runnr, PH’s 1st running specialty store, continues to outpace the pandemic & keep everyone fit

The current pandemic has strewn numerous Herculean challenges on everyone’s path. Yet, in the midst of it, valuable life lessons have also emerged—among them, the importance of staying physically and mentally fit, and the value of supporting and helping each other in times of need. 

runnr, Toby’s Sports flagship running specialty store, can attest to the efficacy of this approach. By staying competitive throughout this crisis, focusing on its strength, and developing the ability to adapt to change, the retail company has remained a pillar of inspiration for Filipinos to stay in good physical and mental shape, while paving way for other local businesses to stay viable in these tough times.

Blazing a trail

runnr is the brainchild and passion project of Toby’s President Toby Claudio, who saw an opportunity to diversify the portfolio of the heritage Filipino sports chain giant. Established in 2009 (alongside Toby’s street lifestyle store, urbanAthletics), runnr provides the thriving Philippine running community with quality products from top global running brands, state-of-the-art foot and video gait analysis, and excellent customer service that fosters continued passion for the sport.

Committed to growing and empowering the local running community, runnr offers educational resources and training opportunities to support novice and professional runners to reach their potential and help improve every facet of their running journey. 

runnr’s selection of products has been curated carefully to cater to every type and level of runner. Its well-trained, passionate running consultants and cutting-edge technology, such as video gait analysis and 3D foot scanner, makes it the leading running specialty store in the country, at the forefront of running revolution.

Keeping the fire burning

The brand continues its pioneering spirit, despite pandemic-induced trials. runnr bore the brunt of frequent lockdowns since last year, but its team did not let this stop them. 

“When the lockdown started [in March 2020], our marketing team focused on continuously connecting with our online community in a variety of ways, and making sure that we stay relevant, no matter what,” said Andrea Tan, Toby’s Head of Marketing and Customer Experience. Connecting with the online community and staying relevant meant developing a new format of engaging content that encouraged at-home workouts to promote physical and mental well-being. 

In turn, these efforts yielded great dividends. “The result was nothing short of a ‘movement’ that promoted staying fit and healthy, both mental and physical health, while at home during the pandemic,” Tan said. 

Some of runnr’s engagement initiatives include creating Spotify playlists for workouts and holding regular online games for its target customer segment.

These new strategies to continuously care for the running communities, albeit digitally, were accompanied by a shift of focus to ecommerce platforms. Overall, this new “game play” has proven vital not only to the health of the athletic community, but also to the survival of the business. Additionally, it has set an example for like-minded sports establishments to follow. 

Getting your game on

Through dedication and efforts to remain agile and able, runnr encourages everyone to stay strong and keep running. The objective is to get fit, and, in the process, boost local, homegrown businesses amidst the pandemic. 

runnr, Toby’s Sports and urbanAthletics are part of the Shop Small movement in the Philippines initiated by American Express and BDO. Shop Small aims to support local businesses as they are the backbone of the community and economy.

By supporting your favorite Shop Small merchant like runnr, Toby’s Sports and urbanAthletics, you can earn 5X Rewards on purchases made using your BDO-issued American Express Card until August 31, 2021. Points earned can be used to redeem a reward of choice from a selection of gift certificates, gadgets, appliance, air miles, and more. American Express Shop Small has a roster of participating merchants including retail stores for gadgets, technology, hobbies, entertainment, health, wellness and beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and even restaurants located in over 1,000 locations around Metro Manila.

BDO Senior Vice President and Consumer Banking Marketing Head Nannette Regala reiterated how this effort can boost local businesses. “Shop Small is one of the ways we can support local businesses in the country. With this initiative, we are encouraging Filipino shoppers to do their share and help small and medium enterprises bounce back. Every spend will make a difference,” Regala said.

Take charge of your own physical fitness today. Now, you can shop and support local while staying fit. 

For more information, visit Shop Small | American Express Philippines.

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