If you wander into Fly Feet Running and mistake it for an apparel store, you’ll likely be forgiven—founder and owner Kristin Shane says it happens all the time. Though Fly Feet does sell its own line of specialty running tanks, tees, sweatshirts and hats, it is first and foremost an exercise studio.
The first location opened in downtown Minneapolis in November 2016 and a second in Wayzata last December. Runners and non-runners alike can find much to love about Fly Feet, as the holistic approach to fitness, supportive coaches and encouraging environment make for a one-of-a-kind workout.
Fly Feet Running was born from two of Shane’s biggest passions—exercise and business. Prior to starting the running studio, she worked as an executive at Target’s headquarters. “I spent 11 years running different businesses for Target, so I’m really passionate about running and fitness, but I’m maybe even more passionate about running a business,” says Shane, a Medina resident. Those passions are now perfectly melded.
Though boutique fitness studios abound, especially throughout the metro, Fly Feet is unique given its focus on running and more — running not just to log miles but rather to improve speed, strength and overall well-being.
The word “running” may be in Fly Feet’s name, but Shane insists that you don’t need to be a serious runner — or even much of a runner at all — to benefit from and enjoy a class. Each hour-long class provides a mix of treadmill running and strength training exercises. With the fast pace of the classes, they’re over before you know it.
“Fly Feet is high intensity interval training, which means that you spend anywhere between 30 seconds on the low end and five to six minutes on the high end on the treadmill,” Shane says.
“Then you come down onto the floor, and you do strength work — pushups, pull-ups, burpees, kettlebell swings, all kinds of things.”
Every class is co-led by two coaches, who ensure that exercises are done with proper form, so even if you’ve never done a squat or a pull-up, you’ll leave knowing how to do it correctly.
“We’re really maniacal about making sure that people are moving well and their form is good, because we want to keep them safe and injury free,” Shane says. “It’s really easy to throw someone on a treadmill or a bike or a rower or whatever and say, ‘just go as fast as you can,’ but that’s a recipe for disaster. We look at fitness over a really broad time domain. We want to be doing this into our 80s and 90s, and if that’s the case,
we really have to make sure that we’re moving well.”
Plymouth resident Jee Niesen is a member of Fly Feet’s new Wayzata location. She was drawn to the studio because of the high-energy atmosphere, unique workouts and warm, welcoming feel. “From the front desk to the coaches, everybody knows your name when you walk through those doors,” she says.
Niesen also says that she especially loves the variety offered by Fly Feet and the continual opportunity for self-growth. “Every day is a different challenge, and you often do not know what is in store for you as you walk through the studio doors … The most challenging aspects of each class is that you are competing with yourself. It is up to you to push yourself to run faster or lift heavier than you did the day before.”
Increased speed, endurance and mental tenacity are some of the many benefits Niesen attributes to her workouts
at Fly Feet. “As a runner, it [has been] a great way to mix up the typical training route and push myself to do things I would not do on my own.”
