About our Lakeland Store

FITniche, located at Lakeside Village in Lakeland, Florida,  is a specialty fitness store that provides customers with the gear and knowledge needed for most fitness activities.The store carries shoes, apparel, and equipment for running, walking, gym, yoga, Pilates, swimming, triathlons and other activities. You'll find heart rate monitors, massage products, watches, sunglasses, books, videos, and other fitness products at FITniche.

Video gait analysis is a complimentary component of FITniche's precise shoe-fitting process--a process that helps you find the most comfortable and the healthiest shoes for your feet, ankles, knees, and even your lower back. The store stocks shoes in sizes 5-15, widths 2A-4E to ensure each customer's successful fitting. Nobody fits you better than FITniche! Come see us today!

About the Owner, Rich Wills

At the age of seven or eight, I discovered my passion for running. As I advanced into high school and college, that passion led me to pursue endurance-based sports: cross country running, track and field (my three high school distance records still stand), swimming, and mountain biking. I later found my niche in triathlons, going to the Junior National Championships as a young man, competing in the elite division in regional races, and reaching my peak by qualifying for, and daytime-finishing, the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

While maintaining my own competitive level of fitness, I coached high school track and field and cross country, founded and coached an adult triathlon team called the Landsharks (still in existence as part of the Lakeland Runners Club), and coached marathon participants for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Today, I coach a group of Special Olympians at the Polk County Association for Handicapped Citizens while also sitting on their Board of Directors. I now hope to become a community resource and authority on mainstream fitness through my retail store, FITniche.

I look forward to meeting you at our store in the near future!

Sincerely,
Rich Wills
Owner, FITniche Inc.

Meet the Crew

Tyrone Bell

Tyrone is one of Florida's finest runners. He was a high school standout at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park, FL. After entertaining offers from the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, he decided to become part of a legacy by enrolling at Lakeland's own, Florida Southern College. At FSC, he led his team to two national appearances in the NCAA Division II Championships, winning the Sunshine State Conference Championship two years in a row, breaking the school record for cross country-10K, track-800m, 1500m, 1 mile, and the 5K. After completing college with a bachelors of Science degree in Psychology and Mathematics, he decided to coach cross country at his alma mater for one year, while pursuing his running career professionally with Saucony as his endorser. He is now training for the marathon in hopes to make the Olympic Trials. He is also planning to get married in May of this year.
 
Favorite part about working in the store:
Having customers come in with problems like plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, shin splints, etc. and then fitting them in the proper footwear and/or orthotics, and seeing the excitement on their faces like we really helped their problem. It's uplifting.

1 mile PR = 4:06
5K PR = 14:06
10K PR = 30:24
15K PR = 47:01
 
Shoe he wears:
Saucony Guide 3

Milton Lyons

Milton has been running since 1998, beginning his freshman year of high school and has recently switched over to the marathon distance. During the summers Milton likes to cross-train by participating in triathlons and riding his bike. He graduated from Florida Southern College with a B.S.  in Psychology. After college he stayed in the college ranks and coached for one year at Webber International University. Milton's next stop was at Santa Fe Catholic High School where he became a full time teacher and head track and field coach. He continues to coach at Santa Fe Catholic and is now a full time staff member of the FITniche team. Milton has coached in all levels from AAU-track to the college ranks.

Favorite part about working in the store:

Milton loves meeting a person who is starting to run for the first time and showing them the all the aspects of the running world. He also enjoys getting to hear all the neat stories about how one got into the sport.

Boston Marathon 2010 3:11.43

Bank of America Marathon 3:00.04

5K PR = 16:59

Mile PR = 4:40

 
Shoes he wears:

Trainers: Saucony Triumph

Racers: Asics Gel Racers

Certified: USATF Level I certified

Brian Brink 

Brian began running to shed 90 of his 280 lbs and never looked back. In the process, he has run five marathons and completed a 1/2 Ironman triathlon, as well as many other races. He is a certified running coach with the Road Runners Club of America and has gotten dozens of new runners hooked to the sport. He is an avid Gator and will show his colors at any time.

Shoe he wears:

Brooks Ravenna 

Rebecca Wroten

Rebecca Wroten is a certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She received her B.S. from Florida Southern College in Education and is currently working on a Master's Degree in Human Movement. After college, Rebecca started running to keep from gaining weight and found a new love.... and a career. Her business, SELF Concepts, now teams with FITniche to offer fun and fulfilling running programs to people of every age and activity level!

Mike Burdette

Mike is a former running store owner, event director, biology teacher and coach. He is currently involved with FITniche's community outreach program. Mike is available to speak with groups on wellness, diet, exercise, motivation, proper footwear selection and other related topics.

Kelly Turner

Kelly was born and raised in Lakeland, FL. She graduated from Florida Southern in December of 2008 with a degree in Psychology. Growing up, Kelly did gymnastics, cheerleading, and ran for fun – but never more than 3 miles at a time. About three years ago she began doing 5k's and progressively got into 15k's and has completed two half marathons. Her favorite thing about working at FITniche is interacting with the customers and learning about their active lifestyle endeavors as well as sharing helpful tips about running and wellness.  

Shoe she wears:

Saucony Triumphs and Guides

Brooks Adrenalines

Mizuno Wave Riders

Drew Arnold

Drew will be graduating from Florida Southern College with a B.A. in Theater Performance in December 2010. She started working at FITniche in May of 2008 as a sales associate but eventually took on the Accounts Payable department. When first hired, Drew told the FITniche crew that she never thought she could ever be a runner. However, they all took her in with loving arms, and in a few months time, Drew was running! She got lots of support and encouragement from the FITniche staff and her amazing husband. She has completed a few 5Ks and is now taking the plunge and training for her first marathon with her husband. They plan on running the Disney marathon in 2011. 

Brandi Holmes

Brandi loves working at FITniche.  She is the merchandiser for the store and apparel assistant to Rebecca. She loves that while working at FITniche she is able to help people who are at a variety of different running levels. It also makes her feel great when she can make someone who has had some kind of injury or ailment and help them to feel better. Brandi used to run track and cheer competitively throughout high school. Although she quit running for a long time, she started back again a year ago and remembers why she loved to run. She loves getting her 7 year old involved and making running into a family activity. She likes to do 5K's but is hoping to start training for a 10K or half marathon in the near future.

Shoe she wears:

Mizuno Inspires

Saucony Hurricanes

Amanda Knauf

Our newest employee, but with a great running background is Amanda Knauf. Amanda is currently a student at UCF working towards her A.A. so that she may go on to major in Outdoor Education.  She has been running since her freshman year in high school at Santa Fe Catholic High School (she was coach by Milton Lyons who also works at FITniche) and completed her first half marathon in December. She competed in cross country, soccer and track while at Santa Fe Catholic High School. Amanda loves doing anything outside which may include camping, swimming, kayaking, biking and hitting the trails. She looks forward to continue doing half marathons and soon trying out triathlons.    

Shoe she wears:

Asics Kayanos