YourSaskatoon Blogs

A big thank you to everyone who helped celebrate Brainsport's 25th Anniversary last week - it was a great evening! In celebration of the big year, we have a very cool "Product of the Week" to highlight this week at the end of this edition.   In this week's Q&A we're checking back in with Joey Lorer to get his thoughts on completing the Sinister 7 Ultra solo! But, before we get to that a reminder that Brainsport will be open during construction on the 600 Block of 10th Street East - it's expected to last three to four weeks. Now, on to our Q&A . . . Q&A with Joey LorerTara: Just a few years after committing yourself to running, you managed to successfully race the Sinister 7 solo, completing the 100 mile race in 27 hours 49 minutes and 23 seconds. What did it take physically, and mentally to get to the starting line?Joey: I found a training plan that was geared towards...

The big day is here! Today we are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Brainsport! We look forward to seeing you all out at run club this evening, where the winner of the Brooks Rock Your Run contest will be announced! It's going to a packed evening of celebration with a dinner at the Cosmopolitan Senior Citizens Centre following run club (limited amount of tickets still available for the dinner).  Today we are also taking time to remember Ric Hanna; one of Saskatoon's greatest runner's, and a man who fought Huntington's Disease with an unrelenting spirit.  Ric's legacy will certainly be everlasting; and his name will continue to be honoured each year at Brainsport with the Ric Hanna Award, which is awarded to one runner who exemplifies outstanding leadership. Past recipients of the award are: Dave Stark, Peter Goode, Jan Sterling, Theresa Reid-Shea, Brian Breit, Audrey Mowchenko, and Oliver Eaton. In place of a Q&A this week, we have a tribute to Ric, with words...

Brainsport's 25th Anniversay celebration is fast approaching; and there's plenty to look forward to on July 13 as the fun gets underway - you're not going to want to miss it! Bit-by-bit some details have been released about the celebration, including the Brooks Rock Your Run Contest winner announcement, ticket availability, supper location, and catering. In this week's Q&A we get even more details from Brian.    Q&A Brian Michasiw Tara: The big day is almost here! What are your thoughts as you approach this milestone of 25 years in business? Brian: It makes me reflect on how far we've come. Looking back to when we started Brainsport it's now clear to me how little we knew about business. At the time my partner Debbie Harksen was 20-years-old and I was 21. We knew how to sell shoes, but that was about it. However, it's amazing what a positive attitude and a bit of hard work can accomplish. Tara:...

Anyone who’s is a part of Saskatoon’s running community likely knows just how special it is. This is evidenced every week on Wednesday evenings, and Saturday mornings at the Brainsport Run Club; individuals gathering, each with a unique story of how they came to be a runner. It seems fitting to take some time to get to know more about some of the remarkable individuals who make up Saskatoon’s running community. If you’re a regular Run Club goer you likely know Joey Lorer. You may also know him as the lead vocalist of Old Joe and the Truth Hurts. Next month he's going to be running the Sinister 7 Ultra solo; just a few years after taking up running. In this week’s Q&A we learn more about Joey's journey.   Q&A Joey Lorer Tara: With only a few years of running under your belt next month you'll be taking on 100 miles solo at the Sinister 7 Ultra in Alberta. What has been...

The fist day of summer fell upon us this week, marking the continuation a robust racing season both in Saskatoon and beyond. Whether training to race competitively, or working toward your first-ever race, these summer days provide a beautiful backdrop to whatever adventure you may be on.  With the EY River Classic set for mid July, there is a great opportunity to transition your summer-morning runs into a summer-morning race. This is one of the province's premier racing events, hosted by the SRRA. In this week's Q&A we speak with race committee member, Neil MacKay, to learn more about the event.   Q&A Neil MacKay Tara: The EY River Run Classic is one of the province’s top road races. What goes into making this such a great event year in and year out? Neil: There is something for everyone as there are a variety of race distances - a 5K walk/run, a 10K and a...

We are getting increasingly excited about Brainsport's upcoming 25th Anniversary! You have likely already heard, or read here in the Times, about the celebration we'll be having on July 13 (if not be sure to checkout the "Upcoming Events). This is going to be super fun evening of celebration! We also have another 25th anniversary project in the works. Over the past several months Don Cochrane, with the assistance of photographer, Louis Christ and myself, have been working on a publication for Brainsport's 25th Anniversary.  In this week's Q&A we learn more about the project from none other than Don, himself.    Q&A Don Cochrane Tara: First, a bit about you Don, and your relationship with Brian and Brainsport. You go way, way back making you a perfect fit to lead the way on this project. Would you mind telling us a bit more about this?   Don: I first met Brian more than thirty years...

A few special travelling-visitors passed through the store last week! On May 9, Stanley Barkman started walking from his home in Sioux Lookout, Ont. with the goal of reaching Fort McMurray by foot to raise funds for the fire evacuees. On that day the Walking for Fort McMurray campaign took to life. Along the way Stanley has been joined by his cousin David Barkman (in Ontario) as well as Fort McMurray evacuee, Nathan Walmsley, in Regina. On Friday morning the trio was at Brainsport where they were each given a new pair of shoes, along with a few pairs of socks to help them along their journey. Before sitting down for his fitting we caught up with Stanley to learn more about his venture.   Q&A Stanley Barkman Tara: What motivated you to walk from you home in Ontario, to Fort McMurray to raise money for the fire evacuees? Stanley: People are losing their houses - I want o do what...

Congratulations to all the participants and volunteers who took part in the 2016 Saskatchewan Marathon over this past weekend! There is a lot to celebrate; goals accomplished, fantastic performances, and the wonderful spirit of a community of runners, walkers, and volunteers coming together for a great event. On the heels of such a fabulous weekend, we've packed the Times with two Q&A's this week. First up, we're going to talk with Brian to get his take on his thrilling third-place performance in the marathon. Then, we'll have a chat with Joel Pedersen of J2J Fitness about the safety-awareness and self-defence session being held at Brainsport this Saturday.  There's a lot to cover, so let's get right to it! Brian Michasiw Tara: It's not very often you see a sprint right to the finish line in a marathon, but you and Seiji Yoshimura battled it out hard for third place all the way to the end. It was a cat and...

The 2016 Saskatchewan Marathon is just days away! As the excitement builds, we thought it would be fun to interview Brian for this week's Q&A to get his thoughts on this year's event.  Before we get to the interview - all the best to everyone participating this weekend!   Q&A with Brian Michasiw  Tara: Having won the Saskatchewan Marathon six times, you have some invaluable experience heading into this weekend's race. On the flip side, there are a whole lot of runners out their eagerly anticipating their first Saskatchewan Marathon. Do you have any advice for first-time participants? Brian: Don't go out too hard. All of us runners, at a certain point in the race, enter our fatigue-form state and if we go out too hard and can't maintain our form we're going to fall apart. It's easy to go out way too fast; it takes a lot of discipline to hold back...

Tomorrow evening marks the start of the 2016 Saskatoon Road Runners Trail Race Series! In this week's Q&A we speak with the SRRA's Peter Goode to learn more about the series. It's exciting to know these races are for all levels of runners — as long as a conservative approach is taken, which Peter will get to. Also, be sure to check out our "Product of the Week" — we're featuring another great trail shoe (last week was the Hoka One One Speedgoat). Q&A with Peter Goode   Tara: For those not familiar, can you tell us more about the SRRA's series of trail races? Peter: The SRRA trail series is about five years old. It began with a fall trail race at Blackstrap Provincial Park, which I had planned as an SRRA end-of -season run and barbeque. It was so popular I decided to plan for three events in the following...

Interested in going on a beautiful trek in Peru in support of a great cause? This week we're speaking with Mavis Derksen, who's leading the way for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada on a Machu Picchu adventure! There's a lot to learn about this Charity Challenge, so we'll get started right away. But first note, there is also an information session on Saturday, May 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brainsport. Q&A with Mavis Derksen Tara: This seems like a wonderful opportunity to take on a major trek for people of varying experiences hiking. Is it fair to say it's suitable for those who have very little experience? Mavis: Destination hiking is very popular worldwide. The training for Machu Picchu will begin in mid July 2016. Before that I encourage teammates to walk and enjoy the outdoors. This hike is not a race. The speed you will be...

We have an exciting evening coming up this week! On Friday, April 15 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. you're all invited to the Brainsport Run Club/Academy Appreciation Night.  To fill us in on all the details we'll be speaking with Brian in this week's Q&A. So, let's get right to it! Q&A with Brian Michasiw Tara: What’s was the motivation to present this evening of appreciation?   Brian: We want to give our loyal customers an opportunity to gear up for the Saskatchewan Marathon event. As a token of our appreciation we’ll have an extra special discount on Friday evening.   Tara: The timing of the appreciation night is very intentional. Can you elaborate on why you think it’s important to offer this discount at this time?   Brian: I was in Victoria for the Victoria Marathon a few years ago and I looked at my shoes and noticed the...

Technology, technology, technology — what do runners need to know? How can it best serve them? Tonight, physiotherapist, Brad Spokes will be speaking at the store as part of the Brainsport Running Academy's Speaker Series. The topic — yes — technology! We're also inviting Run Club folks to stay after this evening's run to listen to Brad's talk. We hope to see you all there!  In this week's Q&A we're going to get a preview of what Brad will be addressing this evening. Q&A with Brad Spokes Tara: Throughout your career, how have you seen technology change the sport? Brad: Back in the early 90’s from a technology standpoint most runners simply ran with the wrist watch. Time was the only measure. As the mid 90’s arrived the heart rate monitor (HRM) was starting to be used by some elite level runners and triathletes and the rush was on to understand...

Welcome to the short work week everyone! Hopefully some extra time away from the desk and computer has served you all well. I'm away this week, so the Times is a bit scaled back — I'll have a Q&A prepared for you next week. In the meantime, you may want to check out, photographer, Steve Gibb's website. He's posted his photos of Brainsport, along with some lovely writing about the store. Here's the link http://www.gibbart.com/  — enjoy! Upcoming Events Strength and mobility; a fascial rolling class with Theresa Ziegler Learn how to optimize your tissue mobility and get a core workout ideal for runners at the same time. Streamline your strength and mobility into one effective workout. This class goes through multi-area foam rolling for tissue health and mobility, as well as intersperses each release technique with core specific strengthening work on hips, abdomen and back. Class size is up to 10...

Welcome to February everyone! Hopefully you all have been enjoying the warmer weather — and getting out for some nice runs! In this week's Times we're speaking to photographer Steve Gibb. Most of you are already familiar with his work, but may not realize it. Steve is responsible for taking the Times' stunning front-page photo. With a keen eye for capturing the beauty of Saskatoon's historic buildings, it's no surprise Brainsport caught his attention. Steve will be posting his photos of the store on his website gibbart.com in the next week or so. In the meantime let's get to know him! Q&A with Steve Gibb Tara: Let's start with a little bit of your photography background. Would you mind telling us more about yourself?   Steve: I retired in 2010 after 40 years in the newspaper business, with 35 of those in various editing roles, including the last 17 years as...

It's been a very busy time at Brainsport with our 25th Anniversary Sale last week. We had fun keeping up with all the action. Thank you to everyone who came out and kept us super busy! In this week's Q&A we're speaking with Mike McDonald, who's coaching the Brainsport Running Academy Half-Marathon course. We're very excited about all the courses being offered this year by the academy — be sure to check them all out on our website. There's also more information below in "Upcoming Events."Q&A with Mike McDonaldTara: We’ve been getting some background on the Brainsport Running Academy coaches over the past few weeks. Now it's your turn. Would you mind telling us about your experiences as a runner and coach? Mike: Well, to be honest, the reason I got into running was because of my mom. She has run for almost my whole life and has completed many marathons, half-marathons and 10K runs....

This is the last Times of 2015. Happy New Year everyone!  There's a lot to look forward to in 2016, as we celebrate Brainsport's 25th anniversary. As we enter this exciting new year, Brainsport continues to evolve, while still staying true to its founding principals. With  new ventures such as the Brainsport Running Academy, we're positive 2016 is going to be a great year! In this week's Q&A Brian is taking a look back at Brainsport over the years, as well as looking ahead at what's to come in 2016.   Brian Michasiw: Tara: What does it mean to you to be closing in on the 25th anniversary of Brainsport? Brian: It's a huge milestone. Two and half decades! It's especially meaningful because about half that time in business I didn't think we'd make it. There were lots of times when things were very challenging; and I didn't know if we would be able...

Christmas is nine days away! It's tough believe, being the weather has felt more like March than mid-December. Nonetheless, Christmas is certainly coming!  It's most likely many of you are still getting some of your final holiday baking and gift shopping done. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do to help you with the baking, but we may be helpful on the shopping front! In place of a Q&A this week, check out some of our Staff Holiday Gift Picks. And, don't forget we're open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve! Staff Holiday Gift Picks Lisette's pick this year is Ultimate Direction's Ultra Vesta because it holds lots of stuff, doesn't bounce around, and it's sized for women! Harvey's pick is the Salomon Spikecross. It keeps him feeling safe and secure on the ice. It's also very comfortable! Jaimie is going with the Saucony Run Mitt. Primarily, because it has...

While most of us are fortunate enough to have fantastic footwear, for many people in Saskatoon this is not a reality. In fact, many don't even have the bare necessities when it comes shoes. This time of year we can only imagine what it would feel like to be outside in these frigid temperatures without proper footwear.  This is part of why we're so proud to, again, be presenting Free Shoe Day! In this week's Q&A we speak with Mike McDonald, the Founder and Executive Director of Recess Guardians, and long-time volunteer/organizer of Free Shoe Day.Before we get to our chat with Mike, a quick sidenote: We are still gathering as many pairs of gently-used, or new shoes as possible by the end of today (Wednesday, December 2). So please swing by the store and drop off your donations by 6 p.m. We'll also be asking people to volunteer after Run...

The winter weather has arrived, and quite convincingly!  As the colder weather hits we're seeing more-and-more people coming into the store to get suited up for winter running. We're also seeing a lot of people interested our uksi skirts. If you follow us on social media you may have seen a fun photo of the designer, and founder of uksi skirts, Elizabeth Michasiw, posing with Brett Wilson, from CBC's Dragons' Den.  We often hear "it's such smart idea," and "who makes these?". So, today we're going to talk to Elizabeth and learn more about how the uksi skirt came to be, and much more.   Q&A with Elizabeth Michasiw Tara: The uksi skirt is such a smart and unique idea. How did you come up with it and, ultimately, create the skirt as we now know it?   Elizabeth: I feel like I can’t take a lot of credit for coming up with a really creative idea because it...