Fleet Feet
Sports Gaithersburg first opened its doors on May 19, 2005. That’s nine amazing years that Chris and
Robyn have been changing people’s lives!
One of their
early hires was Kanayo Anekwe. He first
reported to Fleet Feet on November 15, 2005.
So Kanayo has practically been here from the very beginning.
Here’s a
picture of Kanayo on his first day.
 |
Just kidding.
For the record,
Kanayo’s name is pronounced /KAA-NAA-Yō/. But here are the top 5 ways people have
butchered his name:
1.
Kayano (like the ASICS running shoe)
2.
Canoe
3.
Keanu
4.
Kanye
5. Mayo (my kids affectionately
refer to him as “Uncle Mayo”)
refer to him as “Uncle Mayo”)
As the longest
serving-employee at Fleet Feet, Kanayo has assumed a great number of duties;
he’s a man who wears many hats.
(Figuratively. Not
literally. Because he looks “turrible”
in a hat.)
His official job
title is Director of Special Events and Operations. Let’s take a closer look at what Kanayo does
at Fleet Feet on any given day.
Kanayo oversees the Fleet Feet Sports Run/Walk Club
every Thursday evening at 6:30 PM and Saturday morning at 9:30 AM. If it’s sponsored by one of our wonderful
vendors, Kanayo works with the rep to line up food, drinks and prizes for our
participants. (No Jack E., you didn’t
miss the raffle.) Ultimately, it’s about
the run/walk, and to assure that everyone has an enjoyable experience, Kanayo
herds the cats runners into their respective pace groups.
Kanayo likewise lends a hand with our
fundraisers such as the Annual Charity Fashion Show, Diva/Dude
Nights, and the upcoming Fleet Feet Sports Idol Night + Silent
Auction on August 8th. He
secures donations for the event and coordinates with vendor-reps who take
part. At Diva Night, you should
have heard him killing it at karaoke. By
“killing it,” I mean killing any semblance of singing.
At our monthly Running Clinics,
Kanayo--along with other experts--will assess your stride, form and
biomechanics to help improve your running efficiency and minimize the
possibility of injuries. Who doesn’t
want that?
Fleet Feet is the official running store
training partner and sponsor of some fantastic local races such as Jeremy’s
Run 5K/10K, Kentlands/Lakelands 5K and The Rockville Home Run 5K/10K. Kanayo collaborates with the race directors
to work out the logistics of packet pick-up at the store and race day
participation. If that wasn’t enough,
you’ll see him staffing the Fleet Feet race day table as well as cheering on
our Training Program runners. Whew! *Panting*
On the Operations side of Fleet
Feet, Kanayo is responsible for the general overall running (pun intended) of
the store--from opening to closing and everything in between. He is the most seasoned FIT Professional
here, and ensures that each sales associate is well trained and informed of
everything that happens at Fleet Feet.
As you can see,
Kanayo does a lot. But the most
important thing I’ve learned about Kanayo is that he truly loves what he’s
doing. And at the end of the day, it’s
about helping people. Helping people
lead healthier lives.
Your faithful
friend,
Joel
Lagniappe (a little something
extra): Kanayo has a fondness for
cheesecake and chicken strips, and can be found frequenting the Golden Corral®
on occasion.
