New shop offers everything a runner needs

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Red Rock Running Co. is a store for runners, owned and operated by runners.

Employees at the business, which opened in December, can share their experiences with customers to help them select the right equipment.

"When I go to a regular shoe store, (the salespeople) can't answer questions I have about foot problems," customer Sheldon Irgang said.

Eric Herdman, who co-owns the specialty store, said the 7350 W. Cheyenne Ave. business can outfit any runner or walker from head to toe.

"We custom fit shoes," said Herdman, also a competitive runner.

A treadmill is set up with a video camera placed at the foot level to record footage of customers running or walking for 20 seconds. It is played back frame by frame so the salesperson can see if the customer is a neutral runner or if his foot rolls in or out.

"The shoe can fit right and help," said Herdman.

Clothing in the store also is specialized. Items are made from a material that pulls moisture away from the skin and toward the top of the cloth, where it evaporates.

Some of the shirts, shorts, pants and socks are made with silver in the fabric, which fights odor.

Herdman said socks with toes, which look like a glove, will minimize blisters because the toes are not rubbing against each other.

Many varieties of hydration packs also are available. Bottles can be fitted around a runner's waist or a cyclist's bike.

The store owners plan to begin a marathon training series 12 to 16 weeks before the next Las Vegas Marathon, which is set for December. The program, which will cost $49, is expected to include seminars on training, nutrition, hydration and apparel, as well as group-training runs.

Herdman said a person who never has run a marathon can be trained in 16 weeks to complete one safely.

Although the marathon training isn't set to begin until September, the store hosts the Las Vegas Running Team's Friday Night Training Run at 6 p.m. weekly. The 3- or 5-mile runs and 1-mile walks begin at the store. Seminars are given before the runs, focusing on topics such as on nutrition and shoes, and professional runners will be invited to speak.