11 Dec Brooks Wins IRRA’s Vendor of the Year
Brooks won Vendor of the Year from the IRRA (Independent Running Retailer Association). Brooks’ neutral shoe, Ghost 6, was awarded IRRA’s Shoe of the Year award.
The award was presented during IRRA’s Running Specialty Hall of Fame presentation last week at the Running Event in Austin.
Other nominees for Vendor of the Year were Feetures, Superfeet, New Balance and Saucony. Runner-ups for Shoe of the Year were Adidas Energy Boost, Hoka One One Bondi 2 and Mizuno Wave Inspire 9.
Inducted into the IRRA’s Class of 2013 Running Specialty Hall of Fame at the event was Fritz Taylor, who has worked for Nike, Brooks and most recently Mizuno; as well as Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon Winner and author, writer and editor of Runner’s World.
Among retailers, inductees included Phil & Jan Fenty, Fleet Feet Sports Adam-Morgan in Washington, DC, Randy Step & Steve Angerman, Running Fit in Michigan, and Bob Wallace, Run On! in Texas.
Other nominations for the Hall of Fame included Thom Suddeth, Road Runner-Richmond; Steve Hoag, Marathon Sports; Roger Soler, San Antonio; Jeff Phillips, Fleet Feet; the late Geoff Hollister, Nike; Doris Brown Heritage, women’s distance running pioneer; and Greg Meyer, the last American to win the Boston Marathon.