20th March 2019
After successfully providing 100,000 free Milestone T-shirts over the past year to parkrunners who have earned their milestone achievement, Pro:Direct Running have struck a new deal with parkrun and will now serve as their official UK retail partner.
Pro:Direct Running became the official supplier of the free parkrun Milestone T-shirts in May 2018 and have since delivered a staggering 100,000 around the world. With nearly 40 years of experience and warehouses in various locations around the world, the online running specialist was the natural choice, and they are grateful for the opportunity to do more for parkrun and to build on the success of the milestone T-shirts.
“As a sports retailer specialising in premium product, it was important that we stood out and committed to providing great quality, fitted performance tees for the free parkrun Milestone T-shirts. In all honesty it’s a privilege to be partnered with parkrun, so it was also essential that we provided a first class service that fell in line with parkrun’s product,” says Paul Hooper, Category Leader, Pro:Direct Running.
As parkrun’s official UK retail partner, and with shared values – the promotion of healthy lifestyles, accessibility, inclusivity, grassroots development – Pro:Direct Running will be able to offer more support.
As the official online store Pro:Direct Running will make available exclusive parkrun clothing and accessories alongside the largest choice of running footwear. With a percentage of the proceeds going back to support parkrun, anything purchased from Pro:Direct Running by parkrunners will help parkrun in its mission to keep parkrun free forever, for everyone.
Delivered by local volunteers, parkrun offers free weekly timed 5K ¬¬¬¬¬events at over 1,600 locations worldwide, and with over 5.5 million people registered, parkrun is one of the biggest physical activity movements on the planet. Each weekend more than 275,000 parkrunners walk, jog, run or volunteer in 20 countries around the world.
“Pro:Direct have done a phenomenal job and in less than 12 months have helped us to deliver a staggering 100,000 milestone t-shirts worldwide. Each milestone t-shirt represents a significant individual achievement of persistence and commitment – we know how much these hard-earned t-shirts are cherished by the parkrun community. We are incredibly proud to work with a company that shares our values and prides itself on delivering the best product and great customer service….” added Russ Jefferys, Head of Communications at parkrun.
A parkrun Milestone T-shirt is an incentive for parkrunners who regularly take part in parkrun events worldwide and is designed to recognise and celebrate their achievements. The Milestone T-shirts are awarded after completing a set number of official parkruns, starting with 10 for juniors and 50 for adults, then for reaching the following milestones: 100, 250 and 500, with the 25 t-shirt awarded to those who volunteer on 25 separate occasions.
Below is a sample of comments left by parkrunners on Trustpilot upon receiving their free parkrun Milestone T-shirts:
“The material is a lighter, less sweaty fabric.”
“Best quality and shape parkrun t-shirt.”
“Considering these shirts are free and thousands have to be produced, it’s a good quality shirt.”
“Great product that looks, fits and feels better than my old 50 parkrun shirt.”
Easy to order with, very quick delivery and excellent minimal packaging. Great service thank you.”
“Excellent quality milestone T. So much better than the previous milestone T-shirts. Lightweight and comfortable fit.”
“Great new style parkrun t-shirt. Sizing is spot on for a relaxed fit running t-shirt. Material is good, quick wicking, aubergine colour matches the old one perfectly.”
Pro:Direct Sport, whose brand mission is to Own Performance, is the UK’s largest online performance sports retailer. Specialising in a number of sports including running, they are more than just a multi-specialist online sports retailer. They have been online for 20 years, so they are full of passion, authentic heritage and rich family values. Their experience allows them to recognise that the online space is ever-changing and evolving, and they realise the importance of staying connected to their geographically diverse audience. Their strong relationships with brands affords them often-exclusive access to athletes and products for unique consumer opportunities, and insightful and engaging content across multiple platforms.
