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Published on 2007/07/04 All articles from this issue

New local store puts itself in runner's shoes

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By John Flood, Town Crier Staff Writer

When runners shop at Up & Running, a new athletic shoe store at the Foothill Crossing shopping center, they will find staff that put high mileage on their running shoes.

Take, for example, Carlos Siqueiros, store owner. He currently runs 95 to 100 miles per week.

"I want to try out for the Olympic marathon trials qualifier in the fall, which is under 2 hours and 22 minutes," Siqueiros said. "I'm working up to 120 to 140 miles per week."

Up & Running, which opened June 13, offers Asics, Saucony, Brooks and Mizuno brands along with apparel and accessories for men and women. Shoe prices range from $90 to $150.

Previously, Siqueiros, 26, was store manager at Runner's High, a running-shoe and apparel shop in downtown Los Altos that closed in June. He opened his own store because he strongly believes that Los Altos runners need a shoe store where they can find expert advice.

The idea of owning his own business also appealed to Siqueiros.

"I wanted to run my own business to have more say (in the decisions)," he said. "I love running. This definitely doesn't feel like work."

But Siqueiros doesn't only offer running shoes and apparel. He provides expertise that will extend the enjoyment of running, improve a runner's biomechanics and keep the runner on his or her feet longer without injuries, he said.

"We have a treadmill with a video camera that provides analysis for the runner," Siqueiros said. "We show the customers their gait and what they are doing with their feet (when they run)."

He intends to offer free clinics with a certified pedorthist who can provide corrective inserts to help runners with specific foot placement issues.

"A lot of foot-related problems can be solved by holding the foot in a different position (with inserts)," he said.

For Siqueiros, selling shoes is a small part of the equation.

"You take on a teaching position with customers," Siqueiros said. "We give them an understanding of what they're buying. That's more exciting than making a commission from selling the most expensive shoes."

Siqueiros also employs competitive runners in the store.

Ben Sitler and Kevin Chavez, St. Francis High School graduates, work at the store during the summer. Sitler currently attends Princeton University and Chavez attends Occidental College in Los Angeles. Both are on the track teams at their schools.

Having competitive athletes at the store adds credibility to the in-store experience, Siqueiros said.

Siqueiros started running with his father when he was 5 years old and ran competitively from the age of seven, he said.

He was on the track and field team at Silver Creek High School in San Jose and later graduated from Seattle University with a degree in criminal justice.

These days, Siqueiros runs with the Asics Aggies, a running club that's been around since the 1970s.

His times have been so good that the club, which has an Olympic development program, helps fund his travel costs to running events and provides free gear, he said.

Siqueiros' interest in running marathons started about a year ago when he ran his first 26-mile race, the California International Marathon, without training. He placed in the top 20 and third in his age group.

"I did it for fun with a friend," he said. "We got to 20 miles and felt fine, so we picked up the pace to see how fast we could go. We ran the last 6 miles at a 5-minute, 45-second-per-mile pace. I had such a good experience that I wondered what I could do if I trained for it."

Siqueiros said he wants to maintain a friendly in-store experience where he can greet customers by name.

"I consider everyone a friend and I'd like to maintain that," he said. "I'd like to see growth, maybe with two stores. I'll probably invest more in the store and staff (rather than expand to many locations)."

He encourages women to drop by the store and have a look at his women's apparel.

"Clothing fittings for women and the differences in the apparel can be as technical as the shoe itself. We have a young woman on staff who knows a lot about it."

Up & Running is located in the Foothill Crossing shopping center, 22362 Homestead Road. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 6:30-8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Closed Wednesdays. For more information, call (408) 738-8954.