Nike accused of shaming Parkrun walkers with 'you didn't come all this way for a walk in the park' adverts

Published: 23:35, 20 April 2026 | Updated: 23:44, 20 April 2026 Nike has been accused of 'shaming' Parkrun participants with 'elitist messaging' on advertisements attacking walkers. The company's billboards have appeared at weekend running locations in London in recent weeks. Slogans included 'you didn't come all this way for a walk in the park' and 'runners only'. Adverts were placed in Parkrun locations, where the charity organises free Saturday morning 5km runs for all abilities. Kirsty Woodbridge, head of public affairs at Parkrun, said the 'guerilla marketing' was 'rubbish' and participants should 'ignore' the adverts. She told Nike: 'You've got this one wrong. Big time. 'People DO come for a walk in the park. And they come a VERY long way. And they are SO welcome.' Ms Woodbridge said some participants were battling long-term health conditions or could not afford a gym membership, while others came to spend time with family or in search of connection. Nike was forced to remove similar adverts in Boston before the city's marathon, which took place on Monday The company's messaging was heavily criticised online She said the charity was 'heartbroken' that participants had to see the Nike adverts, which have so far been spotted at Brockwell Park, Peckham Rye and Crystal Palace Park. The company was forced to remove similar adverts in Boston before the US city's marathon, which took place on Monday. One of the adverts read: 'Runners welcome. Walkers tolerated.' Nike apologised, admitting it had 'missed the mark' and promising to 'use this moment to do better and continue showing up for all runners'. Lil Duggan, Parkrun's chief executive, said: 'Everyone is welcome, regardless of pace, background, or ability. 'All participants are celebrated, whether they choose to walk, run, volunteer or simply come along to support those taking part and soak up the feel-good atmosphere.' James Wood, a running TikToker, said the Nike advert 'goes against everything I stand for'. In a video the 29-year-old said: 'Parkrun is designed to be the most inclusive form of running. The actual premise is not about running but about competing 5k in a spot locally. 'Nike's advert promoted exclusivity. You should be able to do a 15-minute Parkrun but also walk a 45-minute one.' Shelley Pickles, a Parkrun volunteer, said the event was 'one of the few spaces left where it truly doesn't matter how fast you go'. She added: 'I've seen people take their very first steps back to fitness there. I've walked alongside people rebuilding confidence, recovering from illness, or simply finding the courage to show up. For some, walking *is* the achievement. For others, it's the beginning of something bigger. 'And every single one of those journeys matters.' Nike were contacted for comment. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.