe out on the roads.

605 Best Seller

The Saucony Guide has been the stores best seller. The guide has that Everun foam on the midsole of the shoe giving it that soft, springy feeling. The guide also use the ISOFit that is seen on most of the Saucony models. The Guide is a supportive shoe utilizing a dense medial post and an arch support.

​