Front Running Sports
by Jill Cousins
After working in marketing and sales in the food industry for about 15 years, Julia Fasciglione was ready for a change. She and husband Ludovic, both natives of France, had met on a basketball court in Paris, and they loved staying fit and running together. So they entertained the idea of opening a gym or fitness studio someday.
While researching businesses in the sports industry, Julia discovered that Front Running Sports – Lake Mary’s premier store for athletic footwear – was looking for a new owner. She was hesitant to get into the retail business at first but decided to give it a closer look. Julia and Ludovic, who were living in Miami at the time, made the four-hour drive to check out Front Running Sports last year, and she was immediately sold.
After speaking with previous owner April Darrow, Julia understood that Front Running Sports is more than just an athletic shoe store. It is a place where employees truly care about their customers and are passionate about helping them achieve their fitness objectives by making sure they have the proper footwear.
“It’s about spending time with potential customers and understanding where they’re coming from,” says Julia. “It’s about fitting them and advising them on the right footwear so they can achieve their goals. We realized that the whole mission was exactly like what we were trying to achieve, but just in a different way.”
Julia took over as owner in October 2023 and since then has worked hard to ensure that Front Running Sports continues to provide the quality service and footwear that loyal customers have come to expect, while adding her personal touch with a new logo, new website, and new products. Front Running Sports also has a running and walking group that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. and will continue to support local races, as well.
“We are trying to be the best specialty walking and running store we can be,” says Julia. “We don’t just sell shoes. We’re selling a service and our expertise. Whatever your goal is, we can help.”