Running Fit, Ann Arbor

Some running stores brag about their huge selection. For Running Fit, it isn’t about quantity, but quality. Their selection, which typically spans about 200 options, never includes poorly made shoes, even if they’re hot brand names. The shop's buyers focus on three core principles: fit, construction, and price. If a shoe doesn’t fit their high expectations, it simply doesn’t make the cut. The staff is trained to help you find a shoe that fits your unique specifications, from foot and gait type to preferences in in-shoe rocket boosters.

Those who are getting into running for the first time should try Running Fit's Running 101 class, which prepares students for the trials of a 5K through group runs and info sessions that focus on apparel and shoes, stretching, nutrition, and how to prepare for a race. More experienced runners can raise their game up by having their form analyzed or signing up for the half- and full-marathon class, which takes participants through the training process from start to finish. The running obsessed, meanwhile, should check out The FIT, a weekly running newsletter that doubles as an arch support.