Special Guest

This week at NB we welcomed a very special guest to our headquarters here in Boston and Lawrence. Jennifer Barringer from the University of Colorado came to see if New Balance might be a good fit for her promising professional career.

Already a standout at the NCAA and national level, Barringer has her sights set on being one of the top runners on the world stage leading into the London Olympics in 2012. There have been very few athletes coming out of college with the talent and versatility of Jenny. An American Record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, which she set this past summer at the World Championships in Berlin, Barringer also holds numerous NCAA records both indoors and out. She has made it clear that she may be one of the world's best in the steeplechase, but also has the ability to be competitive at the top level on the flat track as well.

Because of her success through out her college career, there has obviously been a great deal of interest both inside the industry and among her fans who Jenny will choose to represent in her professional debut. New Balance was just one of several brands Barringer will visit over a ten day period in an effort to determine where she feels most at home. With intense competition from many other brands, the team here at NB worked extremely hard to show that we could help catapult her to the front of the pack both on and off the track.

Despite her grueling travel schedule, I think everyone here was impressed at how gracious, down-t0-earth, and energetic Barringer was on her visit and that elevated the excitement of her presence that much more. From the factory floor in Lawrence to the executive floor in Boston, she made quite an impression where ever she went. Beyond her athletic prowess, its her charisma, positive energy, and moral character that we felt made her such a strong fit for this brand. Our Team NB athletes are an amazing group to be able to work with on a regular basis and I can tell right away that she would be an outstanding addition.

I can say for sure that Jenny has numerous new fans at the NB office and we were extremely excited to have her in this past week. We hope she'll be wearing the flying NB in her professional debut, but we'll all be cheering for her even if she isn't!

New Beginnings

It's easy to get reflective at this time of year. It's the beginning of a new year and its been snowing since New Year's Eve almost continuously. A fresh coating of snow has a way of making the world look like a virgin canvas, just waiting to be painted. While the winter snow and ice will often wreck havoc on the best laid athletic plans, somehow its easier to remain optimistic and motivated with a clean slate waiting.

Fortunately, New Balance has come up with a plan to help those of us insistent on trudging through the winter months here in Boston and hopefully keep the momentum alive. While I don't spend a ton of time on the river at any time of year, it will be nice to have the option when all else becomes unavailable. I wimped out and ran on the treadmill this morning. I hate the treadmill with a passion, but sometimes its preferable to a blustery storm sand-blasting your face when finding safe footing in and around the city becomes impossible. Barely. I do enjoy running in the snow. There's nothing quite as inspiring as the peaceful solitude of being the only one on the road. It's equal parts therapeutic soul searching, ego-inflating (who else is hard-core enough to be out here on a day like this, after all), and torture aversion. The alternatives are the treadmill or an unplanned day off. Both necessary at times, but to be avoided at all costs.

Welcome to 2010. I think an exciting year lays ahead. Looking outside the window, the opportunities appear endless. Who could ask for more?