Est. 2024 · The Movement
THE BAD RUNNERS
A running community for the rest of us.
You do not have to qualify to belong.
This community is for you
Running without the pressure to perform.
The Bad Runners exists for everyone who has ever felt like the running world wasn’t built for them. If you’ve been put off by pace gates, bewildering gear guides, or the relentless pressure to improve your personal best — this is your place.
Tired of pace pressure.
No pace requirements, no minimum distance, no time limits. You run your run.
Done with performance obsession.
We celebrate showing up — not PBs. Joy is the metric that matters here.
Intimidated by gear culture.
Run in whatever you own. No gear gatekeeping, no required kit, just your feet and willingness to move.
Felt like you don’t qualify to belong.
The only qualification here is wanting to be part of something. That’s it. That’s the whole list.
Our core belief
Your effort counts before your performance does.
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How we show up for each other
The community, in motion.
Built by baddies, for baddies. Every ritual, every feature, every space — created to make you feel like you belong here.
01
Claim the Win Friday
Every Friday, our community gathers to celebrate the wins that don’t make the leaderboard — the first run back, the walk break taken without guilt, the five minutes more than last week. Your win, however small, counts here.
02
Baddie of the Week
Each week we spotlight one member of the community — their story, their run, their reason for showing up. Because every baddie has a story worth telling, and every story deserves to be heard.
03
Strava Community
Log your miles alongside fellow baddies in our Strava club — a judgment-free feed where every run is cheered, every effort is seen, and nobody cares about your average pace.
04
Podcast & Future Events
Real conversations about running, community, and life in between. Our podcast is where we go deeper — and we’re building toward in-person experiences where baddies can run together, not just online.
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You belong here
Who The Baddies Are
This community was built by and for the runners the sport has historically overlooked. If any of the below sounds like you, you’re exactly who we’re talking to.
01
The New Runner
You laced up recently — or you’re still thinking about it. You have no idea what a tempo run is and you’re not sure you care. You’re exactly right for this.
02
The Slow Runner
You finish last, or near it, and you’ve been made to feel like that’s something to apologize for. It isn’t. Here, the back of the pack is a place of honour.
03
The Comeback Runner
Injury, life, burnout, or just years away — you’re finding your way back. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. We’ll meet you wherever you are right now.
04
The Walker
Run-walk, mostly walk, all walk — movement is movement. You are not a lesser version of a runner. You are a baddie who walks, and that is fully welcome here.
05
The Intimidated Runner
Pace charts, carbon-plated shoes, VO2 max calculators, race jargon — it can feel like running was designed to exclude you. We built this place to undo that feeling.
06
Anyone Who Just Wants In
No box to tick, no qualifier to pass. If you feel the pull toward community and movement — however that looks for you — the door is already open.
Stay in the loop
Join the Baddies
Get community stories, Claim the Win reminders, new podcast episodes, upcoming events, challenges, and early access to merch — straight to your inbox. No spam, no pace pressure, just the good stuff.
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Behind the community
Meet the Founder
Mari Walks started The Bad Runners because she couldn’t find a running community that felt like it was built for her. She wasn’t fast. She wasn’t competitive. She just wanted to move without apology — and to find other people who felt the same way.
What began as a personal experiment became a community of hundreds of people who run, walk, shuffle, and show up — on their own terms. Mari believes that belonging doesn’t have to be earned, and that the sport is big enough for all of us.
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Ready when you are
Join The Baddies.
You don’t need to be fast. You don’t need experience. You don’t need the right gear or the right body or the right reason. You just need to want to be here — and we’ll take care of the rest.
The community is open. The miles are yours.
