Gubbins Running Ahead Honored as One of America’s 50 Best Running
Stores

Local specialty running retailer recognized as one of the country’s best at gala ceremony this month at
The Running Event in Austin, Texas

AUSTIN, TX – December 4, 2010 — Gubbins Running Ahead in Easthampton, a local specialty

running retailer, was recently recognized as one of The 50 Best Running Stores in America® by two

leading trade and consumer publications.

Gubbins Running Ahead took its place among the country’s elite retailers following an extensive

nomination and review process throughout 2010. The process culminated in the store’s recognition

at a gala awards ceremony in Austin on November 17 as part of The Running Event®, an annual

business seminar and trade expo for specialty running retailers. The 50 Best Running Stores in

America awards program and The Running Event are owned by Formula4Media, LLC. The awards

program is co-sponsored by Competitor Magazine, a publication of Competitor Group, Inc.

The local retailer was recognized by a panel of industry experts for its outstanding service, product

knowledge and merchandising.

“Specialty retailers are the heart and soul of the running business and it was a pleasure and privilege

to recognize the best of the best during The Running Event,” said Mark Sullivan, editor of Running

Insight®, a Formula4Media, LLC publication. “The 50 Best Running Stores in America represent the

best that our industry has to offer in terms of customer satisfaction and superior retailing.”

“We’re proud to recognize and honor the 50 Best Running Stores who play such an essential role

to enable a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Andrew R. Hersam, Executive VP of Media for the

Competitor Group, publishers of Competitor Magazine. “The best running specialty stores are those

who are dedicated to their customer far beyond placing them in the right shoe. They provide advice,

encouragement, training runs, give back to the community through organizing races, and charity

runs/walks. In helping people to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives, these stores are helping the

greater community at large.”

The process of compiling a list of the top 50 running shops in the country began early in 2009

when Formula4Media, LLC with the help of Competitor Magazine, began to collect and evaluate

nominations from runners, soliciting feedback from consumers on their favorite running stores.

More than 200 stores received nominations, and a panel of industry experts from Franklin Resource

Group visited each nominated store to evaluate it on 20 different aspects of retailing, including

product knowledge, environment and community involvement.

A special report on The 50 Best Running Stores in America appears in the current November/

December issue of Competitor Magazine.

For more information on The Running Event or The 50 Best Running Stores in America awards,

please contact Mark Sullivan at 646-319-7878 or msullivan@formula4media.com. For more

information about the Competitor Group, please visit cgimediakit.com.