Matt Helbig Co-Owner

Hello! Thanks for checking out my page. Excuse the lame bio that was here for the first 18 months the store was open, we're new at this kinda stuff. A little about me though, I was born and raised in Fenton, MO (F-town for those of us that call it home) grew up playing all kinds of sports. I eventually fancied myself a soccer player until I got cut from the high school team as a junior. I of course was devestated, but it turned out to be one of the defining moments of my life. I joined the cross country team that season and immediately found my calling as a runner. My interests away from the sport include all kinds of outdoor activities (you name it, I've tried it), spending time with Mags (my dog!) and friends and listening to good music. If you want to learn more about Matt "the runner" you can check out my racing team bio. Thanks for visiting the site. Hope to see you at the store!

FUN STUFF

Favorite Movie
I am quite a big movie buff, so choosing one was just not gonna happen. Those that come to mind include The Big Lebowski (gotta love that dude), Good Will Hunting (I’m right there with ya on this one Ben) and Snatch/Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (cant include one without the other and by the way “do ya like dags?”).

Favorite Food
I just learned how to make this amazing pasta dish from one of my good friends. You start with a little olive oil, freshly minced garlic and onions, sauté. Throw in some chicken breast, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, fresh peas mushrooms and five cheese tortellini and you have my favorite food. I just have to remember the name now.

Who’s your idol?
My sports idol would have to be Lance Armstrong. Against all odds he battled back from testicular cancer to win seven straight Tour de France titles, but even more so for his hard work and his fierce competitive spirit. No one could beat him because no one could train harder or want it more than he did. His two autobiographies are way up there on my favorite book list.

In real life my idol would be my Mom and Dad. They’ve sacrificed more for us kids than we could ever know and they still to this day are my biggest supporters. I’ll always remember something my Dad told me when I was little, “Do what you love.” Well here I am.

What was your favorite running moment?
All my years running competitively it was hard to pick just one moment as my favorite. However twisting my arm I’d have to say finishing 26th at the 2002 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships and becoming an All-American for the second time comes in at the top. I love cross country. The camaraderie, the mud and snow, the competition makes cross country such an amazing sport. Closing out my cross country career with Truman on a good note meant a lot to me.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Cheesy TV Medical Dramas. What can I say ER and Grey's Anatomy are pretty much the only TV shows I watch on a regular basis. I feel better for getting that out in the open.

Place you would most like to visit?
Unlike my esteemed colleague, I am drawn to wide-open spaces filled with mountains, crystal clear water, and clean fresh air. I have visited quite a few places within the United States on my backpacking trips and outdoor adventures but haven’t wandered much outside of the United States. Backpacking the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island is at the top of my list of places to visit. The mountains there are pristine and the scenery is breathtaking. Plus, I’ve always wanted to visit the southern hemisphere and watch the toilets drain backwards!