SecondSoleOhio.com

AUSTIN, TX – November 21, 2009 — Second Sole, specialty running retailer, was recently recognized as one of The 50 Best Running Stores in America^® by two leading trade and consumer publications.

Second Sole took its place among the country’s elite retailers following an extensive nomination and review process throughout 2009.  The process culminated in the store’s recognition at a gala awards ceremony in Austin on November 11 as part of The Running Event^®, an annual business seminar and trade expo for specialty running retailers. The 50 Best Running Stores in America awards program and The Running Event are owned by Formula4Media, LLC. The awards program is co-sponsored by Competitor Magazine, a publication of Competitor Group, Inc.

The local retailer was recognized by a panel of industry experts for its outstanding service, product knowledge and merchandising.

“Specialty retailers are the heart and soul of the running business and it was a pleasure and privilege to recognize the best of the best during The Running Event,” said Mark Sullivan, editor of Running Insight^®, a Formula4Media, LLC publication. “The 50 Best Running Stores in America represent the best that our industry has to offer in terms of customer satisfaction and superior retailing.”

“On top of their commitment to the active community, these 50 Best Running Stores in America are highly involved in their local communities, giving back through charity involvement and working to spread the joy of the sport to all,” added Doug Kaplan, Senior Vice President/Publisher of Competitor. “The program highlights how crucial specialty running retailers are in their local markets. The stores are more than just havens of shoe knowledge, they are portals to the greater running world.”

The process of compiling a list of the top 50 running shops in the country began early in 2009 when Formula4Media, LLC with the help of Competitor Magazine, began to collect and evaluate nominations from runners, soliciting feedback from consumers on their favorite running stores. More than 200 stores received nominations, and a panel of industry experts from Franklin Resource Group visited each nominated store to evaluate it on 20 different aspects of retailing, including product knowledge, environment and community involvement.

A special report on The 50 Best Running Stores in America appears in the current November/December issue of Competitor Magazine.

For more information on The Running Event or The 50 Best Running Stores in America awards, please contact Mark Sullivan at 646-319-7878 or . For more information about the Competitor Group, please visit www.cgimediakit.com.