We always hold our breath every time we launch a new shoe. Given the time and effort we place into each new introduction, it is invariably a nervous time. Last month, we introduced the Stinger XLT, a lightweight Performance running and racing shoe. The first shipment of the shoe sold out in less than 2 weeks, and virtually everyone who has tried it is raving about it. It appears we can now exhale!

The Spira Stinger XLT was the first of several new introductions we have planned for our running line over the course of the next year. Our next introduction is the Genesis X, a stability shoe, which is scheduled for introduction in mid August. The arrival of the Genesis X has been highly anticipated. Initially, it will be made available in two widths, medium and wide.

Another shipment of the XLT is set to arrive next week. Here’s to hoping that we have enough shoes for everyone who would like a pair!

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.

Introducing the Spira Stinger XLT Lightweight Performance Runner

You asked for it, we made it.  About three years ago, based on runners’ feedback, we began to develop a lightweight and durable running shoe that could be used both for training and racing. Oh yeah, and it had to be really cool looking!  I am pleased to announce the arrival of the new Stinger XLT.

This shoe is patterned after our original Stinger Racing Flat with its distinctive 2 pod design. The Stinger has been worn by Elite athletes in over 100 major race and marathon victories since 2006. Despite this success, the original Stinger did have some limitations. It was not very durable or supportive. It was a race day only shoe, lasting less than 100 miles. The Stinger garnered remarkable attention for Spira®, but we felt we could improve it.

• The first thing we did was redesign the springs to make them both lighter and more responsive. The new spring design is actually half the weight of previous version, yet still won’t breakdown over the life of the shoe.
• The second task was to make the shoe more supportive. We stiffened up the midsole shank and worked on the upper so that it cradled foot and provided more support.
• The third item we addressed was to make the shoe soft, yet responsive. We accomplished this by using a softer durometer foam or EVA in the midsole. This allows the WaveSprings to do more of the work.
• Finally, we made the outsole far more durable by using carbon rubber strike pads on both the heel and forefoot.

The result is a remarkably responsive performance shoe that should last at least a couple hundred miles, weighs only 9.2 ounces in a men’s size 9 and 7.6 oz in a women’s size 7, and is one of the more unique looking shoes on the market.  I ran a race in the Stinger XLT last weekend and I took off over two minutes from my time in the same race last year!  I expect others will have similar results.

The Stinger XLT will be available June 1.  Please use my discount code, “friendsofandy” to get 20% off your purchase from the Spira online store:  www.spirastore.com.  Thanks for your patience. If you end up with a pair, please let me know what you think!

Best regards,

Andy

The launch of the Spira women’s Valencia on QVC was a huge success.  We sold almost 500 pairs of shoes in 8 minutes, WOW!

We are excited to announce that next week we will be featured on QVC again.  Tune in on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 am to see the segment on the Sprira women’s WaveWalker and again at 12 noon the same day for the segment on the Spira Odyssey.

If you missed the launch of the women’s Valencia segment and want to see me in action here is the link: http://powerelpaso.com/spira/video4

Please tune in to see Spira^® as a featured shoe brand on QVC television!   Thanks again all of the kind words of support!

I can’t recall a time in my adult life that I have not been hungry. The evening hours are particularly challenging. There have been many nights; particularly during periods of stress that I was a non-stop binge eater from the time I got home from the office until I fell asleep. Most of the time it was subconscious: I was unaware of the volume of food I was eating. Even during those periods when I could maintain some discipline in my diet, I couldn’t seem to shake the hunger pangs. Running and exercise are probably the only things that kept me from becoming morbidly obese.

I was recently introduced by a friend to Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Fuhrman has written a series of books called Eat to Live. His premise is that most of our hunger pangs are not true hunger, but rather “toxic” hunger created by our craving for nutrients. These nutrients are virtually eliminated through the processed foods that comprise more and more of our diets. Because we’re not getting the nutrients we need, we keep eating.

Dr Fuhrman advocates that 70% of our diets should be comprised of fresh fruits, legumes and vegetables. These foods tend to pack the most nutrition per calorie. He doesn’t believe it is necessary to eat much, if any, dairy, breads, grains or meat. While initially difficult to follow, over the course of a few months this “toxic” hunger will disappear. He also contends that most of the illness and disease we suffer from are directly related to our diets.

Below is a contrast between the USDA food pyramid and Dr Fuhrman’s food pyramid.

Dr. Fuhrman’s chart list specific recommendations on foods we should be eating.  Below are the top  “Super Foods” and their nutrient score:

I have been following Dr. Fuhrman’s program for about 5 months. It was difficult at first, but I have found that I am not nearly as hungry, particularly at night. I also have more energy and have managed to lose weight without much conscious effort.

For those interested in learning more, here is a link to his website, www.drfuhrman.com.

Here’s to your good health!

Andy

Please tune in to see Spira^® as a featured shoe brand on QVC television!  I will be appearing on the QVC Morning Show on the following dates:

“QVC Morning Show”
Wednesday, February 23, 7 – 9 a.m. (EST)
(5 – 7 a.m. MST)

*Featuring the women’s Valencia Athletic Walking Shoe in 2 widths

“QVC Shoe Show”
Friday, February 25, 2 – 3 p.m. (EST)
(12 – 1 p.m. MST)

*Featuring the women’s WaveWalker in 2 widths

I will be introducing the Spira^® Valencia Athletic Walking shoe on the Morning Show and the Spira^® WaveWalker on the QVC Shoe Show.  As about 85% of the audience is female, only the women’s model for each will be available.

QVC is remarkably disciplined in their approach. Product is selected by QVC merchandisers after a vigorous screening process. That process took us almost a year. Every claim we make had to be substantiated with third party verification. I can honestly say that if a product makes it through QVC’s quality assurance evaluation, it is really good.  Thereafter, I was required to attend QVC school at the QVC campus in West Chester, PA. It took several hours of online testing, classroom and rehearsal time at the QVC studios. It is a pretty remarkable experience. One my QVC school classmate was Thom Filicia, a well known designer who got his start on “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” reality television show.   He was launching a new line of linens.

I learned a lot during the class. First, QVC is largest direct response retailer in the world. They expect to sell $9 billion in product this year alone. Second, QVC is all about trust. Guests are not allowed to in anyway exaggerate the benefits of the products.  Third, success on QVC means support for the brand. The exposure is often so great, that all of the retailers carrying the product benefit.

One of the more interesting aspects of the class was learning how to sell the shoe to QVC customers. QVC trainers pointed out that focusing on the intricate features of the product is of little to no consequence to the audience. They want to know the benefits of your product. Some examples:  Why do I need a Spira shoe and what problems will it solve? What does wearing the shoe feel like?

I am expecting another show on the Spira^® Odyssey Running shoe very soon.  I look forward to hearing from you after the show runs!

We’re off to Disney! For the third consecutive year, Spira is the official performance footwear sponsor of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend!

If you’ll be in Orlando for the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, please stop by the Spira booth at the Jostens Center at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Thursday, Friday or Saturday and say hello.

We’ll have several participants in this year’s races, including Doug Kurtis, who has run a world record 76 sub 2 hour and 20 minute marathons! At 58 years old, Doug can still run under three hours for the marathon, as he has done 198 times! He’ll be speaking during the speaker’s series and in our booth for portions of the weekend. Doug will also be running the half marathon.

Even I will also be running the half marathon!

Visit us at booth #137 at the expo on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. The half marathon will be on Saturday, and the full marathon on Sunday. Anyone who visits us at the expo will get 15% off their purchase!

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. Dan Kanell

About 6 years ago, I received a phone call from an orthopedic surgeon in South Florida. Apparently, he had recently performed knee surgery on two patients, both of whom were recovering much faster than he had expected. Each had told him that the key to their recovery was a new pair of shoes they had purchased. The shoes as it turned out were Spira.

The phone call came from Dr. Dan Kanell, one of the most well-known and highly regarded orthopedic surgeons in the country. He is presently the team physician for both the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins. Prior to that, he had been the team doctor for the New York Yankees for 25 years. His son, Danny, was a former quarterback at Florida State, and spent a dozen years in the NFL.

After that phone call, our sales in South Florida grew exponentially. It seems that every patient Dr. Kanell sees receives a prescription for Spira shoes. “I won’t recommend another brand,” he recently told me. “The shoes really work.” By his own estimate, Dr. Kanell has recommended the shoes to “at least 1000 people, probably many more.” It is the only shoe he and his office staff wear. In fact, he’s had me send shoes directly to some of his patients, including Dan Marino and the late George Steinbrenner.

In the intervening years, I’ve had the good fortune to get to know Dr. Kanell. I have no doubt that when Spira becomes a household brand name, it will be due to people like Dan Kanell.

Thanks, Doc!

Our booth at the Expo!

We have made it to Anaheim, along with two of our newest shoes! Stop by booth 303 at the Disneyland Hotel to check out the debut of the Spira Odyssey! We also have the Valencia on display.

The expo is open from 12-8pm today, 9am-6pm Saturday, followed by the half marathon on Sunday.

Find the full schedule of events at www.disneyenduranceseries.com.

We hope you’ll stop by and say hello!

Good luck to all the runners in the half marathon race on Sunday!