The Brain Behind Brainsport

By: Karen Karnis

Brian Michasiw has been interested in running shoes since he was a kid. While his friends had pictures of cars and celebrities on their walls, he had pictures of running shoes.  When he was 14, he talked the owner of a local running shoe store into giving him a job as a stock boy and janitor. Through high school he ran track, cross country, road races and triathlons.

Over the years, he worked his way up to a management position in that running shoe store, and after high school, decided to keep working full time while going to university. However, he found his economics class dreadfully boring and ended up failing.  It didn’t faze him, though; after all, he had already figured out what he wanted to do with his life.

So in 1991, Michasiw and his girlfriend at the time, Debbie Harksen, opened their own running specialty shop: Brainsport in Saskatoon, SK.  Michasiw describes the first few years as “lean,” since there weren’t many investors willing to take a chance on two twenty-somethings.

While the romance didn’t last, the business partnership continued until 2000 when Michasiw bought out Harksen, who continued to work there until 2004 when she moved to Edmonton to start her family. Meanwhile, Michasiw found love at Brainsport’s Run Club, marrying runner Elizabeth Stack. The two have a son, Oskar (7) and two daughters, Lydia (4) and Harriet (6 months).

As time went on, Michasiw noticed that despite the fact that Brainsport carried walking shoes and sandals, many non-runners were reluctant to come to the store since it was “for runners.” So in 2004, he opened Pedestrian Shoe Fitting Centre in the unit next door to Brainsport.  Pedestrian caters to walkers, hikers, and anyone needing casual footwear; it also hosts an evening walking club and a weekday morning stroller group.

In 1992, Michasiw ran his first marathon, winning the Saskatchewan Marathon for the first of what would eventually be five times – so far.  His most recent win was in 2010, but 2011 was a pretty impressive race as well; not only did he come in second, but he set a new personal best at 41 years of age, 19 years after his first marathon.  He credits his recent improvement to working with a coach, Jason Warwick, but says that Warwick hasn’t just helped him with his running.

In 2007, Warwick, also a writer, was travelling to Kenya to work on a documentary looking at why Kenyans run so fast – and why Kenyan runners give so much to their communities – and he invited Michasiw to join him. Michasiw says:

We stayed at Kip Keino’s High Altitude Training camp near Eldoret. We brought new and gently used running shoes to give to the athletes. My goal was to fit the athletes in the camp the same way I would fit them if they came into the shop. I fit several marathon runners, whose times ranged from 2:21 to 2:09(!). I also fit a young athlete named Asbel Kiprop who went on to win a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Michasiw says that the trip truly changed his life, making him see how lucky he is to have the life he has, and the ability to run for pleasure, rather than using running as a route out of poverty.  While Brainsport had always accepted donations of gently used running shoes, the store was inundated with donations after Asbel Kiprop won the gold medal in Beijing.  “We now redistribute about 5,000 pairs of shoes a year,” says Michasiw. “Some are sent overseas, but many stay here. I think it’s important to remember that people here are also in need,” he adds.

Over the years, Brainsport has been recognized multiple times by the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, including winning the 2011 Saskatoon Business Excellence (SABEX) Business of the Year award.  The Independent Running Retailers of Canada (IRRC) also recognized Brainsport as their Canadian Store of the Year in 2008 and 2009.  This is due, in part, to their community involvement, as well as their ability to provide excellent service.

When you go to Brainsport for a new pair of shoes, they start with you – not with the shoes.  They’ll measure your feet, assess your gait, and discuss your training, goals and injury history.  “We are committed to extended sizes and widths,” says Michasiw. “Our more business-savvy competitors see that small or large sizes don’t generate much profit, but we are determined to fit all shapes and sizes of feet.”

Michasiw says his customers love Mizuno.  “It is perceived as one of the most technical running brands available. It’s a perfect fit for a running specialty shop,” he says.  His favourite shoe is the Wave Musha 4.

Twenty-one years after starting Brainsport, Michasiw is still as content as ever with his decision to open the store instead of finish his degree.  He delights in helping customers find the perfect shoe – especially if it is the one factor stopping the customer from achieving a goal.  But he also remembers how it all started, saying, “As silly as this sounds, I love to organize the stock room.”