Many headlines tout the growth of trail running and rampant excitement for the category, but what are run specialty shops seeing in their hometowns? Running Insight asked four run specialty retailers about the state of trail running in their respective shops. 

Sarah Priest, partner
Good Times Running Co. (Katy, TX)
“We see an ever-increasing growth of the trail running community in southeast Texas fueled by experienced urban/suburban runners seeking new off-road challenges and new-to-sport athletes who appreciate the trail running community’s welcoming energy. We’re trying to elevate awareness of trail racing opportunities through social messaging and in-store promotions while also staying at the front of the hydration, fueling and accessory needs of these off-road, endurance athletes. The challenge is how best to balance a selection of trail running footwear among a wall of road runners. As a single store location, we continue to re-evaluate style selection, ensuring we can provide two or three or more quality styles for each runner type.”

Ross McDowell, owner
Run Away Shoes (Northeast WI)
“I’m a big fan of the trails and trail shoes myself, which I think a lot of people can use, whether it’s walking the dog in winter, hiking or hitting the roads in snowy conditions. But interest in trail is still small up here in Northeast Wisconsin. Maybe 10 percent of the population will substitute a trail run for a road run and make that 15-minute drive to a trail when the road is right outside their front door. That keeps our investment in trail shoes modest — two, maybe three models at a time.”

Reneé Grant, owner
Runner’s Depot (South Florida)
“We don’t have a lot of trails in South Florida, but we do have trail runners, many of whom travel to races in the northern part of the state or beyond. We have seen an increase in trail ultramarathoners. We put on one ultramarathon ourselves in January each year and it has grown exponentially. While trail will never be a big category for us, we now carry two or three styles of trail shoes in each of our stores, which is something we have never done before.”

Jim Ewoldt, owner
Peak Performance (Omaha, NE)
“Over the past year, the trail category is basically flat. Our commitment to the category includes stocking many of its best sellers, like the Hoka Speedgoat and Altra Lone Peak, and several of the trail shoes we’ve sold recently have gone overseas, to the East Coast, the Black Hills or the Rockies rather than staying local. I believe the trail shoe you need to inventory in your store is directly correlated to the number of off-road trail options you have in your area and that trail footwear is sold best by those who use off-road trails the most.”