Syracuse Behind the Scenes

Ellen and Ed Griffin moved to Syracuse nearly two decades ago and opened Fleet Feet Sports Syracuse in 2000. Ever since, they’ve made their business a hub of inspiration, motivation, and know how when it comes to running. This is of course because they love their sport, but it’s also because they’re deeply involved in everything the city has to offer. After Run This Town production we sat down with the entrepreneurial couple to talk all things Syracuse. Here’s what they had to say:

Syracuse is making a resurgence in recent years. Thanks to the college, it’s both an intellectual and sports hub. But these days a new and exciting farm-to-table culture is also taking shape. We see a bit of this in Run This Town. Would you tell us a little bit more about what’s happening here?

Farm to table makes sense for almost any community. In Syracuse, not only are local restaurants sourcing more and more of their produce, meat, and dairy from local farms, but now many of these products are also available 12 months out of the year at local markets.

We see a lot of strong cross-country runners come out of Syracuse. Out of all the places, why is Central New York such a running powerhouse?

2017 has been another great example of why the Central New York area is the best cross country running in the country. Led by Coach Chris Fox, Syracuse University (SU) Cross Country won its sixth straight Men's Conference Championship (fifth in the ACC). SU runner Justin Knight was the top men's finisher and SU runner Paige Stoner won the Women's ACC Championship.

At the high school level, local school Fayetteville-Manlius (FM) dominates cross country running every year. The girls’ team won its 11th National title in the past 12 years at the NXN meet in Portland this season. At the same meet, the FM Boys team finished second overall. Then, freshman Brooke Rauber of Tully High School was the sixth overall girl's finisher at the national race.

Talk about the history of Syracuse—it’s a former industrial leader—and how that history is shaping the city’s future.

Like many cities in the Northeast and Midwest, Syracuse is in the process of moving from a manufacturing economy to a mixed economy. There’s now an exciting blend of high technology business incubators, farm-to-table restaurants, craft breweries, a large new performing arts center, and a new film hub that’s producing movies and television programs.

When you two opened Fleet Feet Sports Syracuse nearly 20 years ago, there really wasn’t much of a running community. What changed?

Central New York has always had a very good running culture. But when we opened Fleet Feet Sports in 2000, a new inclusive attitude came with it. The start of our beginner running programs and advanced running programs created thousands of runners. The momentum from this effort has spun off new community clubs and grown the local running event market. Currently, Fleet Feet Sports has over 1000 runners in a variety of training programs.

You have 24 hours to spend in Syracuse. Including a run, what do you recommend?

In 24 hours, you’ll hardly scratch the surface of Syracuse, so let's get started early.

Green Lakes State Park is the crown jewel of running in Central New York, so we’ll start your morning there. The trails around the lakes lead to stunning views along great single and doubletrack trails above the lake basin. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Lake Ontario over 40 miles away.

After our run, let’s head over to the largest Wegmans Grocery Store in the country (150,000 square feet!). We’ll grab a great breakfast in the cafe there and then tour department after department to learn what a supermarket should be.

Next, we’ll head over to Fleet Feet Sports in East Syracuse or Clay (one of the largest Fleet Feet Sports stores in the country) to experience the new fit id 3-D scanning technology. Combined with great service, fit id helps customers select a great fitting pair of running shoes.

A recent city addition is the new 12-foot tall statue in Onondaga Park that celebrates the oldest race in Syracuse, the Mountain Goat Run. The monument, which serves as the event Hall of Fame, sits high up on a hill in the park and provides the best view of the city of Syracuse, including the Carrier Dome. That’ll be our next stop.

As we round out the day, we’ll head to Armory Square, one of several cultural centers in Syracuse, which is home to over 100 restaurants, pubs, boutiques, and local shops. Craft-brewed beer, local coffee and tea, and gourmet dining all center around a square that features a replica of the basketball 24-second clock (which was invented in Syracuse, by the way).

Finally, no trip here could be complete without an Off Broadway production. Syracuse Stage, The Red House, or Crouse-Hinds Theater all feature great local and national productions. Of course, if the light is lit on the Carrier Dome, there may be a sporting event like basketball, football or lacrosse, so we can just head up to the hill.

And, finally, tell us your favorite thing about Syracuse in one sentence.

Inclusive, accessible, and diverse, everything you need for a great life, right here in Syracuse.

Watch the latest and final episode of Run This Town now.