The owner of Runners’ Corner has one piece of advice for customers.

“Picking the right running shoe is a lot like dating,” Hawk Harper said. “You have to try different styles and compare the fits until you find the one that’s just right.”

Harper has helped outfit runners in the Provo and Orem areas since he opened shop about eight years ago. However, his love of running began long ago and has led him to race in 75 marathons.

“I think running seriously is the neatest sport,” Harper said. “You see runners and they have a positive, upbeat, self-motivated attitude. They’re generally happy, and you don’t find them depressed. As a whole, it’s a neat way of life.”

Harper played running games as a kid and participated in college sports, but he really got introduced to running while working as a guide on the Colorado River. One day a customer sat on a rattlesnake, so he ran 12 miles to get help. Another passenger, impressed with the young man’s ability, gave Harper a subscription to Runners’ World magazine.

The next year Harper signed up to run the Las Vegas Marathon with his roommates. With less than four weeks to train for the event, he still finished.

“It kind of shows you that the possibilities are there for anybody,” Harper said. “I don’t think I was what they would call a natural runner; I just put time into it.”

Though Harper has completed 75 marathons, he’s still going back for more.

“I’ve burned a lot of brain cells, and I don’t remember the last one,” Harper said. “I think once you run one, in the back of your mind, you’re just anticipating the next one. Runners are like that. They don’t think backwards, they think forwards.”

Because of an injured knee, Harper now limits himself to two marathons a year. He will race in St. George this October.

“I’m no longer at the stage where I’m winning,” Harper said. “Now the most rewarding part is seeing other people either winning or being successful. I think the people you associate with are probably the greatest reward.”

Harper gets joy from seeing others succeed. That’s why he lets his customers go outside and run in the shoes they’re trying on. He also gets a smile on his face when he talks about his children’s national achievements in running.

His running store allowed him to leave the paperwork of financial consulting behind and focus on something of great interest to him.

“I’ve always loved running,” Harper said. “So I just put my heart into it.”



Copyright Brigham Young University 7 Jul 2003