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Meet the Staff

Julie Francis has been running for more than forty years, first competing as a miler in high school. She ran the 2000 New York City Marathon in 3:31, her best among the twelve marathons she has completed, including three Boston Marathons. Julie was an age-group contender with the Central Park Track Club in New York, and has been an age-group champion in many Shoreline races, including the 2001 Branford Road Race. Julie completed the Amsterdam, Marine Corps, and Palm Beach Marathons in the space of sixty days in the Fall of 2005, and requalified for the 2007 and 2008 Boston Marathon at the 2006 Hartford Marathon despite her condition as an insulin-dependent diabetic. 

Bob Francis was nominated age-group Runner of the Year by the New York Road Runners Club in 2000 and 2001, regularly placing in the top three in his age group at all distances while running for the Central Park Track Club. He has completed thirty-four marathons, including a streak of thirteen consecutive years at Boston, the world’s most famous marathon. He achieved a qualifying time for the 114th running in 2010 at the 113th running. Bob has also completed six ultras, including three fifty-milers. In June 2008, Bob ran the internationally famous, 56-mile Comrades Marathon in South Africa, the capstone event on his running resume. As a 60-year old, Bob finished first in his age group at the 2009 Holiday Lake 50K++. 

Amy Ranton, Preston's wife and COOPER'S mom has worked at soundRUNNER since May of 2006. Amy works in the soundRUNNER Branford location and handles most of our personnel issues. Although, Amy is not a runner she really gets it! WILL YOU EVER RUN? “I would like to start again in the Spring (maybe after #2).” WHAT DO YOU DO TO KEEP ACTIVE? Right now, keep up with Cooper. HOBBIES: I do enjoy hiking and taking long walks with “the boy.” FAVORITE COLOR: Purple. FAVORITE RUNNER: I do not have a favorite elite runner, but I do admire all of the runners we get to meet in the stores.  The people we work with are different shapes, have different stories and different goals.  But what they share in common is that running is part of their lifestyle.  I admire each and every one of these people for what they have accomplished and what they want to accomplish.

Preston Ranton, is my oldest son and the father of COOPER, my first grandchild. Preston has shown a keen interest in every aspect of the business. It is every "mom and pop" dream to have their children follow in their footsteps and take an interest in the family business, he has done just that!  Since graduating from U of M, 7 years ago Preston has been a force in the workings of the soundRUNNER business.  He manages several aspects of the business, including the E-bay site and has started running through RUNSTART, our beginning running program. Preston competed in Ragnar New England 2009 and will run Ragnar NE 2010. Additionally, Preston ran his best time at the 2009 Branford Road Race, during the first of Cooper's life. FAVORITE COLOR: blue. QUOTE: “Running isn’t a sport, it’s a mode of transportation.” 

Gretchen Carlson has worked in the Branford location for 6 years. I started to run 6 years ago and haven't looked back since.  I have run several marathons with my third Boston this spring.  I have been involved with the runSTART for many years and have many stories to tell all success stories.  It is very exciting to have a part in people realizing and achieving their goals.

Steve Swift has worked at soundRUNNER for two and a half years. He mostly works in Madison, but has also pitched in at the Branford and most recently the Old Saybrook locations. When it comes to running Steve is very humble. When asked what are your running accomplishments…”I've had some good races, some nice placements, some respectable times, but mostly I keep doing it because one day as I was running up my hill, I realized, I understood, I knew that it was beautiful.  maybe someday that can happen again…” Just Google Steve Swift runner …you’ll see what I mean. FAVORITE COLOR: “As a kid my favorite color was purple. later it was black, then green, now it is something blurred and indescribable - they don’t have a crayola crayon for the color of 'sweat in your eyes',  maybe they should. FAVORITE ATHLETE: julio cesar chaves.  thomas 'the hit man' hearns. larry holmes. roberto duran.  (no disrespect sugar ray leonard, but i was never considered talented, so i'm biased against you, and the willing to endure more pain than the other guy is sometimes the only way to go), but for runners, i used to like turbo tuomo. power runner. strong, not speedy fast, but a lion on the course. I do appreciate current runners, but I don’t follow particulars anymore as much as the ideas behind them. (I didn’t really want to edit any of this because this is Steve)

Christine Kopcha has recently been promoted to manager for the soundRUNNER Old Saybrook location...CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS! Christine does run...what started out as fitness turned into a great way to relieve stress and just have time to think things through. "I always feel better after a run!" Her accomplishments as a musician are many/ running is starting to follow suit..... finishing the marathon....and finishing strong! She had a PR at the half marathon this past fall....under 2 hours! Goals......upcoming 5K.  I've added speedwork to my training and looking forward to see how it effects my 5K,  a distance I haven't raced in a long time. Christine would love to attempt a triathlon, but she wants to do some work on her swim skills! Some hobbies include cardio sculpt, pilates, zumba (so much fun). She also cycles and sometimes does yoga at home...will break out the rollerblades come Spring! FAVORITE COLOR: I tend to stick to a lot of basic colors.  Nothing to pastel-y or neon bright.  No yellow or oranges. Rarely pinks or greens.  Black, browns, blues, greys, deep purples, reds.No favorite elite runner, but MANY:I like to follow Deena Kastor, Paula Radcliffe, Ryan Hall, Meb.  I have an article on Kara Goucher that I am looking forward to reading.

John Avitable has been working in our Branford location since the summer of 2006. I can't believe it has been that long and tonight, on the Branford Town Green, he graduated from high school. He is off to Gateway this Fall where he will take prerequisite for transfer to Central where he will persue a career in "stage lighting."

Jesse Efron has just accepted a "long overdue" promotion. He has taken on the role of Footwear buyer for all soundRUNNER locations. He has done a terrific job building our team business and educating our staff on all the latest...barefoot running and minimal footwear....thanks Jesse.

Amy Parker is the latest part time employee in Branford. She is smart, talented and alot of fun...Please keep your "day job."

Chaz Koch has recently stepped up to the store manager position in our Madison location. Chaz has a wonderful heart, not only as he interacts with our adult customers...but as he interacts with our youngest running athletes.

Jocelyn Coutant LOVES running, but after her undergraduate degree, she agreed with her parents to pursue a  tax accounting degree...don't tell her mom, but I think she really likes running better:)

Benny Flott is our Old Saybrook go to guy. Although Benny's full-time job is post man in Old Saybrook, his first love is running. He is an amazingly talented man who always has ideas on how to "spice things up." 

Audrey Martinelli Meyer

Nick Walker