Nike’s ‘Walkers Tolerated’ sign at the Boston Marathon was intended to motivate runners—instead, it offended them.

(SeaPRwire) –   Nike received a swift lesson last week on how provocative marketing can quickly backfire on a company.

The advertisement from the athletic wear behemoth, displayed at its Newbury Street store in Boston before the city’s famous marathon, read: “Runners Welcome. Walkers Tolerated.” This represented a significant misunderstanding of running culture, occurring just as Nike is attempting to regain the favor of dedicated runners.

While Nike evidently aimed to connect with participants’ pride in qualifying for a famously difficult marathon, its dig at walkers or slower participants was widely criticized online as being, at minimum, unkind. The phrasing appeared contradictory to the inclusive nature of the sport, and for most runners who aren’t fast enough to qualify for Boston or who need to walk portions of the 26.2-mile race, it seemed like an unnecessary insult.

Robyn Michaud, a competitor in the Boston Marathon’s adaptive division, shared her disappointment on Instagram: “Due to a spinal cord injury I HAVE to take walk breaks. Even with a cyst in my spinal cord, I still regularly break 5 hours in Boston and plan to again this weekend. Thank you for TOLERATING me, @nike.”

Any experienced runner understands that walking when needed is nothing to be embarrassed about: As a committed marathoner myself, I can confirm I have walked sections of many races for a brief rest, when slowed by exhaustion or sickness, or hampered by a sore muscle.

Image from Instagram

Nike removed the advertisement and issued an apology on Friday. “We want more people to feel welcome in running—no matter their pace, experience, or the distance,” the company stated to Runner’s World. “During race week in Boston, we put up a series of signs to encourage runners. One of them missed the mark.” Boston.com reported that the sign was subsequently changed to one reading, “Boston will always remind you, movement is what matters.” Nike did not promptly reply to a request from for additional comment.

Although Nike faced backlash in Boston and elsewhere, some considered the uproar foolish, pointing to the race’s elite nature. The Boston Marathon, established in 1897, is the world’s oldest annual marathon. For numerous long-distance runners, it is the ultimate goal and a beloved city tradition. The 2013 bombing near the Boylston Street finish line, which resulted in three spectator deaths and hundreds of injuries, strengthened that connection—uniting the community behind the resilient slogan “Boston Strong.”

Interest in the race, which limits participants to roughly 30,000, has increased, making entry progressively more challenging as qualifying standards become stricter. For example, a man in his twenties must now complete a marathon in 2 hours and 55 minutes to qualify for Boston, which is 40 minutes quicker than the average for his demographic. Ten years ago, the qualifying time for that same age group was 10 minutes slower. (I have completed 84 marathons without ever qualifying for Boston, though my best time was only two minutes off. I did run it once through a charity entry, as approximately 10% of Boston participants do each year.)

Nike’s jab about walking during the race offended many runners, including faster athletes who have run Boston. Heartbreak Hill, the notoriously tough segment at Mile 20, has ruined countless runners’ chances for a record time. Furthermore, many runners, speedy ones among them, prefer the Galloway Run Walk Run technique of alternating walking and running to prevent exhaustion and maintain endurance—a strategy Nike’s running specialists surely know about, even if its marketing team does not.

This mistake underscores a more serious issue for Nike: While it remains the top sneaker brand globally and with recreational runners, it is not the brand of choice for runners—regardless of speed—who shop at specialty running stores. In fact, within that group, Nike lags behind Brooks—the market leader with a 21% share of the specialty running shoe sector—as well as Hoka, New Balance, Asics, and Saucony, based on 2025 data from research firm Circana. (After the controversy over Nike’s ad this week, Asics promptly erected a Boston billboard stating, “Runners. Walkers. All Welcome.”)

Nike has acknowledged that several years ago, it shifted its focus away from the crucial specialty running market to concentrate on limited-edition sneakers. This allowed competitors like Hoka and On to gain ground and Brooks to solidify its top position. Since longtime Nike executive Elliott Hill came out of retirement to take over as CEO 18 months ago, the company has refocused on running and started to recover market share.

Last fall, multiple Nike executives informed Bloomberg that “Running is the heart of Nike.” The company cannot afford to alienate the very athletes it is trying to reclaim.