The Fortunate 500: Sports stars

People who play the sports social scene

Photo by Larry Kolvoord/AA-S PAUL CARROZZA business/sports/charity
THE FORTUNATE 500
All stars	Art stars
Music stars	Education/Charity stars
Food stars	Literary/Media stars
Heritage stars	Film stars
Business/High Tech stars	Politics/Law stars
Sports stars	Fashion stars
Part-time Austinites

That's why the city's most visible fitness guru turns out at health rallies and foot races, serves on advisory boards and helps nonprofit agencies put on fund-raising runs. He feels compelled to spread the word about good health.

"Getting people moving seems to be one of the ways to get people caring about their bodies. It bothers me when I'm not doing something about it," Carrozza says.

Carrozza, who turned the RunTex empire from a small running shoe store off of Lamar Boulevard to a string of Austin-area stores synonymous with fitness, has helped start nearly every foot race in Austin, including the Motorola Marathon (now the Freescale Marathon), the 3M Half Marathon, the Congress Avenue Mile and dozens of 5K and 10K runs. He had a hand in the development of the Marathon Kids running program, as well as programs that donate shoes to underprivileged children and encourage at-risk youths to train for a fitness event. Last year, he worked with Gov. Rick Perry to launch the Texas Roundup, a statewide fitness festival.

A former All-America track star at Abilene Christian University, Carrozza wore orthopedic shoes and had asthma as a child. He grew up in a family of doctors and teachers and went on to excel in sports. Now he says he gets more satisfaction out of coaching others than competing. He serves on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, co-chairs the Governor's Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and is chair of the Mayor's Fitness Council.

He does it, he says, to cultivate a community that cares about its physical well-being (and needs new running shoes), and to get people connected to their community. He's compelled to do it.

"In a world so unconnected, I love it when people are part of a community," he says.

Case in point: Carrozza recently brought Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. to his store to speak about a plant-based diet that he says helps control heart disease.

"I feel strongly that my responsibility, once I know something, is to share it. After that, it's up to you to decide," he says. "You're going to make your own choices. It's important not to mandate; we have to motivate."

"This is sort of my mission -- I see the benefit of what happens to people when they get in shape. They come alive."

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