SportsShoes.com announces exclusive retail partnership with parkrun

Online running shoes, running clothing and outdoor gear retailer SportsShoes.com has announced a global partnership with community event network parkrun.

SportsShoes.com is now exclusively parkrun’s official retail partner in the UK, whilst also supporting the global parkrun community with procurement and distribution of parkrun’s range of merchandise.

It marks the biggest retail partnership SportsShoes.com has secured to date and will see SportsShoes supporting more than nine million registered parkrunners who form part of this wonderful community, globally.

Delivered by local volunteers, parkrun and junior parkrun provide free, weekly, timed 5k and 2k social events, catering for participants of all abilities in 23 countries around the world.

The partnership will see SportsShoes.com provide procurement and distribution services for parkrun merchandise including its Apricot collection and milestone range which will be available to the retailer’s customers.

Commenting on the partnership, parkrun CEO, Russ Jefferys, said: “This new relationship with SportsShoes.com signifies an exciting step forward for parkrun, as we work to improve the parkrun experience and retail offering, for our global community.

Together we will support people to make healthier and happier choices and we are thrilled to embark on this journey with SportsShoes.com as our trusted retail partner.”

The partnership will also allow SportsShoes.com Ultra members to add their parkrun ID to their customer profile to access exclusive rewards and expert advice and guidance.

SportsShoes.com managing director, Brett Bannister, said: “parkrun has positively transformed the global running community and is built on solid foundations of inclusivity and wellbeing.

Its mission aligns perfectly with ours at SportsShoes.com which sees us always exploring new ways to support more people to lead happier and healthier lives through physical activity.

This is our biggest ever retail partnership and will further support our international expansion strategy by placing our brand, products and expertise at the heart of the worldwide parkrun community,”

Established in 1982, SportsShoes.com offers more than 17,000 products from 150 global running and outdoor brands including Brooks, parkrun’s Official Global Footwear partner.

Alongside parkrun, SportsShoes.com also has exclusive running events and community retail partnerships with England Athletics and RunThrough.

In December 2023, the retailer announced plans for SportsShoes.com Podium Festival, a community running and brand exhibition event taking place on March 16, 2024 in Leicester.

The event will see 1,000 runners of all levels compete for a £30,000 prize pot, the biggest seen in any domestic racing event and also have an exclusive brand village which will house 10 of SportsShoes.com’s brand partners.