“Keep Austin Local” is a familiar version of our city’s beloved mantra and rightfully so. From fitness fanatics to fervent foodies, some of the city’s most ingenious minds have put their brilliance to work in the heart of Austin. This free-market diversity has not only earned Austin the nickname “Cross-Pollinator” by Entrepreneur Magazine, but more importantly created a community of generous, caring, like-minded business men and women willing to take a risk. This month, we take a closer look at 25 of those who have made an impact on Austin’s health and fitness landscape, while building successful businesses from the ground up.


1: RUNTEX
Paul Carrozza (runtex.com)

As you turn the corner on Riverside Drive for the home stretch of that agonizing 5K — out of breath, heart pounding, ready to collapse from the pain in your aching legs — remember that one of the reasons you’re probably running in the first place is because of Austin entrepreneur, Paul Carrozza.

Not only was the event and training leading up to it likely sponsored by Carrozza, but the shoes you’re wearing probably came from his store, too. You can thank him later for your toned legs and newfound competitive spirit.

Carrozza, CEO and Founder of RunTex, started the city’s first and only store devoted exclusively to running back in 1988, and amazingly enough, he’ll be celebrating his 21st anniversary in business this month.

Over the last two decades, RunTex has been many things to many people. For starters, it’s become one of the most widely-known homegrown brands in Austin. Specializing in running gear, training and events, it caters to all levels of fitness — from hardcore running enthuiasts to beginning-level joggers just trying to lose a little weight.

But RunTex has also been one of the most philanthropic entities to non-profits and small businesses alike. You may not realize it, but most of the Austin running industry today either got its start because of Carrozza, or at one point worked directly for him.

All the while, Carrozza has been a charismatic and magnanimous ambassador for Austin running, watching the seeds he planted grow into the vibrant, active community we enjoy today.

“What we do at RunTex is democratize national caliber world-class training, and bring it to everybody,” he says. “We found the more that we coached every day runners, people who weren’t even runners yet, like we trained ourselves, that they improved not only themselves but competitively.”


2 & 3: SWEET LEAF TEA
Clayton Christopher & David Smith (sweetleaftea.com)

If you’ve ever been to a music festival or a triathlon in Austin, chances are you’ve seen people sipping on colorful bottles with a cartoon grandma smiling on the label. That infectious grin belongs to “Mimi,” the entrepreneurial inspiration for her grandson, Clayton Christopher, who has since taken Texas’ love for sweet tea down a healthy path.

The beginning years of Sweet Leaf Tea weren’t all smiles, however. Christopher and his business partner David Smith had a foray into the tea trade that proved more than a little rough.

They started by brewing their tea in pillowcases, literally filling each plastic bottle by hand. While their product was extremely fresh, they discovered it was also very perishable, spoiling only after a couple of weeks, and oftentimes upon delivery. After three years of trying to keep up with Mother Nature’s expiration date, Sweet Leaf Tea was forced to shut down their operation in Beaumont, Texas.

“It was tough,” says Smith. “But the good thing was that we knew if we made a slight adjustment to our process, we could get back on track.”

Fortunately, the adjustment didn’t take long. A six-month hiatus to regroup and tweak their business model gave the operation new life, and a great-tasting product with an extended shelf-life. While it wasn’t an insurmountable challenge, it proved an exercise in humility which had lasting impressions.

“For one, we learned that problems are often blessings in disguise,” says Christopher. “They’re opportunities to pivot and move in a different direction. We also discovered that if you get a big head in this business, it’s likely to get knocked off.”

All along, Sweet Leaf’s dedication to quality and a commitment to its core values have been in check, and not surprisingly, integral to their success. Case in point: for years Christopher and Smith were urged by industry insiders to replace organic cane sugar and honey in their teas with cheaper, more manufacturer-friendly high-fructose corn syrup. The problem was that it violated the company’s mission of using fresh, natural ingredients. So today, after more than a decade of manufacturing their teas, all of Sweet Leaf’s non-diet flavors are certified organic by the USDA and made exclusively with natural, non-modified sweeteners (despite a 25 percent increase in cost).

“The only time you ever wash tea is when you brew it, so it’s really important for tea to be completely free of pesticides or other chemicals,” explains Christopher. “This is why being organic is such a critical thing.”

From humble beginnings more than 11 years ago, the company is now a national enterprise with more than 50 employees and distribution in all 50 states. They’re a highly recognizable sponsor of local events and a benefactor to local charities as well, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and Susan G. Komen.

“As a business, we’re definitely more of a teenager now,” explains Christopher. “The little things don’t beat us up as badly, we’re tougher and able to take things in stride. And honestly, a work day is just as fun as any other day for us; I think our culture here reflects that.”


4: BOUNDLESS NUTRITION
Trevor Ross (boundlessnutrition.com)

No stranger to Austin Fit Magazine, Boundless Nutrition’s Oatmega-3 has graced our pages multiple times, most recently highlighted in our July issue as one of the healthiest energy bars available on the market today. Over the years, the owner of the company, Trevor Ross, has been tweaking his formula to create a great-tasting bar, that also improves your health.

“Most ‘nutrition’ bars these days are nothing but glorified candy bars with tons of sugar,” says Ross. “I wanted to create a product that tasted good but had a balanced amount of healthy fats, protein and carbs.”

Exceeding these requirements, the Oatmega-3 also contains heart-healthy omega-3 from fish oil (where it gets its name), antioxidant-boosting green tea and plenty of whole grains. Only organic ingredients are used and the sugar content is half that of the typical energy bar.

Ross owes much of his success to his family, staunch supporters from the get-go. Devoting long hours and many weekends, they helped Ross tinker with his recipe in a rented-out commercial kitchen when he got started more than three
years ago.

The bar has come a long way since its first customer, Hyde Park Gym, agreed to carry it. It’s now found alongside many brand name bars at gyms, grocery stores and gas stations all around Austin. Ross hopes it will eventually set a higher standard for the value (nutritional and otherwise) of energy bars.


5: AUSTIN ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP
Stephanie McDonald (atxbootcamp.com)

Austin Adventure Boot Camp isn’t basic training, but it will definitely get you into shape; without the green hue of fluorescent gym lights. If you don’t believe us, just take one look at founder and owner Stephanie McDonald.

Furiously fit (a top-ranked national level figure competitor who was named one of AFM’s 10 Fittest in 2006), endlessly inventive (she designs her company’s Web site and all of her own marketing collateral) and always inspirational (she coaches many of the boot camps herself), we first met McDonald back in 2005 when she was just getting started. In just four short years, she’s built Austin Adventure Boot Camp into the fitness force it is today – one of the city’s premiere group exercise outlets.

Beginning by canvassing South Austin neighborhoods with door-to-door advertisements, McDonald now uses weight-loss challenges, a growing body of testimonials and enthusiastic e-blasts to garner new customers, as well as keep regular clientele pumped up. Her industry experience, drive and savvy business acumen have helped McDonald thrive in an otherwise competitive marketplace.

“My first jobs out of grad school were in corporate training,” she says. “But I’ve always been interested in instructing, coaching and motivating. My passion was never technology. It has always been fitness.”

Although most of Austin Adventure Boot Camps programs are designed for women, new co-ed boot camps were recently added to their line-up. And let’s face it, if looking good for the opposite sex isn’t enough incentive to punch out those squats, we don’t know what is.


6 & 7: THE CROSSINGS
Ken & Joyce Beck (thecrossingsaustin.com)

Are you reading this article to mentally escape your cubicle? Well, Ken Beck understands how you feel. After working in a high-stress corporate environment for many years, Ken and his wife Joyce, a former psychotherapist, decided to turn their dream of opening a wellness retreat into a reality.

Though the Beck’s came from two non-related industries, both of their jobs reinforced the idea that mental health is a product of environment. So they decided to create their own. After four years of arduous planning and continuous construction, The Crossings, a gorgeous sanctuary secluded in the Texas Hill Country, was born. Blending beautifully into the Balcones Canyonlands Wildlife Preserve, the complex sits atop more than 200 acres, built entirely with green sustainable practices (it is awaiting a LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council).

Hard to label and even harder to leave, The Crossings is not just a vacation, a revitalizing group meeting place, a wellness spa or even an intimate visit with nature. It’s all of this rolled into one – a peaceful play land of sorts, not easily replicated anywhere else in the city. In fact, it was voted “Best Spa in Austin” by the Austin Chronicle two years in a row.

“We want this to be a place where people feel at home, but we want it to have purpose,” Ken explains.

No matter how you categorize it, the programs at The Crossings are completely customizable. Past activities have included organic cooking, interactive art and walking meditation.

The Crossings is currently undergoing its own rejuvenation with renovations lasting until the end of the year, but be sure to check out the new and improved facility in 2010.


8: SPIBELT
Kim Overton (spibelt.com)

How many times have you driven to the Town Lake Trail for a run, gotten out of your car, then gone through the exercise of finding a safe place to hide your keys? Or your phone. Or your wallet.

Well, we’ve all been there. And from the look of dozens of runners still clasping their iPhones in between strides, the battle with our belongings wages on.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, according to Kim Overton, owner and founder of SPIBelt here in Austin. Her inspiration for SPI (small personal item) Belt — a sleek, stylish, expandable and secure waistbelt that holds everything from money, cell phones, energy gels and race numbers — came one day while attending the Austin City Limits Festival in 2006.

“I was running across the lake from the festival while Morcheeba was performing. I love Morcheeba, so I ran in place for awhile to hear the music. My car key was tucked in my bra and it started to get annoying bouncing up and down. All of a sudden, the idea for SPIBelt hit me.”

In the three years since, SPIBelt has grown in size and expanded its line of accessories to include customized SPIBelts and the SPIBand — an armband version of her patented product. Overton runs the entire operation — marketing and manufacturing, ordering and fulfillment, customer service, as well as her entire online business — all from a contemporary home in east Austin.

Any words of wisdom for budding entrepreneurs? “Don’t wait for perfection to launch a company,” advises Overton. Roll it out when you’ve done your best, then let your customers tell you how to improve it. At the end of the day, customer service can make your business, bad service can break you.”


9 & 10: CIELO: OXYGEN ENRICHED PURIFIED WATER
Phillip Owens & Thomas Cogdell (cielowater.com)

After living in Austin through the summer drought, you’ve seen first-hand just how important water is to our city. And perhaps no one in Austin appreciates this more than Philip Owens, co-owner of Cielo Water. Besides being the missing ingredient in our low-level lakes, Owens’ recognizes how vital water is to our existence and how every drop we absorb affects our bodies.

Owens didn’t start Cielo Water with the intention of becoming the city’s purest H2O distributor, though. Initially, the purification techniques he uses were created as a funding agent for Cogdell’s Austin House of Prayer, a local non-profit dedicated to a simple life of day and night prayer, hospitality and reconciliation.

Cielo’s state-of-the-art water purification technique — adopted from those used by Rain Fresh Water based in Dallas — starts with a meticulous multi-filtering and distillation process that ends with a final pass through a coconut shell.

Before bottling, three to four times the normal amount of oxygen is dissolved using a proprietary process. The result is excess oxygen (O2) and a sweet, light taste with a 7.4 pH level matching the normal pH balance of the human body.

“Many health problems can be traced back to poor hydration,” explains Owens. “If the water you drink tastes great and matches your body’s alkaline level, maybe you will drink more.”

Cielo customers tend to drink water by the gallons and many believe they’re receiving additional health benefits thanks to the extra oxygen.

11: WHOLE FOODS MARKET
John Mackey (wholefoodsmarket.com)

Known the world over as the Mecca for natural and organic food, Whole Foods Market has also become the unofficial icon of Austin. The 80,000 square-foot flagship store — complete with its 600-seat amphitheater, renowned cooking school and more than 7.9 billion in revenue — is a vibrant, bustling symbol of Austin healthy living. Not to mention a powerful example of how to transform a small business into a global enterprise in a very short period of time. But Whole Foods Market wasn’t always the foodie giant that it is today.

At 25 years old, CEO and founder John Mackey dropped out of college and was thanking his family and friends for the combined $45,000 investment he and his girlfriend used to open their first grocery store, then called SaferWay (spoofing the name Safeway). Two years later, the tiny natural foods spot made a partnership that would launch it into the national spotlight.

Mackey teamed up with Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery, for a merger that resulted in the opening of the original Whole Foods Market on Lamar Blvd.

As most Austinites know, the rest is history. Whole Foods Market has since become the world leader in production and delivery of natural, organic foods, with a keen eye on quality and environmental consciousness. For one, they only sell products that meet their self-created quality standards for being au naturale. In fact, the store has online “Unacceptable Food Ingredients” lists which contain products that are minimally processed and free of hydrogenated fats, artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and preservatives. Also, be sure to check out Mackey’s no-holds-barred-blog at wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey.

12: DYNAMAX MEDICINE BALLS
Jim Cawley (medicineballs.com)

You’ve seen them laying around most Austin’s gyms, and we’re not talking about our magazines. They’re round, heavy and one of the best ways to get a full-body workout. Medicine balls have been around since ancient Greek physician Hippocrates had them sewn out of animal skins and stuffed with sand.

The times have certainly changed and so has the quality of these multi-purpose conditioning tools. When Jim Cawley and Bruce Evans began searching for a ball that could withstand repeated high impact, nothing could be found. The two coaches decided to take matters into their own hands and created the most durable medicine ball on the market. The end result was the now famous Dynamax ball, a favorite of NCAA athletic programs and professional sports franchises, and now among the most ubiquitous medicine balls in the world.

“Going back to the concept of the original patented medicine ball and adding a few trade secrets, we were able to come up with a process that keeps the ball impact-absorbing,” explains Cawley. “Plus, all of our balls are made from recycled material right here in the U.S.A.”

Over the last 25 years, Dynamax has expanded its line to cater to just about any size or strength level. Ranging anywhere from four to 20 pounds, each ball is still carefully handcrafted, filled with recycled shredded tire rubber combined with various recycled fiber blends to acquire a formulated feel and weight.

“We tried to automate the process — robotics and an assembly line method,” Cawley says. “But these are best made when done by hand.”

You can even see the process in person, if you’re willing to take a jaunt down I-35 to their factory in Buda.


13 & 14: CATZ HYPER WEAR
Dirk Buikema & Cosmo Raines (hyperwear.com)

It seems there’s always one person on the basketball team who manages to make dunking look easy. Even though it didn’t come naturally, achieving this kind of vertical was top priority for Cosmo Raines back in his high school days. In fact, it was a key source of inspiration when designing what he now calls the Hyper Vest.

During his years at Southwestern University, Raines tinkered with the concept of a weighted performance vest and by 2003 a prototype was finally complete. It was lightweight and durable, made from specialized fabric which could accomodate different amounts of weight. It was a great start but Raines’ hard work was far from over.

Armed with a unique product and empassioned enthusiasm, Raines showed the vest to anyone who would take the time to listen. Eventually, two people did. Bill Meyer, head trainer at CATZ Sports, and his brother Tim allowed Raines access to their elite athletes who quickly fell in love with the product. Word eventually spread to the owner of CATZ Sports, Dirk Buikema, who then joined forces with Raines to turn his prototype into a mass market reality.

Since then, Raines and Buikema have expanded their CATZ Hyper Wear product line to include the PreCool Vest, a garment which cools core body temperature to enhance performance, as well the SandBell, a ball bearing-filled sack which acts as a sandbag, dumbbell and medicine ball all rolled into one.

With their growing portfolio of innovative fitness products, CATZ Hyper Wear continues to gain exposure and endorsements from well-known figures such as Jeff Madden, UT Football’s strength coach and David Macha, strength and conditioning coach for the Houston Rockets.


15 & 16: IRONSMITH: THE FITNESS DOCTORS
Sarah Scott & Tony Kelly (fitnessdoctors.com)

In a city known for cardio, Austin and its runners don’t always place equal emphasis on strength training. It’s unfortunate because the current ACSM guidelines state that we should be practicing some form of resistance exercise at least twice a week. Sarah Scott and Tony Kelly knew that this should be prioritized more than 20 years ago when they traveled all over central Austin to personally train individuals from all walks of life.

They called their traveling training business IronSmith, which today is still standing strong on Burnet Road. For those of us who weren’t living here in the 80s or simply don’t remember, IronSmith was the first free-standing personal training corporation in Austin.

“Just as a blacksmith uses various metals to shape objects for daily function and living, IronSmith uses iron to develop human strength for daily life,” explains Scott on the company’s clever title.

Today the company continues to place priority on increasing strength as a form of injury prevention, but IronSmith’s offerings are also designed to increase energy levels, provide injury and surgery rehabilitation, improve conditioning for running and even help clients gain strength — mental and physical — during cancer recovery.

17: TEXAS ROWING CENTER
Matt Knifton (texasrowingcenter.com)

Thousands of locals know one of the most breathtaking views in Austin is from the serenity of a paddle boat or canoe nestled under the Congress Avenue Bridge. And for your money, rowing on Lady Bird Lake is one of the most scenic, fulfilling workouts around.

But for most of us, finding a handy kayak or canoe is no small feat. Thankfully, Texas Rowing Center is one of just a couple spots offering full-service rowing rentals, gear and training. Though often crowded, their kayak and canoe rental prices tend to be the lowest on the lake (rates start at $10 an hour).

Owner Matt Knifton realizes that good prices and convenient water access aren’t the only ways to differentiate his business. That’s why you’ll find everything from rowing lessons (our favorite is the pooch paddle — dogs row for free!) to sculling coaching at the facility.

Knifton believes that anything is possible in Austin, and he’s put his money where his mind is: making a priority to give back. Texas Rowing Center sponsors the Texas River School and the Texas Rowing Foundation, two non-profits that provide canoe and kayak experiences to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity. To date, the Texas River School has helped more than 5,000 kids discover the pleasures of paddling away an Austin afternoon.


18: FITPUP!
Kris Schultz (fitpupaustin.com)

While you’re slaving away, enduring long days at the office, your pooch may be packing on the pounds just laying around your house. Before you know it, you both may be in serious need of a doggy day camp.

Kris Schultz, the one and only woman behind Fitpup!, is just what the vet ordered. A dog-walking veteran who never planned on pursuing doggy daycare as a full-time career, Schultz recently opened Fitpup! to keep Austin pets and their parents healthy and happy.

“Austin is one of the most pet-friendly cities in the country and Fitpup! helps owners by providing quality pet care,” she says.

Not only will Fitpup! keep your terrier in tip top shape, Schultz also offers pet-sitting (which includes taking out the garbage), walking, pet chauffeuring (yes, really) and they’ll even get down and dirty to keep your yard poop-free.

In only a few months demand has been so high that Fitpup!’s now looking to hire its first employees. So, if you need someone to walk Fido during the day, or just keep him from getting lonely while your away, Fitpup! is officially open for business.


19: GILBERT'S GAZELLES
Gilbert Tuhabonye (gilbertsgazelles.com)

Sixteen years ago, Gilbert Tuhabonye could probably never imagine what was about to happen to him would later give others motivation to push forward and reach their own goals. It was late October 1993 when the war between his native Tutsi tribe and the Hutu tribe horrifically erupted at his school in Burundi. More than 100 Tutsi children and teachers were beaten and burned to death after the Hutu rampage, yet amazingly, Tuhabonye survived only after being buried by the corpses of his classmates. He ran away from the massacre on charred feet into a new life.

After this traumatizing experience, Tuhabonye never really thought of himself as a pillar of inspiration, let alone a running coach. But after he won the 2002 Capital of Texas 10K, three women — Maeve Magner, Leslie Asaka and Anjeline Gonzales — approached him to help in improve their race times. As time passed, Tuhabonye’s rapidly expanding running group was appropriately dubbed Gilbert’s Gazelles by Paul Carrozza of RunTex.

In the last seven years, Gilbert has exploded into a local celebrity of sorts, instantly recognized by almost anyone in the running community. Yet he’s managed to keep an even keel on his business, bringing in only two other coaches since that time. He ensures they care for his runners just as much as he does. Like a family. As Tuhabonye puts it, “You become part of the family, once you join the Gazelles.”


20: BACKWOODS
Jennifer Mull (backwoods.com)

For Jennifer Mull, CEO of Backwoods, there’s no such thing as a “typical day at the office.” In between emails and phone calls, she could be testing the climbing wall at a store grand opening, signing off on a new line of travel luggage or leading a trip up the highest mountain in the Alps.

Although relatively new to Austin, the first Backwoods store was opened by Mull’s father more than more than 35 years ago. What began as one man’s desire to find products for his outdoor pursuits has grown into much more.

“The concept in 1973 was the extension of my father’s love of the outdoors and his inability to get quality clothes and equipment,” explains Mull. “The ‘re-invention’ of Backwoods in 2003 built on that concept with the vision of evolving the company into a retail experience that resonates with today’s consumer.”

Since purchasing the company in 2003, Mull’s “re-invention” meant adding two retail locations (one at the Hill Country Galleria), an online store, an adventure travel division, an exclusive line of clothing and moving the company’s headquarters to Austin.

“Austin provides many recreational opportunities, a vibrant, diverse community and a city that people love living in,” says Mull. “It’s also great for recruiting talented team members.”

Mull puts a premium on staff experience, knowledge and expertise, even providing “use the gear days” as part of the company’s benefits package. This paid “vacation” allows employees to learn new skills and try out Backwoods gear and clothing, giving them first-hand experience to draw upon during customer interactions.

“We expect a customer’s experience to be outstanding, and for them to leave Backwoods with the knowledge and products necessary for them to have the adventure they choose — whether that be in their backyard or on the other side of the world,” explains Mull.

Like many of our featured entrepreneurs, Mull seems to have merged passion and profession, each new endeavor an extension of her desire to inspire active, adventurous lives. However, even with Backwoods’ growth, Mull is intimately involved in each new project. Her muddy hands mark the homepage of the company’s blog and the artwork on the Backwoods Collection clothing tags is from a photo taken on Mull’s trip to Machu Picchu last year.

“I’ve learned that it is critical to have a vision, communicate it, believe in it, and stay true to it; to develop a culture that empowers staff and rewards creativity.” says Mull. “You can make a difference in people’s lives in amazing ways if you are open and love what you do.”


21: IGO ACTIVE NEAT SEAT
Bill Fraser (www.igoactive.com)

After finishing a tough workout at the gym or a long run on the trail, your endorphins are pumping, your muscles are loose and you feel like a million bucks. But if you’re like most people, those pesky sweat glands are also in over-drive, leaving you drenched before you get in your car to go home. With such a common problem in Austin and triple digit heat during much of the summer, it didn’t take long for Bill Fraser and his wife Denise to see a budding business opportunity staring them straight in the face.

Their answer to the post-workout sweat dilemma was a simple, straightforward product known as the NeatSeat “on the go” Seat Cover; a comfortable, functional and durable cover that stays securely in place when draped over a car seat. It’s made of advanced microfiber that’s soft, yet absorbent, and comes with two seat belt sleeves. The best part? No more stinky cars and no more salty sweat stains.

“We, like so many others in Austin, drive to the Hike and Bike Trail or the greenbelt to run and work out,” Fraser says. “We used to place a beach towel on our car seats and hold the seat belt away from bodies when we drove home. But it was always frustrating because it would fall down, not cover the whole seat and really didn’t keep the seat dry. Our cars were always stinky and sweaty-smelling, and our seat belts had permanent salt stains on them. We figured there had to be a better way.”

Since debuting the product at the 2004 Freescale Marathon Expo, IGO Active has gone from a small, Austin-based hobbie business into national supplier. Currently, they sell NeatSeats throughout Texas, as well as in retail stores from California to Georgia. And even more online.

So, what’s been the toughest challenge?

“The idea and manufacturing is the easy part,” says Fraser. “Inventory management, branding, packaging and retail presentation is the hard part because it takes time and more money. But when you create a product or a business based on your passion, you can’t help but be successful.”


22: KREUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
Elizabeth Kreutz (kreutzphotography.com)

Elizabeth Kreutz, 35, is the owner — along with her professional triathlete husband James Bonney — of Kreutz Photography which provides road-race photos at so many Austin-area races. Her business is not limited to running, as Kreutz and her team of photographers shoots hundreds of events including the Tour de France (she’s also Lance Armstrong’s personal photographer) and the Hawaii Ironman.

A runner in her own right, Kreutz often wishes she was in front of the camera, rather than behind it.
“We love runners and triathletes so it feels like we’re just naturally part of the races,” she says. “The only downside is that I’d like to be running in some of the events rather than taking the pictures.”

Kreutz and her team have been a fixture at most local events, running a successful enterprise for more than nine years now. You can thank them for all those funny finish line photos you see of yourself after completing a race.

“When my husband and I started this business, I would go with him to his triathlons and photograph the race,” she explains. “Soon afterwards, people in the races and various magazines wanted to buy my photos. With the help of James’ technical skills, we started our online race photography business and it has grown every year since.”

So, what’s next for Kreutz? Look for her new book, Comeback 2.0: Up Close and Personal, an intimate look into Lance Armstrong’s training and Tour de France re-birth this year, coming out on Dec. 1st.


23 & 24: FLOTRACK
Martin & Mark Floreani (Flotrack.org)

Unless you’re a hard-core track geek or a high-school or collegiate distance runner, you probably have never even heard of Flotrack (www.flotrack.org). But this locally-based Web site — a little bit YouTube with equal parts Facebook, MySpace and Track and Field News thrown in — is an interactive glimpse of where health, fitness and sports coverage is probably heading.

Borrowing concepts from various sites, Flotrack provides free video coverage of the most obscure meets and races in the country as well as practically real-time coverage (and interviews) at major championships and races. They cover high-school meets with the same sense of purpose as the NCAAs and World Championships.

“It’s not really a Web site,” insists 26-year-old Mark Floreani, a former UT runner, who co-founded Flotrack with his brother Martin. “We’re an operating system for track, road racing and cross-country.”

What truly separates Flotrack from other running sites, however, is its interactivity. The Flotracker function is running’s version of Facebook. Here, high-school kids and collegiate runners can discuss their passions and love of the sport (sometimes even their workouts and races) with like-minded individuals.

“We’ve built a place where you can go to understand your sport and have a total experience with it,” says co-founder Martin Floreani. “It’s a place where runners come to communicate and interact with other runners, to learn, be inspired and grow. With most Web sites, the interaction is just one-way and very general, but here, it’s very specific because it’s all runners.”

25: THUNDERCLOUD SUBS
Mike Haggerty (thundercloud.com)

“Fast, fresh and healthy” is the simple slogan of this familiar neighborhood sandwich shop; a motto Thundercloud Subs has been living up to it for the last 35 years. For co-owner Mike Haggerty, it’s a no-frills recipe for success that’s helped catapult his business into a multi-million dollar enterprise.

Competing with national brands like Subway and Quizno’s, Thundercloud Subs has always seemed to have a leg up. Besides its local, homegrown vibe, the franchise has made an effort to invest heavily in its ingredients, its employees and the community to create a powerful brand any Austinite can identify with.

According to Haggerty, the goal has always been simple and unpretentious: to sell a fresh meal at a reasonable price in a fun, friendly atmosphere. And to actually make your sandwich in front of you, so you can see the artistry that goes into creating a healthy, high-quality sub.

Today, you can walk into any Thundercloud Sub shop and get a consistently great meal at a great price. The soups, sandwiches and salads are all made from scratch, the meats, cheeses and veggies are sliced daily, and the bread and spreads are prepared in-house.

But providing our city with tasty, nutritious food is not Haggerty’s only legacy. He’s also been integral in helping thousands of Austin’s homeless re-invent their lives. As the creator of the Thundercloud Turkey Trot (the city’s largest holiday race which takes place every Thanksgiving), Haggerty has managed to turn a family-friendly fitness event into a massively successful fundraiser. In the past 18 years, Haggerty has given back close to $1 million to Caritas of Austin, a staggering feat by any stretch of the imagination, and one he often downplays as just another part of his company’s mission.