Many of us saw the Nike window advert at the Boston Marathon. Bold black letters on a red background. “Runners welcome. Walkers tolerated.”
Immediate ick. We talk so much about the running community being this big, supportive family, but then we turn around and put up these invisible walls. If we want people to fall in love with movement, we have to include all people. This kind of rhetoric damages more than it inspires, and it’s time to change the narrative.
Just Don’t Do It
We have to talk about the brand pushing this narrative. Nike has a history of scandals that’s hard to ignore. From the toxic legacy of the Oregon Project, which saw the head coach banned for life amid horrific allegations, to the mistreatment of pregnant athletes like Kara Goucher, Allyson Felix, and Alysia Montano, the brand’s track record is anything but supportive. They’ve made PR moves to try and restore goodwill, but it’s hard to trust those efforts. Between dropping sales and a fading identity, they seem more interested in staying relevant than in cultivating newcomers of all ages and abilities. We keep hearing that there’s no such thing as bad PR, but we shouldn’t reward a brand for trying to claw its way back by putting down the very people who make this sport worth running.
Shame Keeps People on the Couch
Words matter. When we suggest that walking is something to be tolerated rather than celebrated, we actively shame the people who are just trying to get started. Starting is the hardest part. If someone is out there, putting one foot in front of the other, they are doing the work. When we imply that their effort is lesser, we do not inspire them to run faster. We inspire them to quit. We want more people finding joy in movement, not fewer.
The Jeff Galloway Legacy Matters
On the heels of Jeff Galloway passing away, the idea that walking should only be tolerated feels even more wrong. Jeff revolutionized the sport. He proved that the run-walk method is not a shortcut or a weakness, but a smart and sustainable way to train that has allowed millions of people to cross finish lines they once thought were impossible. To dismiss walking is to disrespect the man who opened the door for so many of us. If a legend like Jeff Galloway can qualify for huge races (including the Olympics), who are we to say it does not belong on the course?
Gatekeeping Limits the Whole Community
When we create these rigid definitions of what a “real runner” looks like, we shrink our own community. We act like the sport is a finite resource where being a walker takes something away from the elites. It is quite the opposite. The diversity of the field is what makes the sport vibrant. When we lock the gates, we lose out on the stories, the passion, and the heart that people bring to the sport.
Walking Is a Strategy, Not a Failure
Even at the most prestigious races, like the Boston Marathon, walking should be seen for what it is: a strategy. It is how many of us manage fatigue, how we handle the hills, and how we actually finish the distance. Not everyone is going for the podium. There are so many people who just want to prove to themselves that they can do hard things. If you are upright and moving, you are winning. We should be high-fiving every single person on that course, regardless of whether they are shuffling, running, or walking.
Let’s Keep the Table Big
We need to be the kind of community that cheers loudly for all people, including those at the back of the pack. As far as I’m concerned, we should always strive to build bigger tables rather than higher walls. Let’s make sure everyone feels welcome at the starting line.
Which of these points resonated with you? How did you feel about the Nike ad?
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