Miguel and his siblings--who needs shoes when you have trail and dirt everywhere, funny how life works now that i have unlimited shoes..  Miguel is second tallest next to Jose and Mari Galeana.  In our village up high in the mountain regions of Mexico. It was an 8 hr hike to the nearest town of Arteaga.

Miguel is far left running with Route 16 team members 2010

OWNER AND MANAGER

“Esta es mi vida”.  In the Spanish language this means this is my life.  As a child I came with my family from the barren regions of southern Mexico plains.  We came, the seven of us, with nothing but the clothes on our back.  It is said that desperation is the best motivator, and I have found this to be true.  In Grade school, elementary school and High school, when other children where playing games I was working in the forest to help support my family.  We planted trees, picked mushrooms, salal, berries, moss and fern to survive, still, with seven mouths to feed there was never enough.

I vowed to do better.  I worked hard in school and got good grades, but my real opportunity came at Hoquiam Middle School.   All the hard physical labor I did as a child transformed me into a skilled and muscular athlete.  I joined the school track team and I knew I had found a way out.  I was introduced to PEAKING by my coach in Middle school.   There I learned the importance of being consistent and attentive to my goals.  That year our goal to specifically peak at the district meet to break an old record of 4:47 in the mile, I trained hard and met that goal.  This approached worked and I took it to the high school level.  In high school I won 4 state track championships at Lincoln Bowl and one cross country championship in Pasco, gaining national recognition.  By this time my father managed a crew in the forest thinning industry so I would put in a full day of logging and planting trees and then run the five miles in dirt roads.  It was hard work, but it paid off.  This was my ticket out, a full ride running scholarship to Montana State University. 

At MSU I continued to succeed with the same philosophy, winning Five Conference Championships  which included the 1500m, 3000m steeplechase (8:39), indoor mile (4:01) and one cross country championship.  This would earn Two All-American honors in the 3000m SteepleChase at the NCAA Division IA championships. 

As an Asics sponsored athlete for 6 years I was privileged to have run and competed in many road races and national cross country championships.  Road races included Marathons, Half Marathons (1:07), 10k (30:10 road) and 8k (24:08). 

After MSU I would end up Working one year at Super Jock and Jill in Seattle  where I got addicted to the lifestyle of running.  After the one year I opted to go south and work at the local running store in Olympia, South Sound Running would be my home for the next 8 years.

Most recent in 2010 I was privileged enough to be inducted in the Hall of Fame in Bozeman, Montana as a member of the 1993 Montana State Univeristy Cross Country Team and as an individual alum.  I have lived an amazing life from my village days to my new life in Gig Harbor, I hope to continue to provide a service that is unmatched. 

Today I do what I enjoy most, own my running store in Gig Harbor, WA. 

My mission today is to continue to TEACH, ADVISE and EDUCATE the sport that has been so great to me.  Thank you for your support.

Kris Tebb--Master Mind behind the the Route 16 scene...and marathon runner extraordinaire!

Kris has been with Route 16 since our opening day in 2008, and we're so very grateful and lucky to have her. She brings a vast wealth of experience and knowledge to the store. In addition to being an experienced marathon runner (we dare you to ask her how many times she's run Boston!), she's also worked as a Pilates teacher, a nutritionist, a healer, and as an accountant. She's also one of the founders and leaders of the Dirty Girls, Route 16's all womens trail running group. You can find Kris in the shop or on the roads and trails where she feels most alive. But you'll have to catch her first. She's pretty speedy. Thank goodness she's so friendly! Whether she's working on the floor or behind the scenes (helping Boss Miguel decide the future of the company), Kris is always doing something to make Route 16 a better place to work, shop, and to play. 

Alexa Martin

Hi. My name is Alexa Martin, and I love to run. And my number one priority is to get YOU to love running as much as I do. I've been running for over twenty years now, and have raced multiple distances from 5Ks to Ultra-marathons to every distance in between. Half-marathons and 5Ks are my favorite distances to race.

The great thing about running is that it's one of the few completely natural forms of exercise. You can do it anywhere for relatively little cost. The only problem is that most of us have no idea how to do it the right way. And so we get burnt out, broken, frustrated, and bored. This is where I come in. When I'm not running or thinking about running or leading training groups, I coach the students of the Gig Harbor High School cross-country team. Every day, I get to talk to other coaches, race directors, fitness experts, and athletes of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels.

Over the years I've helped numerous individuals transform their running. I have also turned many a non-runner into a running junkie (though I have yet to be arrested for this crime against the sedentary life).

One final thing... Although I look, talk, and act like a runner, I didn't start out this way. In fact, when I started running at the age of nineteen, I was an asthmatic smoker carrying an extra fifty pounds. So I understand firsthand the shame, fear, and frustration that can limit a person from achieving their potential. This understanding, combined with years of running and coaching experience, makes me gifted at helping folks to break through their self-imposed athletic ceilings.

Welcome. I'm excited to meet you. Let's run

 As a small side-note, GIRL WONDER, my novel for teenagers was published May 2011 by Disney-Hyperion. For more details check out my website at www.alexamartin.com For more details about the running classes I offer, please check out www.run.alexamartin.com or check out the "Training Classes" tab.

Joe Churchill

Don't be fooled by Joe's humble-as-pie and pious manners. As runners go, they don't come more talented or driven than this guy. Just ask him about his high school running history sometime. Speaking of history... Joe is a soon-to-be graduated history major at the University of Washington at Tacoma, which means you'll frequently see him reading big fat books with really small sprint. In addition to reading Joe is passionate about movies, music, and his Episcopal religion. Joe's next race will be the Orcas Island 25k, which he plans to run just for fun (though Joe's "just for fun" is pretty darn fast!) We feel very fortunate to have Joe at Route 16. He's a whip-smart guy with a great sense of humor, and he knows tons about shoes and running and important historical people.    

Kristi Houk

Staying active has always been a passion of mine. Ever since middle school running was a great outlet for me to work hard and achieve goals. I did not start out as a great runner unfortunately, but after miles of dedication I found myself continuing to improve. Though never reaching it to state in either cross country or track in high school, I managed to make it make it to NCAA Division III cross country nationals three times and became an All-American in indoor and outdoor track in college. My success as a runner is largely due to the wonderful people who have and continue to support me in this lifestyle of mine. Without them, I would not be the athlete or the well-rounded individual I am today. These days, I run for Club Northwest in Seattle and train with the top athletes that the west side of the state can offer. I love surrounding myself with those who share the same passion in running and life in general. Whether with my teammates in Seattle, at a local race with my family and friends, or with Kris and Miguel at Route 16; I very feel blessed to have such amazing company in my life.

Jeff Bauknecht - timing master

Come by Saturday's and talk with an expert!  He's the tall one ......

Jeff has been running intentionally for almost forty years, and has worked with running shoes and runners for the last thirty years. He got his start back in the early eighties working with shoes at Eastbay Sports, one of the original "specialty" stores. Jeff holds a Masters degree in PE with an emphasis in biomechanics. He has coached track and cross-country, co-authored a college lab manual on the study of biomechanics, has been involved with shoe research and design, and writes columns for running magazines such as NORTHWEST RUNNER. In addition to all of this (Jeff is a busy man!) he brings more than twelve years of race management experience with him, having worked on every type of event from small 5Ks to triathlons, mountain bike races, and marathon relays. In Jeff's words, "One of the most fun events I've ever worked with was a marathon relay in Austin, Texas. I ran in it the first year it was held and had so much fun that I got myself hired as the event consultant the next year. Over 320 six person teams and 18 straight miles of cones is the craziest thing I've ever done with a race." Jeff's favorite thing is to watch people run and walk. "Whether working with a young runner, a future Olympian, or an adult first-timer that never thought they would walk or run, being able to put a person in the right pair of shoes and offer training advice to maximize their goals and help them remain injury free is my passion!"

 Gwen Gilliam-----Gwen is an enthusiatic, results-oriented personal trainer, who uses humor, perseverance, and hard work to inspire, encourage and motivate. She wakes up every day choosing to be fit and live life to the fullest! Gwen is also the mother of two girls and she has a special passion for youth fitness. She realizes the importance of setting a good example and teaching children how to live a healthy lifestyle. Gwen’s fitness journey hasn’t always been easy. As a child, she was asthmatic and had only 60% of her lung capacity. She has always been very active and refused to allow asthma to stop her. She just learned to work around it! In her early 20′s she took up running. She started with a 5k and quickly moved on to a half marathon and now tests at 100% of her lung capacity. She continues to challenge her mind and body as often as she can. Over the last few years she has participated in several Olympic & Sprint distance triathlons, ultra trail runs, organized road races and many distance cycling events, including riding the STP in one day! Her ultimate goal is to share her passion for fitness with anyone who is willing and wanting to make positive lifestyle changes. Gwen approaches her clientele with a positive attitude and the knowledge that through hard work and determination it is always possible to improve your life.

    6745 Kimball Dr # E & F GIG HARBOR WA 98335  ¤  253·851·2226