By Dr. Rich Cowin

I just had the pleasure of taking my first “test-run” of the new Stinger XLT running shoes.  In this case, the word “pleasure” was an understatement.

Upon opening the box, I was first impressed with the shoe’s very light weight and its attractive style. Being a pronated runner with fairly flat feet, I easily removed the high quality EVA foot beds and inserted my full length custom orthotic devices. For those runners who have normal or high arched feet, this step would probably not be necessary.  I then put on my Road ID and sunglasses and hit the road.

I was amazed that such a light weight shoe could be so supportive and have such wonderful shock absorption, yet be so light, comfortable, and responsive. It was a hot Florida day, yet the breathability was great.  I’m sure that open air mesh vamp helped with that.  Thanks to the excellelent level of cushioning with two of Spira’s WaveSprings in the forefoot and one in the heel, my feet, knees, and lower back felt great. Coming down to the home stretch at the end of my 5K run, I had plenty of energy left, so I decided to turn up the speed as I would in a race.  They responded beautifully.

I found the Stinger XLT’s to be the best of both worlds, a high performance trainer AND an ideal race day shoe for runners like me who need the support of a training shoe , with the lightweight responsive qualities of a racing flat.  Besides that, I loved the way they looked!!  What more can a guy ask for?

WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?

SPIRA ® CREDO: OUR COMMITMENT

Spira ® is committed, first and foremost, to the improvement of the human condition through the development of innovative, life-enhancing products that positively impact the quality of activity of every person on our planet.

We are committed to exceeding expectations through unrelenting passion and enthusiasm.

Our commitment to the customer is paramount, followed closely by our commitment to our employees and our shareholders. There is no room for selfishness.

We are committed to profit and growth as a means to accomplish our other values and objectives.

Great rewards mandate great risks. Making mistakes will be tolerated, even encouraged. Not learning from our mistakes is unpardonable.

The 115th Boston Marathon will be held in Boston this coming Monday, April 18th. Several years ago Spira made a splash at the Boston Marathon with bright yellow shoes and little bit of controversy. Today we are pulling out the archives and sharing the CNBC Marathon Stunner interview from 2007.

Will you be at the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this Weekend?  Do you love Spira?  Fairy tales do come true and we’ve got a special promo just for you!

Win a FREE pair of Spira Shoes? Here’s how:

• Like Spira on Facebook – Facebook.com/SpiraFootwear OR Follow Spira on Twitter – Twitter.com/SpiraFootwear You must be a Fan or Follower to Qualify!
• Do you love Spira? Share the love! Make a post on Facebook/Twitter declaring your love for Spira and you are entered to win.
  • Twitter posts should include @SpiraFootwear and #princesshalf
  • Facebook posts should tag @The Official Spira Facebook Site or be posted directly to the Spira Facebook page
• Two (2) Winners will be selected from a random drawing.
  • One winner will be announced on Friday, Feb. 25 at 5:00pm EST
  • One winner will be announced on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 5:00pm EST
• Qualifying posts must be made by 5:00pm EST both Friday and Saturday
• We will announce the winners on Facebook and Twitter at 5:00pm EST on Friday & Saturday.
• Winners can go to the Spira booth (#211) between 6-7:00pm Friday and 5-6:00pm Saturday to claim their prize. Winners should ask for Andy Krafsur or Steve Davis.
• Promotion begins Friday, Feb. 25 (8:00am EST) and runs through Saturday, Feb. 26 (5:00pm EST). All posts should be made by 5:00pm EST on Saturday to be included in the drawing.
• Double your chances to win by posting on Facebook and Tweeting!

Anything is possible in life’s fairytale…Good Luck!

Stephen Muange of Kenya won the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, Texas, in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 14 seconds.  Muange’s finishing kick proved the deciding factor in the race, as he surged ahead of his competitor Ethiopia’s Girma Tolla, on the final stretch on Trinity Street.  “The course was good; I liked it,” said Muange.  “I knew I needed to push the pace.  I know Girma, and he’s a speedy guy.”  Muange wore Spira® shoes.

Alena Vinitskaya of Belarus battled flu-like symptoms to win the women’s ING Miami Marathon title in 2:44:39, nearly five minutes ahead of the second place winner.  Vinitskaya competed in Spira® shoes.

Congratulations to both athletes!

Are you at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend? Do you love Spira? We’ve got a special promo just for you!

Win a FREE pair of Spira Shoes? Here’s how:

• Like Spira on Facebook – Facebook.com/SpiraFootwear OR Follow Spira on Twitter – Twitter.com/SpiraFootwear You must be a Fan or Follower to Qualify!
• Do you love Spira? Shout it out! Make a post on Facebook/Twitter declaring your love for Spira and you are entered to win.
  • Twitter posts should include @SpiraFootwear and #rundisney
  • Facebook posts should tag @The Official Spira Facebook Site or be posted directly to the Spira Facebook page
• Two (2) Winners will be selected from a random drawing. One winner selected from Facebook and one winner selected from Twitter.
• Qualifying posts must be made by 6:30pm EST Friday.
• At 7:00pm EST Friday, Jan. 7, we will announce the winners on Facebook and Twitter.
• Winners can go to the Spira booth (#137) between 7-8:00pm Friday to claim their prize. Winners should ask for Andy Krafsur or Steve Davis.
• Promotion begins NOW (4:00pmEST) and runs through 6:30pm EST. All posts should be made by 6:30pm EST to be included in the drawing.
• Double your chances to win by posting on Facebook and Tweeting!

Good Luck!

Recently, our CEO, Andy Krafsur, was interviewed by Lewis Howes of SportsNetworker about the birth of our company, Spira PR and our unique and revolutionary WaveSpring Technology.

Interviewer Lewis Howes even tried out a pair of our shoes and dropped 40 seconds off his personal best for a 2 mile run!

Click the link below to watch the video and listen for a special offer from Andy!

Interview with Andrew Krafsur on Spira Footwear and Sports Entrepreneurship from SportsNetworker on Vimeo.

Dr. Claudio Lehmann in his Spira WaveWalkers

Dr. Claudio Lehmann is a Rheumatologist who wears our shoes and recommends Spira to his patients. Dr. Lehmann recently sent us the following note.

I’m impressed with the quality and comfort of your shoes.  I am a
Rheumatologist and treat people with significant foot problems.

I have myself  been plagued with plantar fasciitis and Mortons
neuromas, despite using orthotics and wide shoes.

I first found Spira Shoes in a store in Fort Worth, Texas. I like
them very much and am able to walk everywhere without problems.

I recently returned from a trip  to southern Chile’s Patagonia, where
I wore them comfortably in fairly cold and rainy weather during my trip.

Do you have a story to share about your Spira shoes? Send it to us at inspiration@spira.com.

Doug Kurtis finishes 200th marathon

We’ve been keeping up with Doug Kurtis’ story as he went on a mission to run 200 marathons under 3 hours. On October 17, Doug and crossed the finish line of his 198th marathon under 3 hours at the Detroit Free Press Marathon.

This was Doug’s 200th marathon total and his fifth consecutive marathon to run in Spira. Doug took the title in the men 55-59 division with a time of 2:54:43!

Congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment, Doug!

Photo by Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

Congratulations to Spira athlete, Peter Kemboi, who won the men’s division of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon today with a time of 2:26:29!

This win is Peter’s first time to win a marathon! Great job, Peter!

For more info on today’s race, check out this article from the Memphis Commercial Appeal.