Riverside Runners

Excellent selection and great staff… if I do say so myself! Lynchburg’s only specialty running and walking shoe store! Will treat you great from the second you walk in the door to the moment you run out in your new shoes. The new location is amazing!

This is the only place I go to now for athletic shoes. The employees are extremely knowledgeable and they have a great selection of sneakers and running shoes. They will spend as much time as you need to meet your needs. They actually measure your feet and put the shoes on you and lace them up and tie them. In my book the only place to go.

Not sure about what it is here, but, since coming to Lynchburg you find yourself meeting super nice people, decent people and people who seem to want to brush you off and are a waste of their time. I met a mixture of these people in one person when I went here. They all happened in heats, in that very order, in a matter of 20 minutes.
I sorely needed new running shoes after wearing down two good pairs of Brooks in two years. Spoiled by awesomeness from Jack Rabbit’s in NYC, I was excited to come for a new fitting at Riverside since well… they specialize in running. In my head, I knew not too much had changed with my stride, but I still expected to be assessed or offered to be assessed at the least.
I walk in and browse a little bit, and am approached by a nice young man. I told him my story and he brought me the current version of the shoe I was wearing, and a different brand with the same specs. I tried them on and felt the difference… did a mini jog in place… And felt like I was assessing myself. I asked questions, and got answers like, «Well, it’s all up to you.» «It’s all about what you feel and what you like.»
Um, no. What I’d like is for you to let me know that based on the specifications of each shoe, which would be better for the way I run, how much I run and which would prevent what’s bothering me when I run. When you are about to drop more than $ 100 on running sneakers, you need that history and education to make the best decision.
He did not ask me to run around the store (or on a treadmill, which I sadly didn’t see in the store…) to watch my stride, nor did he seem to understand that my older shoes caused me pain because they were over their mileage.
I’d like to have a place where they hire well-​knowledgeable runners as employees, or someone just plain well-​knowledgeable about the products in the store.
Not a fan, got more out of my own research and personal testing.

This place is a gem.
After being given the run-​around at the mall, and sent on a wild goose chase to get the brand of running shoes I wanted, someone finally suggested this place.
I walked in, and everyone was just so helpful. They didn’t have my size in either shoe that worked for me, but ordered the right size in both, and didn’t ask me to purchase in advance or anything. They called me when they got info on when the shoes would arrive, and updated me when a big storm threw a monkey wrench into the expected arrival date.
They really know their stuff, and the staff are super helpful and cheery and good-​humored. I walk a lot, and want a good shoe that supports me in all that walking, and I’ll be coming back here to buy those shoes when the pair I just bought from them wear out. Riverside Runners has made a new customer out of me!

If you run/​jog/​walk, or are thinking about getting into these sports, this is the place to buy your shoes! Don’t buy shoes from people who don’t know how shoes are designed to work with your body – buy them from people who know the sport and the mechanics involved. These people are professional, and very friendly. Having the right shoe makes all the difference in the world! They also carry running clothes and other accessories, and sponsor races in town.