Achilles Heel and Katie Alexander: 19 Years by Our Side

Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC has been fortunate to enjoy the support of Achilles Heel and its founder, Katie Alexander, since 2007. During those 19 years, Achilles Heel has been much more than a sponsor, it has been a loyal friend to our club and a valued part of Glasgow’s running community.

Katie’s story is one of determination, resilience and a genuine love of running.

Having worked as a personal trainer for many years, Katie became increasingly involved in running herself. At the time, Glasgow lacked a specialist running shop, meaning she regularly had to travel to Edinburgh simply to buy suitable running shoes. She recognised that runners in Glasgow deserved better and decided to do something about it.

The name Achilles Heel came from personal experience. Katie ruptured her Achilles tendon while taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon, leaving her with both a scar and the inspiration for the name of her new business.

In November 2000, with the encouragement and support of family and friends, Katie opened Achilles Heel in a cupboard-sized unit within De Courcy’s Arcade in Glasgow’s West End. It was a modest beginning, but Katie had the knowledge, enthusiasm and determination needed to make it work.

The original shop was extended twice before Achilles Heel moved to its much larger and now familiar home on Great Western Road. From those small beginnings, the business developed into one of Scotland’s best-known specialist running retailers, serving customers in Glasgow and much further afield.

Katie entered an industry that was overwhelmingly dominated by men. Rather than allowing that to discourage her, she used her experience and understanding to challenge the way the industry viewed women runners. She advocated for a wider choice of clothing, more suitable colours and, most importantly, properly designed technical products for women.

That inclusive approach remains central to Achilles Heel. Experienced club athletes preparing for major championships receive the same care and attention as someone buying their first pair of running shoes or beginning their journey towards a first 5K. Everyone is welcomed, listened to and treated as a runner.

Katie’s knowledge comes not only from running a successful business but also from being a committed runner herself. She understands the needs, ambitions and occasional frustrations of athletes because she has experienced them personally. That authenticity, combined with outstanding customer service, has helped make Achilles Heel such a trusted name.

The business has also remained firmly rooted in family and friendship. Katie’s mother helped in the original shop, while her daughter Sam and son Steven later joined the business. Sam’s husband, Stef, is also part of the team. Alongside them is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff who share Katie’s passion and maintain the high standards she established from the beginning.

Achilles Heel’s contribution extends well beyond the shop. The running club Katie started 25 years ago continues to meet, offering weekly sessions, events and races and providing another welcoming doorway into the sport.

For Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC, the support of Achilles Heel since 2007 has meant a great deal. In a world where sponsorship arrangements often come and go, Katie’s loyalty over almost two decades has been exceptional.

Our relationship reflects something deeper than a commercial partnership. It represents a shared belief in the value of athletics, the importance of community and the need to welcome and encourage people at every level of the sport.

As Achilles Heel celebrates 25 remarkable years, everyone at Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC would like to congratulate Katie, her family and the entire Achilles Heel team. We are immensely proud and grateful that, for 19 of those years, we have been able to call Achilles Heel our sponsor and our friend.

Thank you, Katie, for your loyalty, generosity and unwavering support. Your contribution to our club and to runners throughout Glasgow is immeasurable.

Here’s to the next chapter—and many more miles together.

Katie’s full story can be read in Female Vision, Lasting Impact: Celebrating 25 Years of Achilles Heel.