What Would You Do For Free Shoes For a Year?

Last Friday, I received an email from City Sports since I’m one of their members.  I even have one of the member cards on my key chain and on occasion, get money back from them but that’s beside the point.  In this particular email,  they announced that they were having an unveiling of their remodeled store in Center City on 16th and Walnut.  The first 100 people would get a bag full of free goodies (I’m there!).  Of those first 100 people, someone would win a free pair of shoes each month for a year (12 pairs of shoes!!  in monetary terms, $1200 worth of shoes!).  The runner in me made the decision to go just to try and get the shoes for a year.  Around 440 yesterday afternoon, I drove into downtown Philadelphia.  People leaving work, traffic and not being allowed to park on Walnut Street led to me driving around for 20 minutes trying to find a parking spot.

After parking a good 5-10 blocks away, I made my way to City Sports.  When I arrived at 5:35, there was a line that was already down the block and around the corner.  The woman in front of me said there was a good 85-90 people in front of us and her sister was somewhere around #53 in line.  If people got in front of me, I wouldn’t have been thrilled.  After standing in line for 35 minutes, updating twitter, listening to the three girls behind me wonder why they weren’t invited to a wedding to which they were invited to a shower for and answering the common question of why we were standing in line, we finally started moving at 6 PM.  This was after someone came out and gave instructions that if you got a bag, the number attached to it would be the number they would be drawing.  After I finally got into the store, I got one of the last 6 or 7 bags full of City Sports gear (pictures later).  I looked around the store and found another table with a separate drawing set up, to which I put my name and email in to try and win yet more shoes, a $100 gift card and an outfit.  There was free food to which homeless people (no joke) were also in line for and I didn’t get.  Inside my bag, I got some pretty good shwag…

A good little bag. Definitely a good bag by Guenther standards

8401, my number

The Sticker, magnets and key chain

The Goods: Shirt, sticker, towel, key chain and magnets

A good size towel for the rare occasion I go spinnng

Another free shirt!

A new key ring. A good thing consider how I've been holding my keys together lately

At 6:15, one of the City Sports workers called everyone over to an open area and did the typical are you ready questions and you don’t sound excited shpeal.  After all that, the number 8394 was drawn.  Not my number 8401.  However, it was the bag given to the girl behind me in line.  You know, the person talking about the wedding she wasn’t invited to?  Literally, the person behind me.  Tear!  If I would have won, I would have gone my with my Mizuno Wave Inspire 7s.  They’re my trusty shoes.  That or maybe throw in a pair of vibrams that lace up (one of the new brands).  Maybe next time. If there is a next time. Or, if they City Sports in Ardmore decides to redo their store and throw a grand opening.

So, what would you do for free shoes for a year?

Runners, Finish Safe

Today, I saw my mom post something that had the word FREE in it.  I’m in school so FREE is always a good word to hear.  FinishSafe, a website that allows people to register on their website and put their medical information together.  In return you (normally) can purchase tags that attach to your shoe, luggage, race bib (if you’re a runner, triathlete, etc), key ring and even a larger one for your wallet.  You’re given a pin number so should you pass out, get injured, go unconscious, etc and medical personale are trying to figure out what to do for you, they can call the FinishSafe number, put in your pin number and find any sort of health info unique to you.  FREE TAGS, you hear me?!?

This is very similar to RoadID Interactive, only (until the end of April), you don’t have to pay to get the tags.  Also, you don’t have to worry about paying a yearly fee like you do for RoadID Interactive (I know since I have an account).  What’s better?  There’s an APP for that if you’re an EMT.

So hurry up and go take advantage of this.  It’s free and it’s for your own good.  You don’t want to be collapsing during the Chicago Marathon (like people did last year when I ran it) or cramping up and dehydrating during the Cherry Blossom Run and not be able to communicate with the medics about your medical history…you won’t regret it!