Marathon Sports Sold to Ghisallo Running

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jerry Kokesh
314-537-5362

Marathon Sports Sold to Ghisallo Running
St. Louis' Original Running Store Changes Hands

Chesterfield, MO, July 8. St. Louis' original running specialty retailer, Marathon Sports of Chesterfield was recently sold to Ghisallo Running, whose flagship store is in University City.

As part of the change of ownership, the store has relocated to a larger retail space at 13393 Woodchase Plaza, just 1 block east of the store's original location at Chesterfield Plaza. Marathon Sports' founder "passed the baton" to Ghisallo Running on June 1. Since that time, the new owners have been preparing for the move and this week's Grand Opening celebration, which coincides, with the Gateway Athletics / Marathon Sports 34th Annual Missouri River 8K Run on Sunday July 11, at the new store location.

The purchase gives the company three locations, University City, Cape Girardeau, and now Chesterfield. "Ghisallo Running is pleased to have had the opportunity to become the new owners of Marathon Sports. Dedicated Marathon Sports' customers will still be seeing long time Marathon Sports Manager Greg Reecht at the store as well as some new and familiar faces from our University City store. We hope that both old and new customers will stop by to see our new store, where we will continue to provide top-of-the-line products, service and expertise."

Kokesh started Marathon Sports in 1973, first selling running shoes and accessories at running events in St. Louis and across the Midwest. The Chesterfield Plaza location opened in June of 1977, as the first running specialty store in the area and one of the first of its kind in the USA. The San Jose State University graduate promoted running in the St. Louis area over the years through the store, as part of his involvement with both the St. Louis Track club and later Gateway Athletics-St. Louis. He was the second SLTC President, from 1974 to 1980, guiding the club from a handful of members to several hundred as the running boom took off. Over the course of the past 37 years, Kokesh has directed well over 1000 road races and multi-sport competitions.

While he was SLTC President and later Gateway President, Kokesh was also President of the Road Runners Club of America for four years, a member of their Executive Board for 19 years as well as a key figure in the Association of Road Racing Athletes which paved the way for today's prize money circuit. Kokesh is a member of the Road Runners Club of America Hall of Fame, as well as Peoria, Illinois' Steamboat Classic Hall of Fame. He has raced in all 37 editions of the Steamboat Classic and helped develop its event into one of the Midwest's premier running events.

The long-time runner who still manages about 35-40 miles per week, commented on the sale, "I am very pleased with the sale to the Ghisallo group. I feel that they will maintain our store's legacy and continue to provide great service to every customer. It was a good time to move out of the retail business. In recent years, my work and the six months of travel each year in the Olympic sport of biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship) have limited the amount of time I could devote to the running business."

With the sale of Marathon Sports, Kokesh will continue to work as a writer, magazine and web editor for Biathlonworld.com and Biathlonworld Magazine, covering competitions, around the world. He added, "Although I am out of the running business on a daily basis, I will continue to put in the miles and race once in a while because running is a great, highly enjoyable sport."

Entries are still open for the Missouri River 8K. Entrants will receive ASICS running shorts for participating. For more information, entry forms, and store hours, call Marathon Sports at 314-434-9577 or log on to www.ghisallotimes.blogspot.com.