Shoe Science has barely opened its doors when a customer bolts in.

“Yes, he’s very keen to have his gear,” Josef Macdonald smiles. “He’s going to be using it in the next 12 to 24 hours.”

Josef, a former sprinter turned sports management consultant, explains that the early bird customer had been into the store yesterday. Michele Dean, the store manager and a keen ultra runner, had led him through Shoe Science’s thorough and detailed 360 fitting procedure. This started with a chat about his goals and any previous injuries before moving into the running assessment, where she gathered data on his running stride and technique. Finally, the measurement tools came out to determine not just foot length but also width. Armed with all that data, Michele was then able to begin recommending and fitting shoes to meet his individual requirements. 

There was, however, one small problem. His perfect shoe wasn’t in stock. Rather than recommending the next best shoe they did have, Michele instead asked him to return this morning, so she could have the shoe zipped over from another store. 

“We've brought the shoe across for him,” Josef says, registering the delight on the man’s face as he tries them on. “We're not trying to flog a shoe because we have it in stock, we're trying to fit the right shoe. We insist on that because our integrity is on the line. The client is trusting us to provide them with the correct shoe, not the nearest one that we can reach on the shelf.”

Integrity is one of the core principles on which Shoe Science has built its reputation and how they’ve become an integral part of Uptown’s running community. They don’t want to just sell people running shoes, they want to join and support them on their running journey. Whether that’s taking those first puffed steps or, like Michele, completing a 200km endurance trail race. 

“It's fantastic to see people growing and believing in themselves through their journey,” Michele says. “It’s a gift. I feel grateful to witness this every day. We've all started out somewhere, right? We're not here to judge you. We're going to welcome you wherever you are on your journey. 

“I look at people who have run way farther, way faster than me. But let's not be intimidated by that. Let's be inspired by that. Because there was a day when they came into a store and got their first fitting. For someone new, their journey is just beginning now. I look at it as an amazing thing, not anything to be scared by.”

“If they've come into our store, they've already taken the hardest step, which is the first step,” Josef adds.

Shoe Science is committed to helping people keep those steps going. Especially when runners face the common challenge of motivation. Excuses to not lace up are plentiful. But Michele explains that sometimes all it takes to leap this particular hurdle is to meet like-minded people.

“My fitness journey started thriving when I met a community of runners,” she says. “When you see other people doing it and the joy it’s giving them, it reminds you that you can do it too.”

This is why every Wednesday evening, just before 6.30pm, you’ll see a congregation of runners assembling outside the Mt Eden store. They’re all there to join Michele for the weekly run club, a free social fun run that accommodates people of all ages, gender, skill and speed.

“It’s super cool,” Michele enthuses. “There’s no pressure. You just show up and have a good time. It's a friendly, wholesome environment. Everybody remembers you and it’s all about connection. Some people have been coming for years.”

People might think that running is a solitary fitness activity, and while it can be, it’s clear that for the crew at Shoe Science, social connection is as important as the health benefits.

“It's literally indescribable what running can do for you,” Michele says. “You're giving back to your body, which gives back to your mind. There's so much value in that. You're pushing yourself, you're challenging yourself. It's made me such a stronger human. And I don't just mean physically. Mentally, running changes you. It's awesome.”

“It's been a component and a platform of several things I've done right through my life,” Josef says. “It took me overseas. It’s provided fitness and pleasure and it's segued into other aspects of my life. It’s something that most people can do naturally. It’s had massive life-changing effects.

“100%,” Michele agrees. Then she smiles and says, “running makes me feel so alive. It gives me so much. It’s beautiful.”

Why I run

What makes someone start ultra running? Michele shares her story.

“Ultra running is 50km-plus on a trail. ‘Trail’ just means off-road. It could be gravel, mountain ranges, farmland … anything that isn't concrete.

I got into it by luck. I’d been seeking out connection and community and about four years ago, a lady invited me to join a group on a 50km fun run. I didn't think I'd be capable of running that far. I was nervous about going because I didn't know if I could meet them at their pace or if they would accept me.

But they were the loveliest bunch of people. They started talking about the things that they were doing and I was blown away by the potential that we have as humans, how far you can go and how beautiful the community can be. The trail community was so supportive and accepting.

Life can be busy and really hard. Running is one thing in our lives where we can feel we are actually making headway. It's incredibly empowering to realise that you may be getting older, but you’re also getting stronger, fitter and faster than you’ve ever been in your life.

It's not about pace or speed, it’s about knowing you're pushing yourself to your potential and knowing that we always have so much more left inside of us. I love the fact that this sport allows me to do that.”

How to run

Josef offers advice for those wanting to get started without getting overwhelmed.

“At the basic level, there’s a movement and fitness benefit to running, but it also helps with everything from mood to general health and well-being.

The first thing is to get the right footwear that meets the needs of what you want to achieve. The second thing is to research and understand the discipline rather than launching into it unknowingly and risking injury. Take advice. You wouldn't buy a high-performance sports car having never gone near anything of that nature before.

The last component I’d suggest is to join a community or find somebody who's involved with the discipline, whether that's a family member, a friend, or a running club.

The best advice I can give is not to just launch into it and overdo it. It's got to be a very careful and gradual introduction, just as you wouldn't go to the gym and load up the heaviest weights and start with that.”

Shoe Science

66 Mt Eden Road

Website: shoescience.co.nz

Instagram: @shoesciencenz