Spiralling into control
Spira shoes came onto my radar some time last year, when I first heard about the World’s Fastest 10k. The shoes have been somewhat controversial with people claiming the the users are cheating and has led to USA Track & Field claiming that Spira ‘breach the unfair advantage rule’.
Since then the shoes have entered my psyche a couple of times, and I wanted to know more. To quell this curiousness I decided to get in touch with the Spira UK brand manager, Alastair Dodds, who was more than helpful in setting the record straight and in telling me a bit more about the shoes. The natural progression from there is, you guessed, a full blown feature.
We’ll be reviewing some nice Spira shoes in the coming months here on MST, but as a lead into that I’ll let Alastair do the talking:
MST: Alastair, Spira is an amazing concept as far as running shoes go. Tell us more…
Yes, I honestly believe that Spira have developed the next best thing in the industry. Everyone who works for Spira is often asked why WaveSpring Technology was not discovered by one of the big companies first and the answer is simple; new innovations and technological advancements are usually discovered by outsiders. It has always been this way. WaveSpring has been tested and is proven to provide up to 96% energy return and reduce peak impact forces by up to 20%. Elite runners all over the world have switched to Spira and it is not because of big sponsorship deals either, it’s because Spira shoes do what they say on the tin.
MST: With something so new how do you propose to take ‘the story’ to market?
Spira are a very new company, only 8 years old to be precise. Getting the word out is obviously going to take time. Spira is still ‘news’ in the US so it will probably be that way here in the UK for some time. I remember 10 or 11 years ago when I started running seriously very few people ran or had even heard of Saucony and they had been marketing in the UK for some time by then. Now they have established themselves as a formidable running shoe company in the UK and everyone knows of them.
MST: Do you think you will encounter sceptics regarding the advantage that the WaveSpring can bring? If so how will you deal with this scepticism?
If I had a pound for every time I heard; “isn’t that cheating?” or “are they legal?” I would be a rich man. USA Track & Field stated that Spira breach the unfair advantage rule which actually categorises runners wearing Spira into the same bracket as dope users. Ridiculous and absolute nonsense. We had 3 athletes compete in the 2008 Olympics without question. Say no more! On the other hand, if they weren’t better, why would it be an issue!
MST: Market positioning is always a hot question for any brand, who would you see as
1. Your main competition
2. Your target client
It is a bit early to start competing I think. Spira’s is in the ‘New company’ section of the industry currently so to even think about competing with the big boys would be crazy. These things take time. Spira are only 8 years old and I am still young, I think!. Time is something we have on our hands and it’s a virtue.
MST: And there will be an off-road range in 2009?
Yes. Spira’s first trail shoe is the Paseo which will be available later in the year. Spira’s goal is to make WaveSpring Technology available to as many people as possible.
MST: Do you have plans to work with any specific athletes or events? (sponsorship) If so what criteria do you have for their selection?
Spira have a pretty impressive Elite Racing Team and already we have started adding British names to the list. Sharon Gayter, GB’s no’1 female Ultra Distance runner, Stephen Hepples, who has represented GB 9 times and is currently ranked 4th at the 10 Mile and 10th at the Half and the latest, Paul Ambrose, Ironman Triathlete. All our athletes worldwide are WaveSpring ‘addicts’ and passionate about Spira. I would not select an athlete for the sake of it; they have to be sincere about their reasons for choosing us as we do for them.
Paul Ambrose - likes his technology!
MST: I read about the world record 10k race, that’s an interesting concept. How did it come about?
It is a way of showing the world what Spira shoes can do. The Worlds Fastest 10K race in El Paso, Texas has grown substantially since it began and the record should be smashed again this year…probably every year. The course is certified but the record can not be an official WR as the percentage of downhill is too great. Both the Elite’s and the recreational entrants have great fun running fast 10k times.
Stinger Elite
MST: And what about your sporting involvement, Alastair?
Recreational running has been a huge part of my life since my school days. Having spent all of my adult years in the Army to date, keeping fit by running and at the same time preventing myself from injuries have been very important to me for as long as I can remember. I have often been told that I have skills that would be great for business and for a while I was looking for a challenge, pursuit, call it what you will, that would excite and motivate me 100%. I found it in Spira Footwear! Running shoes and business, great combination for me!
MST: Finally, what gets you excited outside of running shoes?
I am a big outdoor pursuits fan, very active. Kayaking, climbing, skiing,.. If something gets my heart beating fast or it’s dangerous, I’ll usually give it a go. Most of my spare time is spent keeping fit one way or another. I don’t expect to get much spare time for a while now. Building Spira in the UK is at the forefront of everything now.
