Jason Braswell has been a busy man lately, and four letters have occupied most of his time. H-I-L-O.
Braswell’s Big Island Running Co. recently opened its doors in Hilo, and the store’s next goal is to open its heart to the East Hawaii running community.
“We really stress to everyone — strollers, walkers, kids — if you’ve never put on a running shoe, we want to educate you. We want to get you out there,” Cary Aurand said from the store she manages at 308 Kamehameha Ave.
“For the advanced (runners), we want to help you, too. It’s about getting the community active and together. We’re about making friends and memories.”
Aurand said they heard a common refrain from East Hawaii visitors.
“We need one in Hilo, we need one in Hilo,” she said.
So Braswell started printing and pressing new apparel, and the company’s third store now occupies the space formerly held by Mokupapapa Discovery Center.
It opened July 9, though the formal grand opening is Friday and Saturday.
“The reception has been really good. People tell us they’re glad we’re here,” Aurand said.
“It’s huge,” Rick Otani, president of Hilo-based Big Island Road Runners, said. “Having them here, with knowledgeable people working in the stores, it’s a huge plus for the running community.”
The days of runners having to visit Kona to find what they need are over, he added.
Aurand said Sports Authority is her store’s primary competition, but Otani said Big Island Running Co. has no competition when it comes to customer service.
“Plus, the apparel is great,” he said.
Aurand said Video Gait analysis is what sets her company apart from other retailers. Through the program, the store will tape runners on a treadmill to diagnose their specific footwear needs.
“We can give a one-on-one assessment,” she said. “We can find what you’re doing and put you in the right shoe.”
On Wednesday, the company started its casual, twice-a-week, come-all training runs, a free program which will also be held on Saturdays.
The program is geared toward “anyone who is looking for a running partner and wants to learn about running,” Aurand said.
Running concurrently, the company’s Couch to 5K program, led by Hilo’s DJ Blinn, is exactly as it reads: get up, go, reach the finish line.
In this case, the end run is BIRR’s Hilo Bay 5K on Sept. 7.
“Anything that supports health in the community and exercise and activity is always a plus,” Otani said.
For advanced runners, the store is also planning a training group for the Honolulu Marathon in December.
“From beginners to all levels,” Aurand said. “We’ll do nutrition talks, talk about injury prevention. Everything.”
For more information, visit bigislandrunningcompany.com.