For most people, before they begin their running journey they have some sort of desire to actually run. First, they decide they want to “get into running,” and then they might do some research. One might find a good cardio workout for beginners and find shoes that will best benefit them. This is great and typically a beautiful progress to becoming an avid runner. This is not my story.

When I got hired at Terra Running Company, I was not a runner and had no intentions of becoming one. Therefore, training was a little more difficult. I had to start from scratch, so I started with Skratch, and I will say their cookie mix is delicious. On a serious note, I tried on roughly 26 pairs of running shoes, becoming hyper-aware of every detail and feeling. I’ll be honest, this made my everyday shoes feel a little less comfortable. I needed to know what each shoe felt like in order to sell them. Although I was not going to run in them, other people would, so I needed to have knowledge even without much experience. 

As I continued to learn about shoes, I learned about the importance and benefits of nutrition, socks, accessories, and running in general. I now spend many hours a week talking to runners about what suits them best, mostly pertaining to shoes but also their likes and dislikes surrounding all things running. 

Since starting at TRC, I have loved getting to know my coworkers, regulars, and new customers. I have seen the joy people get from putting on a good shoe after so long without one. I have seen the excitement people get when running with their friends. And I have seen the satisfaction received by finishing a race. This has been inspiring and encouraging. Mary Lou Kownacki has a quote that states, “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story. ” I often think about this quote when dealing with others, but uniquely this has been true for me pertaining to running. I learned so much about running and runners that I have started to run myself. I used to make the joke that if you saw me running you should run too, because there would most likely be something chasing me. Now, I will quote some Terra gear and say, “Run for your life,” and I will do so happily. For now, I’m off to jog on the Greenway…

Meet one of the newest members of Team Terra: Sara!

Q: Tell us about yourself!

I just graduated from Lee in May and am planning on attending grad school next fall.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do outside?

I love running, hiking, and playing tennis.

Q: What is your favorite movie, book, and TV show?

My favorite movie is The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. My favorite book is The Witch of Blackbird Pond. My favorite TV show is The Office.

Q: How long have you lived in Cleveland?

I have lived in Cleveland for 4 years!

Q: What is your advice for someone looking to be fit for shoes, never been to Terra?

Keep an open mind! Shoes fit differently for each person, so it’s important to try multiple shoes to see what fits best!

As the weather breaks, it's easier to imagine yourself training for a race. We have a great list of local races this fall that we'd love to see you at!

*denotes part of Five Points Race Series race: Join Cleveland for the FIVE POINT RACE SERIES again in 2023! These fall 5k’s celebrate the best of our local parks. Register for and complete at least 3 out of the 6 races and you will earn an exclusive BOCO hat or a $20 Terra Running gift card! Sponsored by the City of Cleveland Parks and Recreation.

*August 1 through November 24: Explore Cleveland Virtual 5k: Help us raise money for the Terra Kids Run Camp in the summer of 2024, all while exploring a new route in Cleveland. This virtual 5k is inexpensive and fun; run a 5k on your own and send us a selfie! We will post all finisher picture's on the window of Terra Running Company to celebrate your accomplishment! All money is donated to the Terra Kids Run Camp, which hosted 50 kids in a running day camp this summer for free! (This is also part of the Five Points Race Series, so if you need a 3rd race finish to earn the hat or gift card, it's easy to do this one on your own!) https://www.terrarunning.com/explore-cleveland-5k

*August 26: Junior Achievement Race to Achieve 5k at Tinsley Park: Did you know this was the very first race Terra Running Company ever timed back in 2017? We have been with JA from the beginning of Terra Running race timing and it always feels nostalgic when we're back at Tinsley Park at sunrise in August for yet another JA 5k! I have had the opportunity to volunteer with Junior Achievement this past year. I taught a really thorough and fun lesson about the economics of our region of the country to 4th graders at Charleston Elementary. I got to see firsthand the impact of these awesome lessons that JA provides for area schools. The 5k is one of their biggest fundraisers and we are proud to be involved. Run this fast course that starts at the dog parks at Tinsley and runs south. https://register.chronotrack.com/r/72420

*September 9: Cowpea 5k + 1 mile in Calhoun/Charleston: Yippeea! This the first EVER Cowpea 5k and we are so excited to be partnering with the International Cowpea Festival on this race. We will be raising money for the Hiwassee River Heritage Center in Charleston. The race starts in Calhoun, runs on historic Highway 11 south over the Hiwassee River to Charleston. We make a beautiful loop through historic Charleston and back north over the river to Calhoun. All participants get a free entry to that day's Cowpea Festival in Charleston. This is a great new local race, and the only race in our neighboring town of Charleston! https://www.terrarunning.com/cowpea-5k-1-mile

September 16: Recovery Alive 5k at Greenway Park: This is the first year for Terra Running to be teaming up with the South Cleveland Church of God Recovery Alive program for the RA5k at Greenway Park. Recovery Alive at South Cleveland is a safe place for you to come and DO recovery. No matter what you struggle with, you are welcome. Recovery Alive meets every Thursday night at South Cleveland Church of God and this is a fundraiser for the program. Join us in spreading hope! https://register.chronotrack.com/r/74537

September 23: Ronald McDonald House Charities Run4Kids at Chattanooga State: We love working with the Ronald McDonald House on this great Run4Kids race! This is one of the Ronald McDonald house's big fundraisers and they do it big! The race brings together runners, walkers, RMHC alumni families and supporters for this fun, kid friendly event. The course runs through Chattanooga State to the Riverwalk and has great views! https://register.chronotrack.com/r/74481

*October 14: Willowbend Farms Run for Their Freedom 5k at Greenway Park: Willowbend Farms sure knows how to put on the 5k! This event is an important fundraiser for Willowbend Farms, whose mission is to fight human trafficking in our area. There is live music at the Greenway Stage, vendors, and a powerful service after the race. Another unique aspect of this event is the evening time, with the race starting at 6pm. https://register.chronotrack.com/r/68288

October 20: Nightmare on Nashville Street in Ringgold, GA: This is the first year for this new 5k, but we have worked with the race organizers on previous events and can assure you, it will be a SCREAM! The 5k will start at the Ringgold Market in downtown Ringgold and will wind its way down a spooky nature trail.  All runners will receive a commemorative race shirt. Performance awards will be given to male and female racers with the fastest time in their age brackets. The 1 mile trick or treat run will be held on the block surrounding Ringgold City Hall. 1 mile participants will receive a shirt with their entry fee and can swing by the tie dye station to give their race shirt some splashes of color.  Participants can also visit trick or treat tables to load up on candy! https://www.evittfoundation.org/nightmareonnashville

*October 21: Cleveland Half Marathon & 5k in downtown Cleveland: We are so excited for the 6th running of the Cleveland Half Marathon & 5k! We have even more sponsors, community organizations, and volunteers involved and are proud to bring you the only half marathon in our area. You know we LOVE our big finishers medals, and this year we are honoring our own Terra Running Company building! The medal is a hand-drawn rendition of the building, complete with runners, coffee drinkers, and even our shop dog, Rocky! http://www.clevelandhalf.com/

*November 23: Thanksgiving Day 5k & 1 mile at Tinsley Park: There are more race finishers on Thanksgiving Day in the United States than any other day of the year. Be one of those finishers by joining us. This race has become one of the biggest 5k's in Cleveland! Join us at Tinsley Park for a fast, flat, family friendly 5k, then go indulge in turkey and pies the rest of the day! https://www.terrarunning.com/thanksgiving-day-5k

December 2: Lafayette, GA Reindeer Run: This is the 2nd year Terra Running has partnered with the Lafayette, GA Women's Club for their annual Reindeer Run and we are big fans of the work they do! The race runs through historic Lafayette, GA and is super fun and festive! Last year, the LaFayette Woman’s Club donated $10,000 to the LaFayette Shop With A Cop program and $9,000 to fund three LaFayette High School Female Scholarships. Get in the Christmas spirit with this awesome 5k! https://register.chronotrack.com/r/74468

December 9: Relay for Life Cleveland Reindeer Run 5k: Help support Cleveland's American Cancer Society Relay for Life with the running of this local Reindeer Run at Greenway Park. Race t-shirts and goodie bags are guaranteed for pre-registered participants. Don't worry about the cold: there will be coffee, hot chocolate and donuts during the morning of the event! https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Cleveland/ReindeerRunClevelandTN

In 2023 there are many ways to advertise. You can go old school and purchase an ad in a local newspaper or magazine. You can go high tech and put some big money behind clicks on Google. You can leverage your social media and tell the world who you are. And you can… sponsor a race?

I know, I know. Sponsoring a race is probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about your businesses’ advertising budget. But I’m here to tell you that it’s worth your while and gives some serious bang for the buck. Advertising via a race is providing a service for the community, outsourcing your advertising to someone else, and crafting a positive narrative around your business all wrapped up into one… and only for the price of a few traditional ads!

When sponsoring a race there are a variety of ways for businesses to participate — each a different tier that gets you different perks. For instance, at the lowest (and cheapest!) level of sponsorship, a business can pay to advertise via race packets (as well as have their logo on race tees and the website which comes with all the tiers). This means you get to give each runner something from your business: a coupon, promo item, free consultation — whatever you think will get them to respond to your ad! This is effective because runners are always excited to dig around in their race packet for all the freebies and goodies! Want to get your name out there even more? You can purchase the naming rights for the race (example: The Blackhorse 1st Street Beer Mile, sponsored by Blackhorse Brewery or the Visit Cleveland Half-Marathon and 5k sponsored by the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce) or purchase one of our social media packages, where we will shout your business’ name from the rooftops Instagram/Facebook/Internet/blog/everywhere. Want to meet your potential customers or offer them an onsite service? Choose a tier that includes finish line set up and meet runners as they cross the finish line — again, runners love samples, free consultations/massages/stretches/etc. Want something tailored to your business? Just let us know! We are happy to work with you.

Not convinced?

Here are my top 6 reasons for why you should think about advertising with us through a race:

Guaranteed Reach

People pay money to run in races; this is an engaged audience! Instead of just hoping that someone sees an ad or you can reach hundreds (even thousands!) of new, local leads guaranteed through race packets, finish line set up, and social engagement through Terra Running.

Positive Brand Association

We don’t mean to brag but we are very proud of the reputation that we have built over the years. Terra Running Company in known as a local business that cares about the community… because we do! We strive every day to provide the best customer service, support our neighbors and be approachable. And not only are we an award winning local business, we are also a nationally recognized business — winning A Best Running Store award in 2022 and 2019.

Relevant Leads

While we believe any business is going to benefit from attaching their name to a Terra Running race, this impact will be magnified if upper middle class individuals with an interest in health and wellness are some of your target customers. Get information about your business into our runners hands and convert leads!

Add Tangible Value

This is my favorite part about sponsoring a race. Your name isn’t just up on a billboard, your business is helping provide a service through this creative form of advertising. Having quality races improves the quality of life in a community and brings in people from out of town. Potential customers see your business’ name attached to a race and know that you care about keeping the community engaged and active. This further builds a positive brand name for your business!

Affordable and effective

We know that advertising isn’t cheap. But instead of paying hundreds of dollars for just one ad in a newspaper, or thousands of dollars for a billboard, your business can sponsor a race and add to the quality of life of our community, while still gaining the perks of both traditional and creative advertising! It’s a win, win, win.

Stand out

Event sponsorship means less advertising competition. With only a few businesses per event, you are guaranteed to be seen. You can stand out even more if you purchase naming rights!

If you are curious to learn more about sponsoring a race or event with us, don’t hesitate to contact us! We always have something on the calendar and are eager to work with other businesses in our area to put on quality events for our community and beyond.

February 3, 2016, was an exciting day in Cleveland! Terra Running Company, then located on Georgetown Road, opened our doors for the first time! At the time, I owned a running and outdoor store in Blue Ridge, GA called Terra Outfitters, and this was the sister store. On the evening of February 3, Scott's Bicycle Center was hosting a tri-night with speakers and discounts and we decided to combine the opening with their well-attended event. We were located in the same parking lot as Scott's Bikes and shared lots of the same customers. The tri-night was a huge success and the 30 or so customers who came to Scott's for the event migrated next door to check out the new Terra Running Company! 

Over the past 7 years, there have been lots of changes at Terra Running Company. Most prominently, we purchased the downtown building where we are now located in 2017 and completely renovated it. Terra Running opened in our current location the weekend of the Cleveland Half Marathon & 5k in May 2018. (Cleveland Coffee & Market opened 1 month later as Bear Brew Coffee June 1, 2018.) The proximity to Cleveland Coffee & Market has been a great improvement to the store environment. It has been a great way to meet new potential customers who many not think to check out a running specialty store on their own. We also began timing races soon after opening in 2016. We put on a few of our own races (who remembers the Tall Betsy 6k?!) and started working with race directors to time races right away. We carried most of the same brands, but have since added ON, Superfeet and The North Face. 

Some things still haven't changed, and we hope never will! 7 years later, we are still committed to the best customer service in Cleveland. We are the only place that carries many of the top shoe brands, and the only place in the area to get fit for shoes. Over the years, I have been blessed to be a part of so many employees lives over the years, witnessing graduations, marriages, and transitions to "real" jobs. The relationships I have cultivated with these employees has been some of the most rewarding part of owning Terra Running Co over the years.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue to improve operations here at Terra Running Company. We are always coming up with new ideas, and you can look forward to more Terra Girls podcasts, a Terra Kids Run Camp, some new races, and new accessories and apparel brands hitting the store soon! We are continually thankful for the support of the community and our loyal and supportive customer base. 

Cheers to 7 years, and many many more!

Thinking about a fundraiser for your organization or club? Love running races and always dreamed of putting on your own? In addition to our retail store, Terra Running Company has been hired by organizations to time races for over 5 years now. We have timed 5k’s to marathon’s, trail races, kids fun runs, mountain bike races, and cross country races. We use state of the art race timing hardware and software to make sure race results are quick, accurate, and easily accessible to participants. Race timing is a unique part of our business and here are some of my favorite things about race timing:

1. All the people we’ve met! The opportunity to work with people I would never have been able to otherwise is always a great experience. We work with nonprofits, schools, churches, golf clubs, women’s groups, and small businesses. 

2. The places that race timing has taken us!  I have been able to time races on pumpkin farms, in the mountains, in towns in Alabama I have previously never heard of, and in every Cleveland park. I loved sneaking away during the 50 mile mountain bike race at Lula Lake to find the famous waterfall, and meeting the barn carts at the pumpkin farm in Athens. Actually spending a day at the race site is always an adventure.

3. Seeing runners accomplish their goals! It is a unique perspective to be at the finish line of a running race. It is an experience to see the supporters anxiously waiting for their runner to finish, the families who cross the line together, and seeing the emotion on the face of runners at the end. 

If you are interested in learning more about putting on a race or having Terra Running Company time your race, email me at Brittany@TerraRunning.com. Over the past 5 years, we have found that having your race professionally chip timed shows potential sponsors that you are serious about putting on a quality event. Using Terra Running Company as your timer gives potential participants the confidence that their efforts will be taken seriously with reliable and timely results.

By Brittany Katz

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about the store, the fit process, and what you can expect when you shop at Terra Running Company.

Our location in downtown Cleveland, TN is the one and only!

1.       Is Terra a chain?

Nope! Terra Running Company in Cleveland, TN is the only one of it’s kind and we are locally owned.

2.       Are your shoes more expensive?

No way! We get all of our shoes straight from the brand, meaning there’s no distributor. The brands set the pricing and hold retailers to it. That means you won’t find any current model for any less expensive anywhere else, even online. Any old model of shoe we have left in stock that is not price protected is discount and we match the retailers website. All that means our shoes are the same as anywhere else, plus you get our 5 star customer service!

3.       Do I have to be a runner to shop with you?

Of course not! We sell shoes to walkers, runners, people who stand on their feet all day for work, patients recommended to us by podiatrists all over town, and anyone with feet! You don’t have to be a runner!

4.       Do I need an appointment to be fit for shoes? Does it cost money?

You don’t need an appointment to be fit (we were taking appointments only for a short time during COVID shutdowns). Every one of our staff members is trained to fit customers for shoes, so be confident that you’ll be helped by a smart, trained, experienced staff member no matter when you stop in! Our services never cost money. We just want you to love your shoes, so we’re happy to help fit you!

5.       Do you work on commission?

None of our staff members work on commission or accept tips. We want you to love your shoes, and our 5 star customer service is part of how we ensure you will!

6.       What shoes do you wear?

Just like everyone’s fingerprint is different, every single pair of feet are unique! Your friend may LOVE their Hoka’s, Sue’s favorite are Brooks, but that doesn’t mean either brand will work for you! We carry all the top brands in the running specialty industry and our experienced staff can help you find the best shoes for YOU!

7.       What if I don’t like my shoes?

Our return policy is 30 days, no matter how much you’ve worn the shoes. Have we mentioned we want you to love your shoes? Be confident that we stand behind the products we sell.