In David and Goliath, Small Foot Care Health and Wellness Company Proves It Can Compete With the World’s Best and That Proper Foot Analysis and Orthotics Can Secure Victory
Proving they are a force to be reckoned with, Foot Solutions, the world’s largest franchiser focused on foot care health and wellness and relatively new on the running scene, took the Boston Marathon by storm last week when several of its runners were thrust into the national spotlight with strong appearances despite injuries and biomechanic issues.
Leading the marathon for the first 18 miles, two Foot Solutions runners attempted to do what the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team did during the 1980 Olympics in their famous upset of the supposedly invisible Russian team.
“It was our strategy from the start to run the race hard at the beginning and still finish strong,” said Foot Solutions Elite Running Coach Margaret Sue Bozgoz. “Of course we knew that the odds were not in our favor. Foot Solutions is a relatively small company and cannot afford the top runners in the business.
But Jared Nyamboki, our strongest runner, is known for his quick start and with our other runner serving as the pacer, we believed Nyamboki, if he could get over heartbreak hill, had a chance to go the distance and win at Boston.
“I knew Nyamboki could conceivably pull this thing off, if he had enough of a lead going into the second half of the race,” said Bozgoz.
The strategy conceived by Bozgoz and supported by Foot Solutions Founder and CEO Ray Margiano was one that some questioned in the days following the race. But both Bozgoz and Margiano answered their critics by simply explaining their underdog philosophy.
“Boston is the premier running event and so we thought it was worth the gamble to try something different there,” Margiano said. It didn’t work out as planned but think about how fantastic and memorable it would have been had it worked. Who knows, if the weather had been better he really might have been able to do it,” Margiano said. “In any case, we are proud of our runners and the race they ran.”
Nyamboki, from Kenya, and the majority of his Foot Solutions team members, are literally running for their lives. Most of the Foot Solutions team is running to escape extreme poverty in their native countries and many face political persecution.
“As minor leaguers in the marathon field, we are also particularly proud of our over 40 runners who prove every day that excellence can be achieved at any age,” said Margiano.
Foot Solutions Team member Oleg Strijakov, 43, earned an impressive come from behind victory earning the title of Overall Masters Winner finishing a full three minutes ahead of runner-up Robert Weiner.
Strijakov, a middle-distance runner who competed in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, before becoming a Marathoner had some concerns going into Boston.
“The field of runners was very competitive and I had to adjust my running pace to deal with that,” Strijakov said. “Luckily, my strategy of dropping the pace after the first few miles payed off because I still had the reserve I needed to finish strong at the end.”
Strijakov also insisted he could not have even participated, let alone win, without the help of his sponsor, Foot Solutions who created custom orthotics that relieved his painfully tight calves by correcting his severe over pronation.
Foot Solutions also helped Nyamboki overcome his biomechanic issues. Nyamboki, who was born with one leg longer than the other and only began running professionally two years ago quickly began to feel the effects of his leg discrepancy as his body began to wear down. The disability caused Achilles Tendonitis, severe knee pain and frequent tightening of his calve muscles.
In June of last year Bozgoz, brought him to Foot Solutions for help. Bozgoz is a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) and an ALL Army Marathoner and Track Runner and has completed 51 marathons herself, as well as coached more than ten thousand walkers and runners since 1987.
“What he needed,” Bozgoz said, “was to achieve balance. Nyamboki was like a car motoring down the highway with a flat tire.”
Once Foot Solutions fit him with a custom orthotic he immediately began to feel relief and within a month was back to full training.
Foot Solutions has helped millions overcome similar conditions since its inception in 2000. With over 200 franchises worldwide, the company provides a unique service to its clients.
The concept is innovative because the highly trained staff uses digital computerized foot scanning technology to analyze and fit each customer and their specific foot care needs. Fitting specialists at the store have completed courses in foot pathology and physiology. Their 10-step fitting process means a fitting specialist will spend an average of 30 to 45 minutes with each customer to ensure that they are in the properly designed shoe, including customized, accommodative inserts and arch supports to fit and support each and every unique foot shape.
“We find solutions for people whose feet hurt,” said Margiano. “Consequently we also help a lot of people who have knee, joint and back problems. Additionally, we are rapidly becoming known for our expertise in sports pedorthics,” said Margiano.
Donna Robertson, who is well-known in the sports pedorthics arena, having served as the pedorthic specialist for two Olympic teams, has recently joined the corporate staff.
Foot Solutions sponsorship of an Elite Running Team allows them to communicate an important message to professional as well as amateur athletes and even those who are just on their feet all day long.
Margiano said the message is a properly fitted supportive shoe, combined with an accommodative insert can put your feet in balance and, in turn, improve the alignment of the rest of your body.
“That’s important on Marathon day and every day,” said Margiano.