At goodr, we believe that if you run, you’re a runner. It doesn’t matter if you run 26.2K marathons every year, crush an hour on the treadmill every morning, or jog around the block once in a while to make a funny image on Strava. You’re running, therefore you’re a runner. Congrats! Running is so much cooler than crawling. (Shots fired, babies.)
Runners need gear for peak performance. Depending on the person, essential gear includes comfortable running shoes, running clothes, compression socks, a sports watch, a drinks carrier, a heart rate monitor, a bag of frozen peas to promptly ice injuries (and then maybe eat right out of the bag, what, don’t judge), and of course, sunglasses.
However, many running sunnies are expensive, ugly and overengineered. At goodr, we make sunglasses that embrace the four F’s -- fun, fashionable, functional and ‘ffordable. (Yes, we make up words here, it’s kind of our thing. Here’s another word: Flortocka! It means “I bonked, throw me a beer.”) In fact, goodr was created specifically for runners. For the company’s origin story, let’s go all the way back to the year 2015.
One day “avid runner” Stephen Lease looked in the mirror and had an awakening: He looked like the biggest tool in the world. Lame hat, dorky shades, compression everything, giant arm sleeves, run belt with gels, and a performance diaper. (Okay, the performance diaper is a joke, but everything else is true). "What the f*** am I wearing right now?" he wondered.
After hitting rock bottom, Stephen noticed most runners weren't wearing overpriced high-performance sunglasses. They wore cheap sunnies from gas stations. There was a huge opportunity for stylish, fun, functional, affordable shades in the running space. This was the seed of goodr! (A pink, flamingo-shaped seed, watered with piña coladas.)
Stephen co-founded goodr with two friends from high school: recovering lawyer Ben Abell and biology major turned rappin' actress Keri Blunt. They created goodr’s brand: badass sunglasses that speak to the four F's. They also crafted the mission statement: We exist to give you permission to be unabashedly yourself… unless you're an a**hole. (And the mascot is a drunk kleptomaniac flamingo named Carl. It just makes sense, people.)
What makes goodrs great for runners? They have polarized lenses and frames with grip coating. They stay on your face. Whether you’re marathon training, treadmill running or sprinting away from an angry bear, these shades won’t slip or bounce. Runners need to see the world around them to avoid obstacles and find low-key places to pee, poo and vomit. The polycarbonate lenses are polarized so you can see the world with maximum beaugorgity. (That means “beautiful and gorgeous,” we’re making up words again.) And the sunglasses block UV light! In fact, the UV protection is so good that the sun hates us. The sun is evil and wants to hurt your eyes, but we won’t let it. You’re welcome.
goodr makes $49 to $59 active sunglasses for everyone. The OG frames are the most popular. Of course, runners come in all shapes and sizes, so we offer a variety of frames. BFGs (Big F***ing goodrs) fit runners with big heads. Circle Gs (teacup frames) fit hipster runners who liked running before it was cool. Runways (cat-eye frames) fit fashionista runners. Mach G (aviator frames) fit runners who feel the need...the need for speed. And finally, VRG frames fit runners who time-traveled here from a dystopian future.
We think it’s important to keep prices low, at $49-$59. Let’s face it, sunnies don’t last forever. When you use glasses actively, they get lost, stolen, snapped, scratched, immolated, blended, or exploded. It’s just part of life. Of course, we WANT your sunnies to last forever. We run meticulous quality control on every pair and include a microfibre bag for protection, plus detailed care & cleaning instruction cards. But life is unpredictable. One day they might get dinged. Why spend $200 on one pair of shades? How long do those things really last? And doesn’t it get boring wearing the same pair every day?
Our CEO, Stephen, likes to say that for $49 we can put a smile on somebody’s face. Runners need to smile, because some aspects of running aren’t fun. (Like, for example, the running, HA.) goodr was created by runners who love to hate running and hate to love running, which explains RUN goodr’s mission statement: Running is fun? When you’re embracing your authentic self, you have the energy to go that extra mile. Or the wisdom to know that you need to take a break. Either way, you’ll look like straight fire in goodr’s colorful frames. The names are also colorful, like Ginger’s Soul, Flamingos on a Booze Cruise, Amelia Earhart Ghosted Me, Influencers Pay Double, and Mai Tai Me Up, Daddy!
Our sunglasses might put a smile on your face the moment you see the colorful box. (Hopefully you don’t have problems with porch pirates. We’d like to rig the boxes so they blast glitter all over porch pirates, but alas, we haven’t perfected the technology yet.) It’s a pink and teal box full of tropical flamingomical vibes. (“Flamingomical” means “flamingo-like, “we’re making up words again.) Sure, you won’t need the snazzy packaging, but your cat will love it! Cats give our shipping and packaging a 100% approval rating. According to cats, goodr makes the best running sunglasses. If you disagree, then you hate cats.
Runners have a lot to think about, like cadence, fuel, form, chafing, foot strike, lactic acid, pace, pickups, splits, strides, and the 10% rule. (That means drinking beer 10% of the time during marathons, right?) Why not take complicated sunglasses off the table? At goodr, we believe running sunglasses should be simple: fun, fashionable, functional and ‘ffordable. We love F words! (Especially one F-word that we yell every time we bonk.)
