By: Karen Karnis
Despite the name, United Cycle does a lot more than just bicycles. Since their start in 1928, they have added more and more different sports, from hockey to soccer, baseball, racquet sports – the list goes on! – to eventually become Edmonton’s largest independent sporting goods store.
Finally, about four years ago, they decided to open a running division and were looking for the perfect person to head up the launch and daily operations – they found Beto Bustos. An experienced runner with a strong background in the service industry (including running specialty), and a personal training certificate, Bustos was their candidate.
Bustos began running 38 years ago at the age of sixteen because he had to while training for soccer. But it didn’t take long for him to realize that not only did he enjoy running for the sake of running, there was no one trying to kick him in the shins. “I found there was nobody to hurt me or try to hit my legs, so I decided to keep running and quit soccer,” he says, adding, “I love my legs!”
At first he ran for recreation and stress management, but after finding a group of fast runners to train with, he discovered he was actually quite fast himself. He ran his first half marathon in 1:17, and decided that he wanted to qualify for Boston as soon as he could so that he would be able to run the centennial edition of the race in 1996. Sure enough, he finished his debut marathon in 2:42 and packed his bags for Boston. His coach encouraged him to keep working on his speed so he could compete at an elite level, and he has since completed several marathons and ultra marathons ranging from 60 to 120km.
Fast forward a few years, and Bustos is showing no signs of slowing down; he has represented Canada several times in international masters championship races. In 2005, for example, he won his age group in the half marathon and placed third in his age group in the 1500m at the World Masters Games in Edmonton.
But isn’t necessarily Bustos’s speed that draws people to see him. Runners visit United Cycle to see Bustos because his enthusiasm for running is contagious. He leads half marathon clinics at the store, but is also happy to chat about everything running, from training to racing, to shoes and apparel. “I like to do a foot assessment before anything else,” he says. “We have 146 different shoes to choose from, from traditional running shoes to racing flats, spikes, minimalist, and children’s shoes. We also have treadmills to try out the shoes – one of our philosophies is to try before you buy.”
“Mizuno shoes are a customer favourite because if the fit and the weight,” says Bustos. He really appreciates the technology that goes into Mizuno products. “I like the Wave cushioning system,” he says, adding that when it comes to apparel, you can’t beat Mizuno’s Breath Thermo. “I wear it all winter, I tell my runners about it and they love it!”
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