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Columbus Running Company Staff
Everyone is different. The Columbus Running Company Staff is trained to help
you find the best product that fits your needs.
We have years of running experience and a desire to create a knowledgeable and
personal experience- whether you're a 100-mile a week runner or a casual walker.
We are here to help.
Eric Fruth - Owner
If
the CRC guys were a fanatically worshipped boy band, Eric Fruth wouldn’t be the
roguishly charming bad boy or the clean cut blonde leader of the group. He’d be
the one guy cut from the band just before they made it big. Thankfully, he’s
better suited to the running store life, and he’s here in Columbus to serve the
local running & walking community. Eric’s love of running began as a high
school freshman back in Indiana, when his parents made him go out for a sport.
Jumping into the running lifestyle wholeheartedly, Fruth
transformed himself from a 27-minute 5k to a PR of 14:34 by the end of his
collegiate career at DePauw University.
After a couple All-American awards, he briefly moved on to coaching at the
college level. Since the opening of the CRC’s doors in 2004, co-owner Eric
has served as coach to our training groups and high school camp
as well as being one of the shop’s resident shoe geeks.
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Matt DeLeon - Owner
Matt graduated from local Olentangy High School running track and cross country before moving on to DePauw
University. He received multiple all conference honors in track and helped steer
the DPU cross country team to an appearance at the D-III NCAA Championships.
After college he found himself teaching English in Japan, where he was fortunate
enough to join the Usuki city running team and compete in the historic 490km
Ekiden through Oita prefecture. Returning
to the states, Matt soon found himself working at the Chester County Running
Store in West Chester, PA. There he started his quest for improvement in the
marathon, which is currently a 2:31. It seems everywhere he turns it involves
running. With the Columbus Running Company he hopes to bolster the local running
community- from beginner to advanced- and hopefully give to others what running
has given to him.
You'll primarily find him and his dog, Abebe, hanging out at the
Westerville location.
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Jim Jurcevich - Owner
Jim is well known
known among many running circles. Originally from Defiance,
Ohio, Jim graduated from Michigan State with a Big Ten
Championship and All-American honors. Professionally he spent
time running with Fila and Reebok, and was an
original member of the Brooks' Hanson's Distance Project, where he first
honed his unique running store prowess. At the CRC he hopes to sharpen
his skills and teach know-it-all's Matt and Eric a few new things.
Jim finished 6th at the '00 U.S. Olympic Trials. The
past few years Jim has excelled at the marathon on a national level,
with a personal best of 2:14. He has yet to set any records on
Hal.
Along with shoe duties, he serves as a coach for store team
members and those involved in CRC training groups.
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Liz Trapp - Apparel Buyer
Liz was our first homegrown employee from Pickerington. Just like
the vegetables in the organic section at your local supermarket,
she is a little smaller than our other employees but probably
better for you. She brings an intimate knowledge of not only
running but the triathlon as well, as she has completed the
ironman distance and qualified in the triathlon for Worlds. She
knows a lot about bikes; until taking on the massive
responsibility of being a CRC expert she worked in a bike shop. Not
that we sell bikes, but it's more applicable than Eric Fruth's
knowledge of mid-nineties bands such as Soundgarden. If you
notice any fancy artwork on the walls or dry erase boards, it is
likely that she is behind it.
Speaking of fancy, starting in 2011 Liz is responsible for the
CRC's apparel. She knows apparel inside and out, and only wants
what's best for you! As we continue to grow our store
layouts and apparel selection diversifies, and you can thank Liz
for much of this. |
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Chase Schneider - Vice President of Operations
Chase just finished up as a student harrier at Otterbein College in
Westerville. There he studied perhaps the most interesting subject in
academia, math. A man of logic, he understands that a size eight
shoe does not fit a size nine foot. While he freely admits that
he may have not be the coolest guy on the team, his status was
elevated when he was offered a position at CRC. There is
no need for him to be cool though now, as he is a GA at
Otterbein as he pursues his mathematical endeavors. At the end of 2009
Chase was promoted to V.P.O., which stands for Vice President of
Operations. In a sense he is the CRC's everything man. He never
really knows what he is going to be working on next. If you want something done, or need to operate
something, Chase is your man. |
 Nate
'Internanator' Ellis - Race Timing
In a previous time Nate Ellis was in fact an intern in the CRC's
fabled 'work for less' internship program. He was so incredible
at it, we thought perhaps he was not human. True to form,
on his last day of internship, an employee at the nearby
Buffalo Wild Wings accidentally tripped the CRC Dublin gas line
and blew up the entire shopping center. Eric got a picture of
it, too. The Internanator saved six young children that day
while fighting the blaze and helping three customers who needed
shoes. The blaze melted some of his face and most of his
clothing; all that was left was his DePauw running singlet. He
wears that thing everyday under his work clothes. I guess we
understand the attachment issues, since DePauw is the greatest
university on earth.
After the incident Nate moved on while the CRC rebuilt itself.
He spent time in Florida working with students through AmeriCore.
In 2010 the CRC decided to ramp up it's event planning and race
timing division, and we knew we needed someone who could be
thorough, to the point, detail orientated, and able to save
babies from fires. Nate was our man, er, uh, man-robot. He
is working on changing his name to the 'Timernator' but it just
hasn't stuck yet. If you are interested in operating a
running event Nate is your man.
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 Stephanie
Hillman, R.D., L.D. - Dietician
Stephanie is a Westerville native who came to us via a running
background from Bowling Green. If you look to your right, you
will see her. See what's behind her? It's the Ohio State House.
We find this fitting because one day we feel Stephanie may
actually be in charge of the world. At least the state. She is
an invaluable asset to the CRC and when you are looking for a
new pair of shoes she'll be a big asset to you, too. She
is so incredible she often gets her sister to show up and work
with her. Stephanie also graduated
school for nutrition related studies, knowledge difficult for
the CRC owners to understand but if Stephanie is doing it it
must be right. So, naturally we made her our in house
Dietician!
Her services are available to you, we recommend checking out her
site. |
 Catherine
McMonigle, LMT - Deep Tissue Massage
We first met Catherine as she was a participant in
some of our beginner running programs. It wasn't long
before she was a fixture in our store at events, or travelling
with groups to different marathons. As a runner she has come a
long way since those first days with the CRC. In the meantime
she went to school and found her true calling - as a deep tissue
massage therapist. She began applying her trade to some of our
sponsored runners and her work became legendary. She has the
ability to pinpoint your issues and knead them right out of you.
We are lucky enough to have her working right out of the CRC
now, so we suggest you check out her services here! |
 The Dave
Mars
Dave Mars is an
anomaly. His name sparks wonder and curiosity among other
men. His ability to do things on little sleep will one day be
written in textbooks. Those who know him stare from the
corner of their eye while pretending to tie their shoe lace. It
could be because he is wearing pink spandex. It could be because
they've heard of this man, Dave Mars, who runs at 4:30 in the
morning before his kids awake. Then he goes to work all day as a
teacher. Then he stops by the CRC to pass on his shoe knowledge
to the needing customer. Dave then runs again. Finally arriving
at home and walking inside, he shuts the door behind him.
The neighbors who see him return to his domain try not to stare
but sparks of amazement fizzle in their mortal minds. However
they could just be looking at his pink spandex. |
 Kimberly
Lois Pagan
Kim came on board
late in 2011. Of the two lovely ladies on the right, she's
the one on the left! Of course she had an interest in running if
she found her way into our doors. Lucky for us she also
has a passion for fitness, recently completing schooling to
become a licensed personal trainer. At the CRC she has
been able to channels those skills to best help our customer and
pass on the CRC ideals. She most recently has begun leading our
Good Form Running clinics with Mike Ward, and helping out Liz
Trapp with our future apparel inventory. We hope you have
the chance to meet her soon! |
 Sarah
'Hutch' Hutchinson
We first met Hutch
while she was running for Sweeney over at Olentangy Liberty.
"She runs a lot," said coach Sweeney of one of his top athletes.
We kept an eye on her and was thrilled to see her decide to take
her running career over to Otterbein. She mentioned she wanted a
job, and when one finally opened up she was in. She took
well to the CRC floor as she loves to talk. Running + Talking =
CRC. During the school year she works a little sporadically, but
we are happy to have her around and have a feeling you'll feel
the same way. Especially if you speak Spanish. |
 David
Lang
Every operation needs
some brains. As the CRC grows year after year we simply need
more brains. David Lang will fill those needs for some time to
come. David recently graduated from OSU and is taking a
year off of studies before attending medical school.
Perhaps what really caught our fascination with David is that he
is the co-founder of the Ohio State Marathon Club. While
we were helping hundreds of people reach the finish line of
their own marathon, David was doing the same at Ohio State. A
natural for the CRC! Feel free to come in and pick at his
mind whenever you can.
By the way, in case you are wondering David is the one getting
laid out in the picture. Every good man takes some hits
from time to time! |
 Jake
Edwards
A man of few words is
a man with many opportunities. He first caught our eye via
the recommendation from Levi Fox, one of our most famous
employee alumni. The two would spend a lot of basement time
together on OSU's campus examining the latest spike technology
or hunting down discontinued favorites on the black market.
In the daylight Jake is a standout runner for Ohio State, and
hails from just up north in Delaware. He also works part time
for the CRC. Working on a college degree, running for OSU, and a
job at CRC means that for this young man the sky is the limit!
Look how professional he is in his picture. |
 Mike
Ward
Mike Ward is more
than a man. He lives up to his myth. He will be more than a
legend. The biggest compliment you can give Mike Ward is to
simply call him by his name, Mike Ward. If ever there was a man
whose body was everywhere at once and whose mind is everywhere
his body wants to be then that man is Mike Ward. Mike, a
standout runner from Grandview and Denison University, has the
ability to relate to everyone that walks in the door. His
familiarity stems from everything he has become involved in
recently - from playing nightly with the band Agent 99 to
attending Physical Therapy school. What he does he does well.
Look for him at the CRC to often be running the Westerville Cbus
Pacers group run, as well as working with Kim to lead our Good
Form Running clinics. |
 Joey Mayo - Outreach Director
Joey Mayo puts the
'Company' in Columbus Running Company. |
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Hal - Personal
Trainer Hal is the Columbus
Running Company's diamond in the rough. He is the original Track and
Field supercomputer, created by the Japanese in 1983 and bought by the
U.S. government in an effort to demolish the U.S.S.R. Olympic presence.
Hal trained budding Olympic hopefuls in events such as the 100m
dash, javelin, long jump, and more. Marquee benefactors of Hal's state
of the art technology included Carl Lewis, who won 4 golds in the 1984
Olympics, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1988 Olympic gold medalist in the
heptathlon.
Unfortunately time catches us all, and Hal found himself
replaced by Nintendo's Track and Field, complete with Power Pad.
Recovered from the streets of New York, Hal has found a new life
here at the CRC, training visitors. At the very least he keeps the kids
busy while parents try on shoes. |
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Sal - Personal Trainer
That's right ladies and gents, boys and girls- Hal's long lost
brother has been found. The CRC co-owners had
heard rumors that Sal may exist, but Hal always denied the
existence of Sal. Why would one of our best employees, Hal, not
want to share the fact that he had a brother, Sal? Well, let us give
you a glimpse into the soap opera that is the Columbus Running
Company.
Hal is righteous and good. Sal is, too. However, sometime in the mid
1980's Sal turned bad. Like many athletes, Sal shamed himself by
turning to drugs. Performance enhancing drugs. He merely wanted
to be as famous as his brother Hal. In his prime Sal trained
Olympic athletes, just like Hal. His break though, and
simultaneous fall out, came in the '88 Olympics when his prized
pupil, Canadian Ben Johnson, tested positive after besting Carl
Lewis (one of Hal's protégé's) in the 100m final. The Konami
family (Hal and Sal's last name is Konami) was ashamed and vowed
never to speak of Sal again.
Fast forward to September 2006. CRC Co-owner Jim finds himself
in Raleigh, NC, recruiting new staff for the new CRC store in
Pickerington. After interviewing thousands of hopeful
applicants, Jim had found no worthy candidate and headed to the
bar to drink away his sorrows. |
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There
was Sal, bussing tables. Hal's secret was out, and Jim brought
Sal to his new home.
Now time doesn't heal wounds, friends. When Hal first saw Sal,
Hal refused to make his 'run' button work. For over a week Hal
was worthless. However love- for each other and for the sport of
track and field- conquers all. Especially at the CRC. The two
began sharing stories of time passed. Tears were shed. Laughter
fell upon all. The two have now collaborated to create the
greatest 1-2 punch in running store expertise ever.
While Hal still hangs out in Dublin, Sal has taken up ground in
Pickerington. Evidence of Sal's performance enhancing years is
still evident, as Sal's volume is so loud and nobody can seem to
make him quiet. It serves as proof of the negative side effects
drugs will have on you for the rest of your life. The CRC
learned two lessons here. Performing enhancing drugs are stupid,
and love can conquer all. |
These fine individuals will be missed. We wish them the best and
thank them for all their work.
 James
Marks - the Canadian
Yup, he is Canadian.
We like it that way. We don't have to pay for his health care
and he brings an international flair to the CRC. Why go
north for sweet syrup when you can get it right here at your
very own locally owned and operated CRC? James is a former
Denison track athlete and tat of the month winner. He
also loves magic. Next time your are in, ask him to perform a
few tricks.
In his spare time James enjoys completing his teaching degree
and educating the youngsters. In a very unrelated note, he is
also one of Columbus' famed 'Beer Guys'.
*James has left the CRC to pursue his love
of beer, for the Columbus Distributing Co. We like to think that
he learned from the CRC that following your love is worth the
pursuit. |
 Chris
Honaker
Let's be honest. We
are unsure if Chris originally wanted to work at the CRC. He
already has a great job programming computers all day in his
house. It's just that his wife Stevi was constantly at the CRC,
or at least running to it. We can respect a man who likes to
keep dibs on the wife, especially a prize like Stevi. So he
started hanging around as well. Luckily Chris is a runner, and
over time I think he grew quite fond of the place, too. It
wasn't long before he didn't want to leave. So we might as well
do him a favor and pay him to be here. You'll generally
find him helping you out in Pickerington.
*This couple has moved to the east coast!
We still see them from time to time at places like the Bourbon
Chase, and keep up on their continuing running exploits. |
 Douglas Allen Houdeshell
With so many employees anymore at the CRC, if you want a job you
have to stand out. You have to bring something to the table that
will make Jim, Matt, or Eric say 'Wow!' or perhaps shed a tear
of joy. It happened for Doug when he used his metal working
skills to design the awards for our Mile Dash Anniversary Bash -
a CRC legendary event. Now the awards are legendary as
well. In other items of note, Doug is the first red-head to work
at the store! Good job. You'll mainly find him at the
Pickerington shop.
*Douglas has been overwhelmed with a new
job at Cardinal Health, school, and family. While CRC will
always be in his heart, his time must be spent elsewhere. Don't
be surprised if his metal work still pops up at the CRC for time
to time. |
 Shaman
Levi Fox - Outreach Director
In biblical times,
the name 'Matthew' meant 'gift of God'. Former CRC
employee Matthew Whitis, perhaps God's gift to the CRC,
gave us Levi. The two were friends and it was Matthew who
suggested we hire Levi. Matthew trained Levi, and
consequently Levi has become the Shaman of Whitis' Columbus
spirit and shoe fitting wisdom. His wavy hair, unusual sodium
intake, and to the point communicating ability creates a stature
of unrivaled shoe immortality. While not at the CRC, he spends
time with Freshman females at OSU where he is finishing up
classes and competing for the Buckeyes on their Cross Country
team.
*After his stint was the first ever
Outreach Director, Levi went moved back home to Troy to pursue
an occupation more apt to his degree - Insurance. You can
take Levi out of Troy but you'll never take Troy out of Levi.
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 Coach
John Lintz
John comes from a distinguished line of coaching. Did you know
that John's father coached the legendary 1996 Northmont state
championship team? The one that CRC Staff Alum Bradley Newsad
was on? Well guess what, John was on that team, too. John
applied that knowledge as he climbed up the coaching
ladder, most recently at Otterbein college coaching
distance runners like Chase. While ideally John would like to
stay at home and read Jack Daniels all day, his wife Susanne
needs to eat. That's where the CRC steps in. We provide him a
place to pass on his running knowledge and make some money on
the side. Money well spent, we think. *Well
folks John's wife Suzanne had a baby. So now he has to feed even
more people. A man's got to do what a man has to do, so he took
up a new career as the athletic director and teacher over at
Kilbourne MS. |
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.jpg) Bess
Raised from the cornfields of Indiana, she's slow,
steady, but an exceptionally tough worker. Reliable, too. And look how
Troy's golden locks flow in her slipstream.
We are proud of those tattoos- a show of commitment we expect from all
employees. In 2006, pretty Bess got that much more special, as we gave
her a brand new dead man's switch. It's kind of like a pacemaker or
artificial hip. Beloved Bess. *Tragically Bess passed
away in the winter of 2010. She went out doing what she loved
best, rolling over to help out at CRC's Fantastic Frigid 5k's.
Even dead she was worth a free tow and $300. What a great truck.
We will never forget you. |
Heinz
VonEckartsburg, Jr.
For those familiar
with Dublin, the name itself shivers the staunchest of spines.
Heinz. Von Eck. It's because Heinz Sr. is the head of police in
Dublin. Who has a pit bull named booger. Who is 6 feet 5 inches
tall and breaks down doors with his fist. Luckily for the CRC,
we've gotten to know his family over the years. Lauren was a
standout distance runner at Scioto who ran for Case Western. His
son, Heinz Jr, specialized in shorter distance events and
competed for Miami University in Oxford. Heinz Jr. finds himself
back in Dublin for the time being, and to help him pass the time
we had him join the staff. It's good to mix a little speed with
all us distance runners. *Heinz left
us for graduate school in NY. A higher learning is a
higher calling. |
Corporate
Kelly Gregg
Our CRC headhunters stole Kelly from Chase Bank, the giant
building off of Polaris. She spent six years there crunching
very large numbers. We realized that she had six more years of
corporate America experience than all three CRC owners combined,
so she became a hot commodity as we are, as far as we can tell,
a business. We needed somebody to balance out hippies like
Whitis and self employed idealists like Weller. Kelly was a
standout distance runner, an OAC Champion, at Heidelberg. She
recently decided to go back to school to finish off her teaching
certificate, which gave her some extra time to spend with you at
the CRC finding those perfect shoes. *As
expected Kelly finished off that certificate, and is now a
teacher. Great job, Kelly! |
 Alex 'top
shelf' Simko
This guy is 6'3".
We didn't hire him because of his good looks. Nor was it because
of his ability to hunt down cross country stats from all corners
of the state. It was the fact that Sarah, Kelley, Liz, and on
occasion Fruth have a hard time reaching those shoes on the top
shelf. We want the customer to try on the best- whether it
be big brands like Mizuno or smaller lines like Karhu- and at
times Simko helps that selection simply by possessing the
ability to reach the highest of stacked shoes. While not at the
CRC, Alex helps coach at Hilliard Davidson HS and is a part of
the Otterbein distance running squad.
Alex has graduated and now coaches in the collegiate ranks out
of state. We wish him continued success! |
 Brent
Stark - #8
Brent is a local legend when it
comes to road racing. There was a time in when you couldn't find
a road race in Columbus without Brent's name in the results. He
even helped managed a handful of them himself. He doesn't talk
about his running much unless you ask. He'd rather discuss the
upcoming Indians game or how many trees he hit in his last golf
outing. However running is as much a part of Brent as the hole
is in golf. At first glance at a golf course the hole itself is
the least noticeable, but it's the most significant part.
Brent takes a joy in helping customers, you're in for some
special treatment if he's on the clock when you stop in.
#8 still tears it up on the road racing
scene, but is forced to find balance between his new job at the
Columbus Academy of Arts, family, and whatever rec league sport
suits his fancy that week. |
 Ben
Lehman - All grown up
This true gentlemen was born into the running scene like a Bush
into politics. Ben would spend many a youthful day playing in
the sandbox while his Dad coached runners at local Otterbein
College. Many Alumni still come up to Ben, pointing at his or
her knee, and saying "I remember you when you were just a wee
little fella this tall!". My how he's grown. He's got a demeanor
much like what you might expect from a distance runner- patient,
quiet, but always analyzing. While your trying on shoes at your
favorite CRC location Ben might not talk your ear off like an
Eric Fruth, but know that in his head he is making sure you have
the best fitting shoes on the planet for your feet. For all you
OC alumni reading this, here is your update. This wee lad
recently graduated from Otterbein and currently coaches at Genoa
Middle School. He's even got a lady friend, whom he says is
"very pretty". True gentleman, indeed.
Ben has now gotten engaged (congrats!) and
is teaching at Harvest Prep down near Canal Winchester. |
 Kyle
Wellerfoto.com
Kyle is a man who understands passion and the fruit of
dedication. He understands that when you have an orange, you
peel it, eat it, then spit the seeds in the ground to grow a
tree. He fits in well to the CRC fold. Kyle was a standout
steeplechaser from Anderson University, a small town college
like Matt and Eric attended. He likes running so much he worked
for the USATF. He spent time overseas working in South Korea,
just like Matt did in Japan. Upon return, he started his own
business. You get the picture. Picture? Check this out-
www.wellerfoto.com. Jim
likes Weller because he is the first person to show up for
employee appreciation night at Brazenhead, and is often the last
to leave. He can speak Korean to our foreign customers and
French to the ladies. However don't let his tongue confuse you.
He is a straight talker when it comes to the shoes. We recommend
you take his advice as he only wants to help you find what works
best for your running needs. Weller is
doing the photo gig full time, recently taking pictures for
Becki and Josh at their wedding! |
 Matthew
'calorie' Whitis
This guy does two things better than most anyone. First, he is
renowned for his ability to help you with your shoes. People
drive for miles and even make appointments. Second, he eats
constantly. You know he is working when you walk in the door
because the store has an aroma of whatever he popped into the
microwave last. He is an extremely dedicated runner, as I write
this he is on his 34th consecutive 100 mile week. Plenty of
opportunities to try on the latest CRC running gear so he can
tell you all about it. Despite all the food and running, he
always points out that nothing is more important than the lovely
Stephanie.
When he is not eating, running, or helping you at the CRC, he is
counseling people through substance addictions. He keeps busy,
and we are happy for his time at the CRC.
Matthew has since moved to the Carolina's with his wife. We aren't
sure what he does there, but we know he has an ice bath. He
hates this picture of him, by the way, but we like it. |
 
Nate Ritz and Eric Hamner -
Good 'ol country boys
One of these fellers calls Pataskala home. The other lives in a
field up near Delaware with his wife. We'd tell you which is
which, but you ought to just come in the store and ask these
boys yourself. If you like muddy jeeps, big tires, the
Cincinnati Reds, and lots of cereal you just might get along
with this pair. They both are a constant on the CRC store team,
and can tell you a lot about running and shoes. You can read
more about them both by
clicking here.
Ritz is now teaching up at Buckeye Valley
where he helps with the XC team. Hambone is head coach at the
new powerhouse Johnstown - our 2009 pick for top five in the
state for their division. |
Now with two stores open, the CRC needed a bright and handsome and
pretty and intelligent and personable and funny person to help provide
exceptional service and take care of some chores. Ben fit most of the
above qualifications and happened to live between both CRC locations - a
match made in heaven.
You may have heard of this young man from Westerville. As a
standout distance runner known around the state, he placed in multiple
state meets was once featured in a
CRC spotlight.
He was featured again on the CRC site after he
took a trip of a
lifetime to Europe to watch and compete
in a world-class track meet - during |
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| which
he bested co-owner's Matt's 5k P.R. - something which
nearly cost him a job. However references such as Mo' Greene put his
resume back on top. Matt and the CRC are proud to have Ben among the
ranks of the CRC staff. He spend his schooldays running at Arizona
State, but he comes back on breaks.
*Ben
is running for ASU where he has chickens and a dog. |
 
Becki is to CRC as a bee is to a field of wild flowers. She is
not afraid to stop and smell the roses, all the while in pursuit
of honey. One specific golden boy honey that is. Zing! You'll
have to stop in and ask her about that in person. She buzzed her
way down here all the way from NE Ohio, where she ran for Akron.
She has a passion for running, and she does it well- currently
topping out with a 2:43 marathon and a trip to the most recent
US Women's Olympic Trials. She has years of experience in
running stores, and spends just as much time out in the roads
training. She understands what it's like to love something. If
you are looking for a pair of shoes to love, her expertise will
serve you very well. Becki has
left to be closer to her lover, CRC hero Josh Ordway. The two
reside in Dayton as he finishes up Medical school, the two were
wed in July of 2009. |
Luke made his debut into the CRC family as a store team member
upon his graduation from Otterbein College. No man who has
passed through a CRC doorway has a greater free spirit than Luke.
His mind rides in the backseat as his heart speeds through the
city of life. It wasn't long before Luke felt the urge to take
off to the West Coast. There he lived in a tent and built trails
for people like you and me to enjoy. Run on, perhaps. As so many
tales twist, however, it was a woman who brought this drifter
back to Columbus. Upon his return, Luke came to the realization
that running is a piece of his soul. Thus he began his comeback
into the CRC fold, lacing up the shoes for daily runs and
working odd hours between teaching jobs. The owners of CRC are
proud to have his services compliment the business, and are
thankful to that pretty woman whom he so loves.
Would you believe
that Luke has moved S. Korea?
Here is something to remember him by. |
Nate Ellis was the fourth along the distinguished line of DePauw
students lucky enough to be granted an internship in the fabled
work for less internship program. His shoe fitting calculations
were done with a cool and collected calmness from the moment he
began work. His work ethic and ability to find solutions earned
him the first ever perfect intern rating, something he will
frame and put on his wall. He enjoyed conversations with
customers, and by all means fit the profile as the All-American
Intern. However at night we always heard odd sounds coming from
the intern futon, where the intern slept while not working. It
seems that Nate became so good at being the intern that he
subconsciously developed an alter-ego- a mystical figure hell
bent at being the finest CRC intern of all time. Based on the
sounds coming from Nate's sleep world we attempted to recreate
what this mythical creature would look like. However even though
Nate has left, we occasionally still hear these odd sounds and
often find the store mysteriously vacuumed or the bathroom
cleaned when we come to work in the morning. Perhaps you've
already seen this mythical figure lurking in the shadows at the
CRC - the Internanator! |
 
Bradley's wife Kelley wanted nothing more to be on the store
team. Once she made the cut, she made her husband work here. We
like Bradley. If you wanted to know which CRC owner had the day
off that day, just go to Bradley's house. You'd find him playing
video games there. If you needed a place to play poker, go to
Brad's house. Unless it's Thursday, cause Thursday Brad hung out at Capri Lanes. Brad is the king of hanging out. The
only reason Brad worked at the CRC is because his wife made him.
The CRC owners agreed to pay him to 'hang out' at the CRC in
exchange for being able to show up at his place in the middle of
night when there was an urge for some Nintendo 64. Now he
works in Boston for the FDA. Almost as important as finding the
best shoe, he now makes sure we don't eat the tainted food from
China. Update! Bball's is back in Ohio w/
the wifey, now attending Law school at OSU. He lives off of
Riverside if you want to play some video games. |
|
 
Dusty was the third in a golden line of interns from the
distinguished DePauw University. Then a junior math major, he
first caught the owners attention by growing out an afro with
enough fluff to warrant a neck brace on exceptionally windy
days. Hair is an integral part of the collegiate running scene.
He earned his Finnish nickname, sans afro, by resembling the
great Olympic runner from the often overlooked Scandinavian
fun-land we lovingly call Finland.
Intern joukke kolme (number 3) brought a tingle of charm and
twinge of wit that the CRC owners have a hard time keeping up
with. His cornucopian contribution to the CRC was finally
realized at the conception of the very first CRC store theme
song, which can be heard in the store music rotation to this
day. |
If CRC was an ice cream sundae, Rick would be the cherry on top.
Rick was our very own delicatessen treat of delight, the guilty
pleasure you only indulge in on the weekends. Which is why he
usually only worked on Saturday and Sunday.
Rick began running in high school and was a middle distance
runner at the University of Akron. Zip! Now he resides in a
hail-ravaged neighborhood between New Albany and Pataskala with
his wife and child. He attends graduate school at works as a T.A.
at The Ohio State University. Turned out however that OSU was
the hot fudge that melted the sundae, as his obligations for the
learning institution proved too heavy to keep up his demanding,
4 hour a week schedule at the CRC. Plus once your smarts surpass
that of owner Matt, he shows you the door. Perhaps that's why
this alumni list is getting so long. |
Picture unavailable, Rick took it to his new, shiny, better job. |
D-Rock was another in the historic line of Columbus Running
Company Interns. He was with us for the duration of January '06.
As a current senior at DePauw University, we are not exactly sure of any
declared major. What we do know is that he longs to work for a shoe
company after graduation, and has binders of shoe profiles and reviews
to prove it. Derick also moonlights as a Puma, Reebok, and Brooks wear tester.
D-Rock has nerves of steel, a heart of gold, and a deep voice that will
tickle the depths of any women's soul. If things don't pan out with the
shoes, we expect to hear him narrating romance novels on tape.
Perhaps he'll even make the cover. He's a limited edition, so be sure to
get some while you can! |
 |
 Troy was there from the beginning. His sweat and blood soaked into the
slatwall we tiredly drilled into the wall in July of '04 shortly before
opening. We laughed and wept tears of joy when Troy finished the
installation of the store stereo. We were brothers bonded through the love
of running and finding that perfect shoe for every type of foot. All good
things must end, however, and Troy had to move back to Minnesota with hopes
of attending graduate school and pursuing other worthy endeavors. Troy was
good to the CRC, and we hope he carries only fond memories of what once
was.... |
 |
Fick hails from Painesville, Ohio, and was the
first participant in the company's work for less program. She is now in
graduate school at the University of New Hampshire where she competed in
track.
The budding superstar is the Goddess of all things artistic at the
Columbus Running Company. While she helps you find the perfect fit for your
feet, she'll explain the deeper meaning behind our store logo.
|
 |
 We
were
thrilled to have Intern Drew join us for the month of January, '05. He
is a budding socialite at DePauw University, where he runs year round with
cross country, indoor, and outdoor track. When asking for a job he
explained to Troy "I want to learn from the
best." Clearly Intern Drew has already learned how to deal
with upper level management.
Chosen from thousands of applicants world wide, he won us
over with his astonishing culinary prowess and above average bathroom
cleaning ability.
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