On June 21st, 2017, Mike Reilly walked into Road Runner Sports in San Diego, CA expecting to buy a few pairs of shoes with his wife. Little did Mike know that he was in for a big surprise…
He walked right past the walk of fame concrete imprints that line the front of the store and made his way through the entrance. As he walked in, he was surprised by several of his family and longtime friends cheering “Congratulations Mike!”. Mike was surprised and a little confused as to what was going on.
Then, longtime owner and founder of Road Runner Sports Mike Gotfredson came up to Mike and told him that he is now a member of the Road Runner Sports walk of fame.
Mike Reilly will join a storied list of walk of fame members including Dave Scott, Paula Newby-Fraser, Bill Rodgers, Meb Keflezighi, Rod Dixon, Rudy Garcia Tolsen, Steve Jones, Scott Tinley and Greta Weitz.
The relationship of Reilly and Gotfredson goes all the way back to the 1980’s when Road Runner Sports was operated out of a garage in Del Mar (see the pictures below)
Mike Reilly and Mike Gotfredson kneeling above the signature in the walk of fame cement. In the upper corner are pictures of the early Road Runners Sports store that was run out of a garage in the early 80’s in Del Mar, California
Reilly became the west coast sales rep for Saucony shoes, and one of his first clients was with Mike Gotfredson at Road Runners Sports.
The two Mike’s worked together for many years and built a strong relationship together. They both cite their relationship in the 80’s as an important one in building the success of each other’s careers.
From the garage in Del Mar in the 80’s, Mike Gotfredson has gone on to build Road Runner Sports into what is now known as the world’s largest running and walking store. Mike Reilly, now in the Ironman hall of fame, Running USA Hall of Fame and Roadrunner sports walk of fame, joins an elite class of endurance icons.
Mike after signing his name and putting an imprint of a microphone into the hall of fame cement