Sneaker Impact News

Meet Frankie Ruiz, founder of the Miami Marathon (SI NEWS EP1)

• Frankie Ruiz, Bryan The Botanist • Season 1 • Episode 1

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In Episode 1 of Sneaker Impact News, host Bryan the botanist conducts an in-depth interview with Frankie Ruiz, the founder of the Miami Marathon. Apart from being a significant figure in South Florida's running scene, Frankie holds positions like Chief Running Officer at Lifetime and Chief Wellness Officer for City of Miami. As an advocate for wellness and public health, Frankie shares his insights about the Miami Marathon and his vision for Miami, the Sneaker Impact mission, and the running community at large. We also get a glimpse into Frankie's work as a city wellness officer and his advocacy for eco-responsibility and sustainability in the footwear industry. In Frankie's words, don't stop! Keep pushing for a more active and sustainable lifestyle.

Frankie is also the head coach of cross country at Belen Jesuit High School where he has recently led his team to a 4th place national finish and national coach of the year honors. I’ve known Frankie for many years and run many of his races so to have the opportunity to interview him today is a honor.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation
00:32 Interview with Frankie Ruiz
00:45 Discussion on Miami Marathon
01:04 Frankie's Involvement in Miami Marathon
01:53 Importance of Health and Fitness Expo
02:58 Sneaker Impact's Role in the Expo
03:35 Frankie's Connection with Sneaker Impact
06:00 Sneaker Impact's Growth and Impact
06:55 Importance of Recycling Shoes
07:36 Frankie's Role in Miami's Running Clubs
11:17 Frankie's Vision for Miami and Sneaker Impact
14:22 Frankie's Role as City's Chief Wellness Officer
19:33 Frankie's Achievements and Future Plans
21:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Bryan The Botanist:

Hello and welcome back everyone to Sneaker Impact News. I'm your host Bryan the botanist and today I have a special interview with Frankie Ruiz for those who do not know Frankie and living in South Florida and Miami, you'd have to not be a runner to not know him. Frankie is the founder of the Miami Marathon, the Chief Running Officer at Lifetime, Chief Wellness Officer for City of Miami, Nike running coach and the creator leader of the Brickell South Beach and all the great run clubs we have around Miami. I've known Frankie for many years and run many of his races. So to have the opportunity to interview him today is a true honor. Frankie, how are you? Welcome.

Frankie Ruiz:

Thank you, Bryan I'm doing well, man. How you doing?

Bryan The Botanist:

Doing great. It's Friday and we're two weeks away from the Miami marathon. So we're excited to have you. Time. The Miami marathon and half marathon, tropical five K, the expo. I heard the entire weekend sold out. Tell us with two weeks to go and the race on Sunday, January 28th. Tell us a little about the event, how many years you've been doing it, how many countries and runners are involved and how it positively impacts the city of Miami.

Frankie Ruiz:

Yeah, it's been 20, 22 long years doing the Miami Marathon. I've been involved since the inception. Company was acquired about 10 years ago by Lifetime and now Lifetime owns and operates the race. I have a, let's call it a spiritual hand in it, but Yeah, I'm

Bryan The Botanist:

You're still out there

Frankie Ruiz:

I guess my face is associated with all things a race because I can't go to the supermarket without somebody asking me about either getting into the race or a question about transferring or something of that sort. So I'm I may not be in deep in the trenches anymore but I guess my spirit lives on.

Bryan The Botanist:

Awesome. Yeah. We see you out there every year, even taking apart the barricades and doing whatever it takes to help the event and at the expo helping everyone and shaking hands and smiling, taking photos. Tell us about the expo. And for those that don't know, sneaker impact will be an exhibitor there for the third year in a row. So bring your shoes if you want to recycle them with us. So yeah, Frankie tell us about, a little bit about the expo.

Frankie Ruiz:

Yeah the the health and fitness expo has been something we, we to say kicks off the weekend and it's at the Miami Beach Convention Center, runs all day Friday, all day Saturday all the details and parking and all that good stuff I'm sure is on the website but the expo is a place where you go and check out the latest and greatest shoes usually on sale and some great deals are picked up. I know that the event or the expo rather has one of the higher per runner sales of of any of the major marathons out there and I think it's a testament to the fact that so many visitors are coming. A lot of these things are not available where they're at. It's the beginning of the year. So there's a bunch of reasons why I think you'd want to be at at the expo. And then, yeah, definitely one of the main reasons I would say you go by is to see Sneaker Impact. Make sure you You look them up and and support them with your old shoes, basically your old running sneakers throw them in the boxes that Brian's got behind him.

Bryan The Botanist:

Yep. I'll be there with the team. We're at booth 929, I believe, which is backed by the Chicago half marathons booth. We're back in the very back of the building where you get your packets. If you walk through the hall you can find us to the right, in the back right. But we'll we'll be making a lot of friends there and we're gonna have our big collection clear box. People love taking a photo in front of it. We're gonna have free t shirts. We're going to be taking photos and just giving out, yeah, I love your red and then we'll have our compostable bags. So yeah, we're going to be there for the whole weekend, but especially the expo, bring your shoes guys. So Frankie, tell us, how did you learn about sneaker impact and why are you such a big supporter of the brand? Awesome.

Frankie Ruiz:

I heard about Mo back when when I was with the running store I had a running store called So Runners way back when and since then it became Go Run and I'm not behind the cash register and fitting people for shoes anymore, but still affiliated. Anyhow back during that time, I did learn that there was this guy named Mo and he was actually related to one of our runners and he was in the upcycling world and recycling world and and I should get to know him. Fast forward to a couple years ago, finally, he he and I connect and he's got basically this incredible idea to really go in and and do our best to chase the sort of running shoes that were ending at at the landfills. And here we are a couple of years later with. With not just the brand but an actual impact has as the name says, and For me, being a Miamian that is so affected by the disregard for the environment, living so close to the water, or living, living in a place with limited natural resources and whatnot. I think we, we have an obligation, or I should say I have an obligation at least to, to do my part. I think this is just one of those things that, that we could do. It's low hanging fruit and most certainly. Something I not only identify with the cause but I think from a symbolic standpoint running or runners rather in general should definitely as well. It just closely aligns to what you do with running and. The fact that you're outdoors and the fact that you're making your community better, maybe running for a cause, all that good stuff is very like what Mo and the rest of the Sneaker Impact team and yourself, Brian, have been doing for all these years. So it's a, definitely a it's more than than a business because it, that it is it actually, is a, it's a way to help. While being I I can, say the successful too in, in in the industry. But more than anything else, everyone's winning around him as well. So that's that's why I chose to to be a part of it.

Bryan The Botanist:

Yeah. It's been really fun the last couple of years working with the team here and you and. Having you help us grow and we've been partnering up with so many stores and other organizations that are like minded and meeting runners and just growing through Instagram and through events like the

Frankie Ruiz:

it crazy? Isn't it crazy, Brian? We started off struggling a bit to get stores to buy into the idea. And now here we are. What is

Bryan The Botanist:

that's true. It's

Frankie Ruiz:

hundred stores later, not more than that, I think. Most of the states in, in, in the U. S. And abroad for that matter have started to connect with us. The shoes are just, the boxes are coming in. To me, they're coming in and making, not just me happy from a upcycling perspective and avoiding the issues landing in the landfill too early. But it means that people are running. It means that

Bryan The Botanist:

that's true. Yeah,

Frankie Ruiz:

getting healthy and that is, that's what I, that's My whole life, right? If I can find my whole life, it's been that it's getting people to do something like running to make their life and their community better.

Bryan The Botanist:

that's a good point. As we see the running industry grow in the US, after, we had some health issues, it's really come back and because it's so important, it's everything. And so we should see the recycling industry grow for shoes as well. And the sad thing is, recent statistics show only 13 percent of Americans are recycling their shoes. So 87 percent are going in the landfill, which is up to 400 million a year. So there's a real need for runners to, be the leaders in that. So that the rest of the public. realizes that, when you're moving or just cleaning out your garage, sometimes people have 20 pairs of shoes. We're at these expo's we've, we go to many marathon expo's and people tell us about how many shoes they have at home and they aren't wearing 90 percent of them usually. And, rather than them going to the ocean and the landfill, sneaker impact is a free solution through our boxes. That the stores have the locations and then we also have our bags for the public which you can get the marathon And then we go to events year round. So we're just really passionate about education here Frankie's been our main advisor along with our founder Mo and Frankie I just have a couple more questions for you So people can come to your running clubs to donate the shoes as well, right?

Frankie Ruiz:

Yep. We've got eight, eight different run clubs in the Miami call it Miami Broward area, South Florida area. And some of those run clubs are. Basically close to where you live at some point, somebody, realize that there's a run club nearby. And if it's not ours, maybe there's one there's another one nearby. But we've got them in Brickell and South beach and Weston, West Kendall, Gables, Homestead, Doral. So we're pretty much all over the place and you're welcome to come out and give it a shot. You can find us on Instagram, you can look up WeRunMiami. com and you got all the details there. But I think what's cool about bringing the shoes to your particular run club or in this case Brickell Run Club is one of the ones that collects the most is that it forces you to come back to run club. And that's why I like it like you, you're forced to bring it bring the shoes in and we got a box similar to the one that Brian has there. And every at the end of the month I seal up that box and I take it over to to sneaker impact. And we keep going last year. I want to say we did a few hundred pairs of shoes and I'm. I'm fairly confident that now after the marathon we'll get another load and yeah, listen, the best thing about your shoes is that your story can live on, and be combined with someone else's story. I've been always fascinated with shoes since I was a kid. I think that's part of the reason why I opened up a running store and I was in the business for five or six years. It's just cause I'm fascinated by what they mean to a person, what they meant, that meant to me. I think I started running in a way because I had a new pair of shoes and you can now help someone. And in one of our third world country partners that you too can change their life and for the better in my case, it might not be a full on marathon. They're going to go run. It might just be that's what they use to go to work. That's what they use to go to school. That's what they use to, to to go out. Even many countries aren't as privileged as ours and their access to. Even the brands, right? Like you can't just one of the islands or one of the countries in Latin America, you can't just say I'm going to go pick up last year's model or the newest model of whatever.

Bryan The Botanist:

Any brand. Yeah, it's hard to get them overseas. You're right. So we're getting some cool shoes and runners are really paying it forward, as we should be. We're very lucky and fortunate in a sense to be able to do what we do. Give back.

Frankie Ruiz:

I wish shoes were like, like in a way, like a conch shell, right? Like you hold it to your ear and you're like, you can hear. The ocean where it's been. And I think if you were able to do that with with a pair of running shoes you'd get some pretty interesting stories. So I encourage the runners that are, donating their shoes to. Go ahead and send us a message. Send a message to Bryan tag us on Instagram at what the shoes have meant to you. There's a lot of people that use them to qualify for Boston. There's others that, that use them in, in a race alongside a loved one and it holds, a lot of memories. But rather than just sit in the closet and glue comes off and they sit there and disrepair and eventually you toss them, why not? make that joy or that memory possible for someone else in their own right or in their own use of of the pair.

Bryan The Botanist:

Yep, that's true. And we can clean them and they're never too disgusting. So don't worry, we get that. People don't even know, but we're going to start showing Frankie a lot of what goes on here. I'm going to start interviewing the team here more, working the floor and getting everyone to know, hear the stories of how these shoes are rehabilitated. So Frankie what is your vision? This is like a big picture question since you've been involved in the running industry in Miami since the last 20 some years, what's your vision for Miami for sneaker impact and for runners, in general, if you can

Frankie Ruiz:

Definitely. Your 13 percent you know, figure is alarming. That means that we've got a lot more work to do. So vision wise, I think we need to let people know that Sneaker Impact exists and an organization like Sneaker Impact might inspire others to do the same and maybe their industry and help out in what they might be related to or passionate about. And I think Sneaker Impact represents that, that kind of dream or that kind of model to follow. So one thing is to make sure that the running community knows. And it's not just the running community these days, right? Like I think people use running shoes for everything, right? There's people that use their running shoes to be a nurse, to be a paramedic to work at the mechanics to I go to work in running shoes, but I'm looking around the office here where I'm at. And a bunch of people wearing. Sneakers. It's become, maybe 20 years ago, we've been frowned upon and although, maybe it was casual Fridays or whatnot, but for the most part, it was frowned upon to be using sneakers for things. And now I think, heck, people even get married wearing sneakers. So there's a lot of shoes for us to still collect and that has to start with getting the word out. So that would be one of my visions. And then as far as the running community itself is concerned, apart from just sneaker impact stuff. I just want to keep extending the idea of running and what it could do for your life and what it could be incorporated in, what it could serve as a basis for the foundation for kids sports, the foundation for your own longevity. I read a study yesterday and aerobic fitness is linked to longevity. Wow. Who would have ever thought, right? Like we, apparently we're we're able to slow down the aging process a bit by by running, by having aerobic conditioning by, by walking, jogging, that kind of stuff. So my, job for the next however many years I'm around This city, which is going to be hopefully for the rest of my life is to get people off the couch and out exploring their neighborhoods and running through their parks and connecting with their community and bringing people along. So if you've picked up running it's like watching a good movie. You want to tell somebody like, Hey. Come over here, I gotta tell you about this movie and be patient with it. It's not a, love at first sight with running. Maybe some people do, but it takes a little while because your body's got to get used to it. So anyone out there thinking about running? Give it time, give it more than anything else a fair shot, the expectations, right off the bat aren't, this is so much fun. It's not going to be your first first few runs, but after that, when you start to do it with people that you care about and friends you're going to find that it's it's something you're going to want to spread.

Bryan The Botanist:

That's what I was just thinking too, is it's very, it can be very social if you want it to be, or if you want it to be very personal, it can be very, or it can be both. Running is, it's very personal, just like everything in music, but it's something everyone should be doing, really, walking, running, getting your step count, we know that it makes you so much healthier. So thank you so much, Frankie, for inspiring the city, and I wanted to ask you a quick question, as the city's chief wellness officer. Can you tell our audience a little bit about what you've been up to and how the city of Miami is taking fitness more seriously.

Frankie Ruiz:

Yeah, so I've been doing this for a couple years now, and and Mayor Francis Suarez appointed me to the role I, full disclosure, I don't get paid by by the city I, I took it on because I thought it was a passion of mine that, or aligned with my passion, and at the same time, the mayor asked and I want to support all things our leadership of our leadership. But I I report to him on a regular basis. In fact, this morning I was with him supporting his health and health, sorry mayor's health and fitness challenge. His so he has his own weekly fitness that he does. We've had several talks that we've given. We're also trying to influence different wellness initiatives within the city, whether that's. PD or within the administration office at city hall, all those areas. It's so broad. Some people are like, how do you make an impact on, on, on such a big area? And I said first off, we should start with the leadership and start with the people who are in the front lines of the actual city. And and then from there we start spreading the message to the rest of the community. So he has me doing a lot of a lot of work with the parks and focusing on improving the park situation, which we all know can use a little TLC and some advocacy. So I've been doing that and staying on top of some of his initiatives. I I also have, still a role because of the run clubs to push city residents to come use what is a free asset. Basically and sometimes the mayor comes out and we push together and get people active and out free of politics and whatnot. This is, wholeheartedly just it just happens to be that the leadership that we elect is walking the walk when it comes to, to health, fitness, exercise, eating all that good stuff. So that's a little bit of what it involves. A lot of a lot of big goals, big dreams to implement in the city, but it is obviously a big city of several hundred thousand residents.

Bryan The Botanist:

Awesome. So good to hear the leadership is excited about fitness in the community and improving the parks and the bike paths. Cause I know you've been a big bike advocate too, with the Rickenbacker, everyone, like you've been one of the biggest advocates for helping along with others to, protecting runners and the citizens, from even things like car thefts in the area from. People taking advantage of runners from bike accidents, fatalities, hit and runs,

Frankie Ruiz:

Yeah, look, I think in general, I try to align myself with, and I don't want to be self serving. As much as I enjoy biking now these days with my toddlers, I don't do that same kind of biking as often as I'd like. And I encourage people, it's not only To take up your own interests, right? If tomorrow someone says to me, Hey, we need, repairs to the, to the baseball fields. I don't play baseball on a regular basis. I'm still gonna lend a hand. So it doesn't only have to be in line with your own self interest. So I've always found that it's better to just get people out there moving. If it's not in line with what you enjoy, I love paddle boarding. I love biking. I love running. But every so often I, Do what I can to make sure I'm helping the big picture and removing barriers, right? So if a park is not hospitable to someone or attractive and with an attractive entrance or the water fountains aren't cold or there's garbage on the floor or the bathrooms aren't working all those things are obstacles and someone doesn't have a good experience exercising And using a an outdoor asset such as it's not a luxury, but an outdoor asset or an outdoor amenity that we all need then they're not going to go back and they're not going to create a healthy habit for themselves and their families. And and that all eventually. Cost us all right, we'd have less productivity in our community less happiness in the community a lot could be solved with a little exercise,

Bryan The Botanist:

That's true. And we can do that. If we can do a lot of the other projects we're doing, we can certainly take care of our health and our city and the green spaces. So thank you, Frankie, again, for your advocacy. How can everyone follow you to stay connected with everything you're up to?

Frankie Ruiz:

They I think

Bryan The Botanist:

I know on Facebook, you might've maxed out, right?

Frankie Ruiz:

yeah. Yeah a while ago You know Frankie Ruiz FRN KIE RUIZ on Instagram I've got tick tock. I've got it LinkedIn. I've got what's app. The This day and age, you can get a hold of me. And if it takes me a little while to get back to you, that's just my, my slowness in in the queue. But eventually I'll get back to you if you need something or you just want to follow and hopefully I, provide something that inspires you or gets you thinking about something differently or your passion ignited. That's a, that's music to my ears. You can also use the the NRC app, the Nike run club app, which is a pretty cool thing where you can go on there and have an audio guided run. I'm not saying that my voice is the best, but at least. Miami's represented on there and I've

Bryan The Botanist:

You're on there. Okay. That's awesome. I got to check that out.

Frankie Ruiz:

I've got several guided runs on there so you can go on on a run and be coached by me virtually through your headphones or your airpods.

Bryan The Botanist:

I forgot to say that in the intro, but I'm sure as a very humble man, you, I forgot to mention that Frankie is the you were named the coach of the year in the entire United States for high school cross country.

Frankie Ruiz:

yeah,

Bryan The Botanist:

yesterday, and

Frankie Ruiz:

It was through I received what was called the Newton Award, which is Coach Newton was a famous coach and maybe a 10th of what he was but I was given that that award or that trophy at the national cross country championships. So that was cool to, to be acknowledged, but at the end of the day, I didn't run the race. And that's. probably why they even, looked our way. It's because the kids performed so well and I just happened to be there to watch them and and

Bryan The Botanist:

did they do this here?

Frankie Ruiz:

So we finished fourth in the country, representing Miami in a place that doesn't have altitude, doesn't have hills, doesn't have a lot of running facilities. They proved to the rest of the country that there's some fast kids down here and we can compete with the best. So that was pretty neat to be a part of. And if I can do one thing in life for the rest of my life is besides being a husband and besides being a a family person and a father to my kids, it would be to coach for forever. It's just not the most lucrative thing in the world.

Bryan The Botanist:

that's awesome. But it's your passion. And speaking of igniting passions as an environmental scientist and losing touch with it over the years, moving from Wisconsin down here, where I was a forester and ecologist and worked in the wetlands, forest and prairies. And then I found, I met you pretty much early on, started doing your races and did little bits here. I could, at Fairchild, a little bit of volunteering, but really lost connection with the environmental movement down here. Really got into the running movement and then you helped me get back into the environmental movement now, helping me find a role at sneaker impact, which I've grown into, managing our retail running store, which has really taken off. And we're really excited for what 2024 has in store with some new partnerships and technologies and guys, we're going to have, we have a Strava run club. You got to get on that. And we're going to have some really fun events soon. So Frankie any last thoughts that you want to share before I let you go today?

Frankie Ruiz:

No I'm actually going to celebrate you. I think the fact that you're a runner, the fact that you are basically connecting and setting relationships and in motion with running stores is very authentic. I think that's something that, that Sneaker Impact is, and that's something that you are, which is Just a real person doing real good. I'm, happy to call you a teammate. And if, the environmental world can give you a, an award. I think you're very deserving of it. You've also coached a lot of people. You've. You've also inspired me, inspired others, and I think now your work at Sneaker Impact has been a lot of fun to watch because I think you've also had to Go out of your comfort zone, right? You're an environmental scientists making making calls to store owners and emails to store owners and stuff, it shows your, how versatile you are and much like a runner, like very resilient and just, you can just train yourself to do anything. So I congratulate you. And not to mention your speed and your actual running abilities are not to be glazed over. It's a, it's certainly a. Let's call it a category onto itself here. Very limited runners that can say they're at an elite level. And Brian is one of those here in, in the city of Miami. Congrats, Brian, and thank you.

Bryan The Botanist:

Thank you so much for your time today. Just remind our audience real quick, your famous model for those that don't

Frankie Ruiz:

So my motto is don't stop. It's it, the pose, there's an actual pose that goes to it, is my hands are outstretched slightly, my chest is forward, and I'm hopefully smiling and that pose. Whether you see it on Instagram, that's it right there. I can't go that far cause I have a glass and a wall here, but it's there you go. So what that is, it's not me trying to get attention or posing even Jesus Christ. Some folks have have accused me of doing it. It actually is the kind of pose you would see if a runner or the gesture rather a runner would make when they're crossing a finish line, break tape. And. And when they cross that break tape, that chest, that tape hits your chest, your job's not over. You got to keep, that's it, you got to keep going to that next start line or that next finish line. The minute you stop, the minute all that momentum that you had from either winning your race or running well or doing something hard kind of It comes to a point where it's so hard to get it going again. It's like riding a bike. I've got my son that now he's on a balance bike and he realizes that, the faster he moves his legs and he puts them on and the bike goes the longer he can be on the bike and the same thing goes here. If he's got, you gotta stop and start and stop and start this very tiring versus just balancing yourself. And moving on to that next goal in life or that next job or the next, whatever it is, race if that's what you're doing. And that's where Don't Stop comes from. Hashtag Don't Stop, did it. I want to use, I want to say I used it over 10 years ago, going through a tough time in my life. And I realized that I couldn't just sit around and think about the problem or think about what I was going through. And one of the best things you can do for overcoming things or, even I use the example of looking for a job, right? Like hard to look for a job when you don't have a job, right? And that's what that, that momentum that you have and I'm not saying everybody now go look for a job because you have your own, but once you come to a stop and you're just like, all right, I don't have anything right now, it's hard to get going. So you got to get out there. It's hard. Go after things. Don't come to to a a halt and sulk in your, in your struggles. That's where that came from.

Bryan The Botanist:

Yep. And momentum is so important in life. I've seen it in building brands and with. Several, and you've seen it with the races. It's if you took a year off or two, you're going to lose all that momentum. Same thing with your health. The same thing with business, the same thing with relationships. You gotta always keep, growing and keep going and don't ever stop. So I love the slogan, the motto and it's coming handy here at Sneaker Impact that no matter, when we think we all of a sudden have something exciting happening, it's just keep pushing because there's so much more to do. And. We're the earth, there's just a lot of need out there for, education and sustainability and just, recycling and just also, just mentoring and helping people live a better life. Some people think they don't even know what running is. So yeah, as an ambassador running Frankie, thank you. And I really want to thank you again for your time today. We'll have you back on in the future. Frankie is one of the biggest supporters here at our sneaker impact family. And guys come out to the Miami marathon weekend, January 26th through 28th at the Miami beach convention center for the expo. And then the race is in downtown Miami. Look for Frankie. He'll be out there and come cheer on our

Frankie Ruiz:

out there cheering everybody on. Take care. Thank you, Bryan

Bryan The Botanist:

Thanks frankie. Bye.

People on this episode

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Bryan “The Botanist” Huberty

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