Heartbreak Hill Running Company

Heartbreak Hill Running Company is a running store and training hub in Central Square, Cambridge, selling shoes, apparel and gear for runners of every level. Shoe shopping starts with a personalized gait analysis fitting, and the shelves carry brands including Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Hoka, New Balance, Nike, On and Saucony alongside Heartbreak’s own apparel. The Cambridge location is home to the first Heartbreak treadmill studio, which offers run sessions throughout the week.

Boston College track and field co-captains Dan Fitzgerald and Justin Burdon founded the business in 2009 in Boston’s South End as South End Athletic Company. It then grew in Newton along the Boston Marathon course, where the flagship store’s marquee Firehouse training run is named for the fire station at Commonwealth Avenue and Washington Street, before expanding to Central Square. The company also offers expert coaching, training plans from 5K to marathon, and a Heartbreakers membership with a training portal.

What to Know

• The treadmill studio offers up to 36 run sessions a week.
• Heartbreak opened a Chicago location in 2019.
• Group runs are organized in Boston, Chicago and Santa Monica.
• The shop sells an official Chicago Marathon collection along with its own Heartbreak apparel line.