Pace Athletic

What Pace Athletic does

Pace Athletic is an Australian specialty running retailer founded in 2013 and headquartered in Mosman, NSW, serving recreational through competitive runners, road racing enthusiasts, and trail and ultra runners. The company operates an omnichannel model combining a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront (paceathletic.com) with eight physical retail showrooms across the Sydney metropolitan area (Manly, Rozelle, Castle Hill, Crows Nest, Waverley, Mosman) and a regional location branded Blue Mountains Running Co. Pace Athletic carries a curated multi-brand assortment of 50+ running and outdoor labels including Nike, ASICS, adidas, Brooks, HOKA, New Balance, Saucony, On Running, Puma, Mizuno, and Salomon, spanning daily trainers, tempo/speed, race day, trail, track and field, and stability categories, with complementary apparel, accessories (hydration, watches, eyewear, headlamps), and nutrition (Maurten, Precision Fuel, Pure Sports Nutrition).

The company's technology stack is standard e-commerce: a Shopify storefront augmented by the Rebuy recommendation engine, the Preezie size and fit questionnaire, and the Mirra Try Before You Buy integration, with payments spanning Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, PayPal, Afterpay, and several international methods. No proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; competitive differentiation rests on physical retail expertise (gait analysis, professional fitting) and community engagement rather than on a technology moat.

Pace Athletic generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of running footwear (A$114-A$296 per pair), apparel, accessories, and nutrition products at standard retail pricing with periodic discounts. The Running Rewards loyalty program (points on purchases, 10% off for first-time customers) provides a retention layer, while free Run Club community events serve as a top-of-funnel engagement mechanism. Distribution is Australia-wide for online orders (free delivery over A$99, next-day dispatch, free 30-day exchanges) and locally concentrated for in-person services. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors.

Name

Pace Athletic

Legal name

Pace Athletic

Website

https://paceathletic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pace Athletic is a privately held Australian specialty running retailer founded in 2013, operating 8 physical stores across NSW and a Shopify e-commerce storefront, selling curated footwear, apparel, accessories, and nutrition from 50+ premium running brands to recreational and competitive runners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Running Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Running Specialty Retail (CRAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trail Running & Outdoor Performance Accessories Retail (CRAMAAAH), Running & Endurance Wear (CRAAAEAD), Outdoor Performance Footwear & Apparel Retail (Trail/Hike) (CRAMACAI)

Keywords

• Specialty running retail
• Athletic footwear
• Running apparel
• Running accessories
• Sports nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Mosman

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Running footwear sales: Direct sales of running shoes across multiple categories including daily trainers, tempo/speed shoes, race day shoes, trail shoes, and track & field shoes. Products are sold at fixed retail prices with periodic sales and discounts.
2. Running apparel sales: Direct sales of running apparel including tees, singlets, jackets, shorts, tights, pants, and socks for men and women.
3. Accessories sales: Direct sales of running accessories including caps, hydration vests, running watches, belts, sunglasses, gloves, and headlamps.
4. Nutrition products: Direct sales of running nutrition including gels, bars, chews, drink mixes, and bundles from brands like Maurten, Precision Fuel, and Pure Sports Nutrition.
5. Loyalty program revenue: Running Rewards loyalty program where members earn points on purchases for exclusive rewards, with first-time customers receiving 10% off.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pace Athletic is a specialty running retailer that sells running shoes, apparel, accessories, and nutrition products from over 50 brands via its e-commerce site and 8 physical stores across NSW, Australia. The company provides expert in-store fitting and gait analysis services, complemented by online tools like a shoe finder, size recommendation technology, and a Try Before You Buy program. It also runs a free Run Club community and a Running Rewards loyalty program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Mountains Running Co: Regional running specialty store brand operated by Pace Athletic

Products and services

• Running Shoes Specialty running shoes spanning daily trainers, tempo/speed, race day, trail, track and field, recovery slides, and stability categories for men and women, sourced from 50+ brands including Nike, ASICS, adidas, Brooks, HOKA, New Balance, Saucony, On Running, Puma, and Mizuno.
• Running Apparel Technical running apparel including tees, singlets, sports bras, jackets and fleeces, shorts, tights and compression, pants, and socks for men and women.
• Running Accessories Running accessories including caps and headwear, hydration vests and packs, GPS running watches and tech, running belts, sunglasses and eyewear, gloves and arm sleeves, and headlamps.
• Running Nutrition Sports nutrition products including energy gels, bars, chews, electrolyte and hydration drink mixes, and pre-configured bundles from brands such as Maurten, Precision Fuel, and Pure Sports Nutrition.
• Running Rewards Loyalty Program Points-based loyalty program where members earn points on purchases for exclusive rewards, with first-time customers receiving 10% off and members getting early access to sales and events.
• Run Club Free weekly community run clubs held across Sydney for runners of all skill levels, designed to drive community engagement and brand awareness with no sign-up required.
• Try Before You Buy Home try-on service (powered by Mirra) that lets customers test up to 3 items for 3 days before committing to purchase, with a $12 restocking fee for full returns.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fleet Feet: US-based specialty running retail chain offering multi-brand running footwear, apparel, and accessories with in-store fitting services, gait analysis, and community run events. Directly comparable operating model, customer segment, and value proposition to Pace Athletic.
• Roadrunner Sports: US specialty running retailer with a strong e-commerce presence and outlet footprint, carrying premium running brands and emphasizing fit expertise and customer service analogous to Pace Athletic.
• Up There Running: Melbourne-based specialty store combining premium running and lifestyle sneakers with curated brand assortments and community programming. Comparable specialty multi-brand positioning in the Australian market.
• JackRabbit: US specialty running retail chain with physical stores and e-commerce focused on premium running brands, expert fitting, and community-driven marketing. Highly comparable multi-brand specialty running retail model.
• Sub4: Australian specialty running retailer focused on performance running footwear and apparel with multi-brand curation and in-store expertise. Closest direct domestic peer in the Australian market.

Emerging players

• Tracksmith: Premium running apparel and footwear brand with growing direct-to-consumer retail and community-led marketing (Tracksmith-run clubs, events). Represents the emerging brand-owned channel that competes with multi-brand specialty retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Foot Locker: Global athletic footwear retailer with Australian operations carrying many of the same brands as Pace Athletic (Nike, adidas, ASICS, Puma, New Balance). Represents the mass-market encroachment risk.
• Rebel Sport: Australia's largest sporting goods retailer carrying running footwear, apparel, and accessories. Mass-market competitor that competes on assortment, price, and store count rather than specialty expertise.
• JD Sports: Global athletic footwear and apparel retailer with a significant Australian footprint. Competes on price and brand breadth across running-adjacent categories, representing the broader incumbent threat.
• The Athletes Foot: Specialty athletic footwear retailer operating in Australia with multi-brand assortments including running categories. Adjacent specialty competitor with broader footwear scope.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/paceathletic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pace-athletic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pace Athletic