Patton Gleason was born to run. He likes to keep things simple, and says that less is more.

As the owner of Richmond-based Optimal Run, a leading online retailer for innovative running gear, Gleason should know.

During a recent presentation, titled Running and Happiness, Gleason cut open a $140 shoe to make his point. “This doesn’t look anything like my foot,” he joked, pointing out that consumers have been convinced that extravagant shoes are needed to truly enjoy running.

Instead, Gleason says that form, mastering your breathing, and cadence are all that is needed for a good run.

For years his fans have called Optimal Run the best “local” running store on the internet or anywhere else, for that matter. With the success Optimal Run well underway (he has regular customers on six continents), Gleason has turned his attention to home with the launch of a series of guided running tours called RVA Runs.

Gleason says that RVA Runs is designed for everyone—locals, visitors and private groups. “We help you actively experience and engage with RVA,” he explains.
By designing runs throughout Greater Richmond, Gleason hopes to get others to experience the best of Richmond. “We run through history, into the future, and finish it off with a pint,” says Gleason.

Christopher McDougall, best selling author of Born To Run, recently visited Richmond and participated in RVA Runs. “Next to chia seeds and sandals, the best way to celebrate is with a casual run through our awesome city,” says Gleason, who arranged a run with McDougall starting at the Omni Hotel in downtown Richmond. The route he orchestrated with McDougall hit the Canal Walk, Church Hill, Brown’s Island and finished back at The Omni Hotel. With a casual pace and easy conversation, Gleason and McDougall used the 4.2 miles to leave a lasting impression on the group.

“It is a really special time in running,” says Gleason. “Never before have we had access to the kind of data and research that is available about how we as athletes can take a bigger role in our running experience. Let’s take this beautiful activity and not over complicate it. Let’s run because it brings joy and to some degree connects us to our ancestors. Let’s learn to appreciate the things our bodies naturally do very well. Let’s go for a run, armed only with a smile and the whole world in front of us.”