Marathon runner Pete Hooper who’s managed Up and Running for nearly two decades talks us through the key points of choosing a good shoe, why running is an opportunity for social connection and the mental health benefits.
Watch the full chat with Pete Hooper, filmed at Cheltenham’s Up and Running Store, below:
A thriving business boosting the health of locals
It feels like in health and business we’re under the pump. In Cheltenham and Gloucester and the UK generally. Our high streets seem a tough place for shops to survive and the stats over obesity and mental ill health continue to concern.
But there’s a thriving store on the lower end of the High Street in Cheltenham offering vivid green shoots of hope on both the business and health front. Up and Running is doing a strong trade and in the process is facilitating swathes of local people to get fitter, in body and mind.
Up and Running was the brain child of husband and wife exercise enthusiasts Dennis and Gillian MacFarlane. They opened the first store in their hometown of Harrogate in 1992. Now there are 30 outlets sprinkled across the UK.
Get the right shoe for YOU
Manager Pete Hooper has worked at the Cheltenham branch since 2007 and is a keen runner, to say the least – he’s completed 13 marathons, with a 14th in the pipeline.
Pete demonstrated the power of one-on-one consultancy on offer to all visitors to Up and Running. He kindly tried me out with several shoes – analysing the fit and my gait on the state of the art treadmill and camera suite.
From the get-go Pete had clocked I’d maybe made the wrong choice with my old battered trainers. He noticed I have wide feet – paws my wife calls them – and that my old pair were probably pinching my feet.
Pete says getting the right shoe for the individual is key and while Up and Running has a big online business, getting an in-person analysis is ideal.
“We’ve got a good range of shoes here, but it’s finding the right type of shoe for your running style, which is what we do here basically.
So what are the keys to selecting the right shoe?
“Fit is so important, whether that’s length or width. There’s lots of different stack heights on shoes. All the brands vary in terms of how wide they are, how much cushion.
“And then you’ve got road shoes, trail shoes, performance shoes.
“You often do find people buying things online but then having to send them back. You can come in here and try five or six pairs of shoes.”
Cheltenham is full of runners
We were in Up and Running for less than an hour – around 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon – but I was impressed by the steady stream of people bounding in to buy shoes, gels or other running equipment.
Pete told me there’s a thriving running scene in Cheltenham with several clubs and that opportunity for social connection is a big pull for people.
“We’re fortunate in Cheltenham. There are lots of good running clubs, lots of good running groups, which is good for business.
“People like to go for a run, have a coffee afterwards.
“I run for The Almost Athletes, we’ve got about four hundred members.”
Great for the body but the mental benefits are next level
Running is associated with good cardiovascular health, building endurance, good cognitive function, lower cholesterol and reducing the risk of diabetes and a longer life. All of which is brilliant.
But Pete believes it’s the mood-boosting benefits that’s the big draw.
“It’s good for head space. You can do it any time of the day on your own or with a group of friends. Mental health is the main reason people run.”
Some people never want to stop running
Long distance running can be hard. Pete’s an experienced marathon runner, but says regardless his legs burn.
But maybe that’s a part of the appeal – running can help us build resilience and confidence in our ability to do difficult things. In this seductively cushy modern world we realise we can push through adversity.
Pete clearly likes testing himself. He’s considering competing in a Back Yard Ultra – where runners have to compete a loop of just over four miles within the hour. And just keep going.
Jay Stapley won this year’s event at Cheltenham Racecourse in May – running for 61 consecutive hours for a grand total of 254 miles covered.
“Run on the hour every hour. And the time you get in between that you can rest, sleep, eat, drink or whatever. You’ve got to figure out whether you try and run it quickly and then have a rest or whether you drag it out slow.”
Get moving and chatting at Up and Running
I doubt I’ll ever run a marathon let alone a back yard ultra. But I’ve always enjoyed the mood boosting effects of a three-mile trot and I’m looking forward to getting out there in my new Saucony shoes. Sauncony, Pete informed me, is the oldest running brand in the world, going back to 1898.
That shoe felt the best match for my gait, foot shape and cushion-level preference. It’s mid-level cushioning Pete told me.
If you’re looking to get running Pete is a big fan of Couch to 5K courses.
“Couch to 5K is the best place to start because a lot of that’s running for time not distance. You’re not too bogged down, having to run three, four or five miles.”
Up and Running also put on a Social Run 5K every Monday, leaving the shop at 6PM.
Of course, if you’re looking to take up running, getting the right shoe for you is important. And I’d recommend getting down to Up and Running to get Pete and co’s expert advice before you start pounding the pavement or trail.
