Step into Spring at the Big River Running Company

If spring fever is making you wish you were running a trail through instead of stuck behind a desk, you might want to point your feet toward . Here you can pick up a pair of new shoes or grab an entry form for a 5K run--conveniently nestled between the socks and running gloves.

Big River Running in Manchester is a locally owned specialty store that caters to the needs of running enthusiasts. It’s the brainchild of Matt Helbig and Ben Rosario, a couple of friends who love running and wanted to build up the running community in St. Louis.

Rosario started running in high school and turned pro after college. He decided to invest his prize money into starting the Big River Running Company and got Helbig, a former college track coach, to join him. They opened their first location on Manchester Road in 2005. They co-own the business and split the administrative duties: Rosairo does marketing and runs the website, Helbig takes care of the finances and product purchasing. They both work on special events, which take the business way beyond selling shoes to becoming part of the community.

The entire staff at Big River Running  is involved with the sport and happy to give advice on the latest trails while you shop for gear.

“When someone comes in and is bummed because they have some sort of injury that is keeping them from running, our employees have probably felt the same way at one point or another. That sort of thing goes a long way toward building relationships,” Rosario said.

The store sponsors a variety of races in St. Louis that appeal to runners both serious and casual, from 3K fun runs to grueling 15K runs through the mountainous trails of Castlewood State Park.

To help their customers get into the sport, Big River Running hosts free group runs all year long, offers free online training advice and has more than 20 trail guides on its website. It also has a section for the parents of high school track team runners who are new to the sport.

“I really do think the fact that we are extremely active in the community has been a vital part of our success,” said Rosario. “We always have a big crowd at our Monday night group run at the South City store and our summer speed workouts consistently have 150 folks or more each week,” he said.

He said that the group runs gives people a chance to meet other runners and build friendships. The Monday night group run is family friendly, with people welcome to bring their dogs and strollers. Other runs are more serious, like the Sunday long runs for marathon training.

The store offers everything a runner needs, whether they are just starting out or are competitive in the sport. They have specialty running shoes, sweat-wicking shirts, blister-fighting socks, hydration belts, water bottles, GPS units and energy snacks. They also sell personal training packages for people who want private lessons with a professional running coach. Packages start at $75 for a six-week running plan to $150 a month for one-on-one coaching.

“This sport has given so very much to Matt and I, and if we can give back by introducing more and more people to it then that is the definition of success for us,” Rosairo said.

On the Horizon:

• Lobbyists for retailers and banks are fighting over debit card fees. According to Bloomburg Business Week, the average charge to use a debit card is 44 cents per swipe, which adds up to $16 billion dollars in fees that banks charge retailers to use the service. The Federal Reserve would like to cap these fees at 12 cents.
• The West County Chamber of Commerce is looking for members to join one of several committees. Committee members help run the chamber by organizing events, developing seminars or welcoming new members.
• The St. Louis Business Journal surveyed 127 St. Louis businesses in order to find the “2011 Best Places to Work.” The 20 winning companies will be featured in the April 8 issue of the journal and honored at an awards luncheon.