The Running Company

What The Running Company does

The Running Company is an Australian specialty running footwear retailer founded in October 2009 by Chris Chapman, a former Nike executive with two decades of experience across three continents. The company operates 16 physical retail stores across five Australian states (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and ACT) plus a Shopify-hosted e-commerce storefront at shop.therunningcompany.com.au that ships domestically only via Australia Post. Its core differentiator is a proprietary Footwear Consultation service ("TRC Experience") centered on Frame-by-Frame video gait analysis, where customers run barefoot on in-store treadmills while staff assess biomechanics to recommend injury-appropriate footwear from a curated multi-brand inventory spanning ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, On, Brooks, Hoka, Salomon, Puma, and Altra.

The business is privately held and founder-owned, with no institutional investors or external funding disclosed; growth over 16 years has been entirely organic and operationally financed. Stores are operated under a franchisee-style model in which individual owners (almost universally former competitive runners, triathletes, or Ironman competitors) own and run their respective locations, often having progressed through an internal apprenticeship under founding-era operators such as Chris Wight at Clifton Hill. Recent activity includes new openings in Newstead (Brisbane, November 2024), Torquay (2024), West End (Brisbane, 2025), and Southport on the Gold Coast (January 2026), the consolidation of the Launceston store into Brisbane, and expansion of the "Walking by The Running Company" sub-brand targeting the adjacent walking/comfort footwear vertical.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time footwear sales, with secondary streams from running apparel, accessories, nutrition (Maurten, Tailwind), and hydration products. The go-to-market is a hybrid direct-to-consumer model combining in-store consultations (booked via Calendly) with content marketing (training plans, shoe reviews, running advice) and a formal Sports Medical Referral Program that channels physiotherapist and podiatrist patients into stores. Pricing on the e-commerce channel follows flat-rate shipping tiers (free over $200 AUD, $10 standard under, $15 express). The company has no disclosed AI/ML, app, or international operations.

Name

The Running Company

Legal name

The Running Company

Website

https://therunningcompany.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Running Company is an Australian specialty running footwear retailer operating 16 stores across five states plus a Shopify e-commerce storefront, offering Frame-by-Frame video gait analysis and curated multi-brand running shoes (ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, On, Brooks, Hoka) to runners, walkers, and sports-medical referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Running Footwear Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Running Specialty Retail (CRAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Running & Endurance Wear (CRAAAEAD), Outdoor Performance Footwear & Apparel Retail (Trail/Hike) (CRAMACAI), Performance Footwear (Running, Training, Court) (CRAAAEAI), Athletic & Performance Footwear Retail (CRAAADAA)

Keywords

• Running footwear retail
• Gait analysis service
• Specialty running store
• Athletic apparel sales
• Running shoe fitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bondi

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Running Footwear Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling running shoes across multiple premium brands including ASICS, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, On, Brooks, Hoka, Salomon, Puma, Altra. Sales through both physical stores and e-commerce platform.
2. Apparel and Accessories: Secondary revenue from running apparel, headwear, and accessories. Includes compression gear, running socks, hydration products, and nutrition supplements like Maurten.
3. Nutrition and Hydration Products: Sales of sports nutrition and hydration products including Maurten, Tailwind and other supplements for runners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Running Company is a specialty running shoe retailer that sells running footwear, apparel, accessories, and sports nutrition products from premium brands (ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, On, Brooks, Hoka, Salomon, Puma, Altra) across 16 Australian retail stores and a Shopify e-commerce platform. The core service is a free in-store digital gait analysis consultation that uses frame-by-frame video of customers running barefoot on treadmills to assess biomechanics and recommend properly matched footwear.

Product overview

The Running Company is a specialty running shoe retailer operating 16 stores across Australia with an integrated e-commerce platform. The core offering is a proprietary Footwear Consultation / Gait Analysis service that uses frame-by-frame video recording on in-store treadmills to assess customers' natural running gait and recommend optimal footwear. This service is complemented by a curated selection of running shoes from multiple major brands (ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, On, Puma, Brooks, Salomon, Altra, Hoka), running apparel and accessories, nutrition and hydration products, and free training plans for half marathon, marathon, and ultra-trail events. The company also maintains a Sports Medical Referral Program in partnership with physiotherapists and podiatrists. Online sales are fulfilled via a Shopify-powered e-commerce store with Australia Post shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Walking by The Running Company: A specialized walking-focused brand operated by TRC, offering footwear fitted by professionals for walking, hiking, or living in comfort. Locations include Geelong (Walking by TRC Geelong) and Yarraville (Walking by The Running Company at 87 Anderson St).
• TRC Experience

Products and services

• Footwear Consultation / Gait Analysis (TRC Experience) Free in-store consultation involving frame-by-frame video analysis of customers running or walking barefoot on treadmills to assess gait mechanics (degree of pronation, foot fall) and recommend biomechanically appropriate footwear. Available at all 16 store locations.
• Running Shoes (Multi-Brand) Curated range of running footwear from premium brands including ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, On, Brooks, Hoka, Salomon, Puma, and Altra. Covers daily trainers, racing shoes, trail running shoes, and track spikes.
• Running Apparel and Accessories Running-specific clothing, headwear, and accessories including compression gear, running socks, and other running essentials.
• Nutrition and Hydration Products Endurance sports nutrition and hydration products including Maurten fuel bars and gels, Tailwind, and other supplements designed for runners.
• Walking by The Running Company A specialized walking-focused brand offering footwear fitted by professionals for walking, hiking, or all-day comfort. Locations include Geelong (Walking by TRC Geelong) and Yarraville (Walking by The Running Company at 87 Anderson St).

Quantifiable outcome

• Free gait analysis consultation at point of purchase with no fee or charge
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sports Medical Practitioners (Physiotherapists & Podiatrists)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Running Company maintains close relationships with leading sports medical practitioners including physiotherapists and podiatrists. They take a collaborative approach to ensure athletes receive appropriate products, service, and advice. The company emails gait analysis footage back to practitioners to validate and advise on footwear choices made, creating a complete communication loop between the retailer and medical professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves21 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JD Sports: Global multi-brand athletic footwear and apparel retailer with growing Australian presence. Competes in the same premium running footwear category but with a broader lifestyle and streetwear-led assortment.
• Hoka: Fast-growing premium running brand in TRC's assortment. Operates its own DTC site and select retail stores, representing both a key supplier relationship and a structural competitive threat to specialty retail.
• Rebel Sport: Largest generalist sporting goods retailer in Australia (part of Super Retail Group). Overlaps with TRC in running footwear and apparel but at much broader category scope (team sports, fitness equipment, outdoor) and lower service intensity.
• On: Premium running shoe brand that TRC carries (On Cloudmonster 3, etc.). Increasingly competing with TRC through brand-direct DTC channels, flagship stores and proprietary app-based fitting experiences.
• Nike: Largest brand in TRC's assortment and the founder's former employer. Nike's global DTC push and direct relationships with runners represent the most significant long-term structural risk to multi-brand specialty retailers like TRC.

Direct peers

• Running Room: Canada-based specialty running retailer with ~100 stores across North America. Closest international comparable: multi-brand premium running assortment, in-store gait analysis, run clubs, and educational content — same operating model as TRC at larger scale.
• Fleet Feet: US franchise-based specialty running retailer with 250+ stores offering multi-brand premium running shoes, gait analysis, and community run programming. Comparable model, though operating at materially larger scale in the US market.
• Up & Running: Australian specialty running retailer with multiple locations focused on running footwear and expert fitting. Closest direct peer in format, customer base and product mix, though smaller footprint than TRC.
• Runners Need: UK specialty running retailer with both physical stores and strong e-commerce presence. Comparable multi-brand premium assortment and expert fitting service in a different geography.
• The Athletes Foot: Largest specialty athletic footwear retailer in Australia with ~150 stores, multi-brand assortment across running, training and lifestyle. Direct competitor for premium running shoe sales with comparable in-store fit expertise, but at much larger scale and broader product mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/therunningcompany
• Xx.com/trc_adelaide
• Facebookfacebook.com/16
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-running-company-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Running Company