It was 1974; Mark Bauman had just graduated from college with a desire to run in races all over, but he needed a way to fund his travel and get into the running community. That was the birth of what is known today as Bauman’s Running & Walking Shop.
In those early years Mark would sell running apparel out of the trunk of his car both locally and at races throughout the region. A lot has changed since then, but the one constant has been Mark’s dedication to ensuring runners and walkers get access to the best equipment for their own needs. “People often ask, ‘What is the best shoe’ and I have to say if there is a best shoe, I’d only carry one,” Mark shared. “Everyone is different and has unique needs, so we always make sure to work with customers to help them find the best solution for them.”
In 1977, after a few years of growing the business out of his car, Mark decided it was time for a storefront, but he would have some unique requirements. At the time, there were no running specialty stores in the entire state, so he wanted to ensure he was close to expressways because people would travel from “as far away as 150 miles” Mark explained. Another unique need was Mark’s desire to live and work in the same facility. Most municipalities did not allow for this in the ’70s, but Mundy Township did. These needs led him to purchase what has grown to become one of the most recognizable specialty running and walking stores in the state.
Mark has been a fixture in the Flint area running and walking community for decades and has been influential in growing the running and walking community to what many feel is a family-like atmosphere that just continues to grow and get better.
Mark has been a runner ever since high school. He would routinely run 100 plus miles a week and has 4 races with active streaks, including the Boston Marathon, the Detroit Free Press Marathon, Volkslaufe in Frankenmuth, and our very own HAP CareSource Crim Festival of Races, where he has run in every single Crim and this year will be running in his 45th. That streak is outpaced only by his accomplishment in the legendary Boston Marathon, where Mark has competed for 52 years straight.
With that many races under his belt, Mark certainly has some fun stories to tell. He shared that during a 1975 marathon in Miami, he was part of a duo of runners leading the pack. The pace car ended up taking them off the course and because of this, he ended up running a 28.9-mile marathon and still was one of the top finishers.
As fun as some of those stories are, “nothing compares to the Crim,” Mark shared. “The support that you get out on the course from the spectators and the production of the race is completely first class.” Mark does an incredible job of supporting that same community. Year after year, he has been doing shoe giveaways, hosting demos for people to learn, and he even organized a run to help raise money for a mural in Downtown Flint.
Bauman’s Running & Walking Shop is still a fixture in the running community. While the facility has gone through transformations in the 4 decades since opening, the staff’s dedication to ensuring customers receive the best customer service with competitive pricing has never wavered. “I’ve always tried to hire people who care about people,” Mark said. It seems that he simply looked for people like himself.
Mark truly cares for people, and there is no stronger example of this than recently when he decided it was time to retire. Three staff members had been with him a combined 75 years, and Mark knew they would be perfect to carry the store forward for the next 4 decades, but he also knew there were some needed improvements, and improvements take money. With this in mind, Mark has sold his store to the 3 longtime staff members for just $1.00. This is a testament to both the man Mark is, and also the work environment he has fostered.
“Mark’s dedication to Flint runners and walkers is unparalleled, and he has been an incredible supporter of the Crim Fitness Foundation,” explained Joe Dimambro, Director of Races & Training for the Crim Fitness Foundation. “We are excited to have him join us for the 45th running this year, but more importantly, we are excited that the legacy he has built with his store will continue to live on.”
Mark is still staying close, living in Flushing with his wife Joan, and he enjoys spending time with his 3 children and 10 grandkids. When asked if he was fully retired, Mark simply stated he was “kinda completely retired.”Julie Isphording is quoted as saying, “Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running.” It seems Mark has not outrun his joy and likely never will.
If you would like to learn more about Bauman’s Running and Walking Shop, you can visit their website here.
