Style news: Saskatoon running-shoe store Brainsport gets customers ready to move, whatever the season

The Brainsport store in Saskatoon. The company aims to increase the mobility of customers of all ages and abilities.Handout

At Saskatoon running-shoe emporium Brainsport, owner Brian Michasiw focuses on fit first so his customers can get moving. “We are first and foremost a shoe fitting store and secondly a running store,” he says. In addition to providing technical footwear for runners, Brainsport aims to increase the mobility of customers at all ages and abilities, including walkers and those who can benefit from adaptive designs. “I feel very satisfied doing a shoe fitting that will help someone start running or be able to walk down the hall to get their mail or run a hundred K over the weekend,” Michasiw says.

Established in 1991, Brainsport is housed in a former lumberyard that dates back 100 years. The store stocks all of the gear required for an active lifestyle, including apparel and accessories. And with current safety measures in place, Michasiw says the store’s fit specialists are even better able to connect customers with the best product for their needs.

Ahead of Brainsport’s annual Gingerbread run in support of SaskAbilities (this year’s edition is formatted as a socially distanced 5 km, 10 km, half or full marathon run to be completed between Nov. 25 and 29), Michasiw has plenty of advice for winter runners. “Winter running is really scary and intimidating at the start, but once you do it, most people say it’s really not that bad. In fact, some people actually prefer it,” he says. In addition to finding the best shoes and layering options for your climate, Michasiw recommends starting by running into the wind so the journey back is less chilly.

Brainsport, 616 10th St. E., Saskatoon, 306-244-0955, brainsport.ca.

Salomon Unisex Spikecross 5 GTX, $230.

On Women’s Cloudventure Waterproof, $210.

Billy Footwear Kids' Classic Lace High, $80.

Style news

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