"Run For Your Life" opens location @ Piper Glen (Charlotte, N.C.)

Tim Rhodes, the visionary owner of the specialty running store here in Charlotte " Run For Your Life" just opened a new store in the shops at Piper Glen in south Charlotte, N.C. This is a much bigger location for Tim and his staff since they grew out of their space at Stonecrest. So now there are 3 locations in the greater Charlotte area to serve all of your running needs: Dilworth, University and now Piper Glen. Said Tim, "Our #1 priority is helping people...we love what we do!"

Let's go back in time (shall we?)...Larry Frederick (3rd at the '74 New York City Marathon) came down from Utica, New York in 1989 and opened a Fleet Feet running store in Dilworth (next to Tally's Green Grocery). After growing the store with such likeable employees as Patty (his wife), Dana, and Kenny to name a few, Larry and Co. renamed the store "Run For Your Life". Tim came on board in '95 and thought he could lend a hand helping Larry with sponsorships and race scoring. The current Run For Your Life Grand Prix Series was formed in 1996 and is still going strong today. The name of their race company is Event Marketing Services and soon to be Run For Your Life Events. On Saturday's, my wife and I would show up with smoothies for everyone from Carolina Smoothies and Keith Hurley would bring pizza from Nurchies (what ever happened to them?). So eventually they grew out of the location by Tally's and they reopened at their current location in Dilworth (across from the American Red Cross) on Park Road. What does Tim say of Larry..."Larry wanted his employees to be loyal, and he gave that loyalty back ten-fold!"

Tim bought the store from Larry in '02 and it became official on Jan. 1st, 2003. As Tim recalls, "I may have been a little too optimistic at the time...I may not have realized how tough it was going to be!" Through perserverence, hard work and as Tim says, "surrounding myself with some pretty darn good people who know what the heck their doin'!", Run For Your Life has continued to grow and be an integral part of the Charlotte running scene. As a shoe store owner, what does Tim say about the latest barefoot/minimalist craze:"there are always going to be innovators, and I embrace the innovations."

Tim and Robin Rhodes mission is to help people...they have certainly helped me and a lot of other people here in Charlotte preach their motto..."it's your life, run for it!"