JD Sports, Nike and MADE Running just hosted a historic 5k race INSIDE the Trafford Centre

10th February 2026

Categories: Manchester, Sponsored, Sport, Trafford

Tags: jd sports, made, nike, trafford centre

Native run club and growing viral fitness phenomenon MADE Running made a bit of local history this past weekend by teaming up with JD Sports and Nike to host the first-ever 5k race inside The Trafford Centre.

Yes, you read that right – and this is just the start…

Many of us have wondered what it would be like to see what the iconic Greater Manchester shopping destination is like after it closes, but in our case, these lot genuinely realised a childhood dream of ours: opening up the place for just you and your mates and running full tilt through its stunning, shiny halls.

In the case of MADE, they’re no strangers to shutting down major Manc thoroughfares with the hundreds that flock to their regular running meets throughout the week.

As for the landmark 5k run in and around The Trafford Centre, a huge turn-out of runners started outside the JD megastore on Sunday 8 February, before looping around the interior, through the food court, out into the car park and back inside – even more came out, and from all over.

The event was put on thanks to JD, in celebration of their new We Run This City campaign, showcasing Nike Performance products.

The new range includes ‘running basics, just better’, three head-turning running shoes – the Vomero Plus, the Vomero 18, and the Pegasus Premium – and athleisure pieces that slip seamlessly into your daily wardrobe.

This latest JD and Nike campaign has been created to keep the motivation and momentum of the new year going well into 2026, with ‘the looks to run this city’.

And as part of the campaign, JD teamed up with MADE Running for the Trafford Centre run event over the weekend, which had people gathering from all over – elsewhere in the North West, the Midlands, Scotland, London and even as far as Dubai.

It’s an emotional event that perfectly captured the spirit of the Nike collection and of Manchester, with founder Hermen Dange telling the assembled runners that he was in prison just a few years ago, and now the balance of good fortune, humility and the drive to be better has transformed their lives, and continues to do the same for so many.

Fast forward to today, and he’s met with the Nike CEO and his ever-growing crew are decked out in one of the hottest running shoes around right now, the ‘Vomero’, with more height and (most importantly) more comfort.

Following plenty of pre-event festivities, including a live DJ, shoe try-ons and impromptu dance-offs, the elite runners got underway, followed by hordes of others who aren’t just putting their work ethic through its paces but had an incredibly fresh start time, with people arriving from as early as 6.30am.

Not only is this way earlier than most parkruns up and down the country, but seeing such commitment from Mancs and many other attendees en masse was genuinely inspiring.

That pretty much sums up everything you need to know about what Hermen and co. have created, to be honest. You only had to see how people looked and listened to his emotional speeches before and after the run.

The run’s warm-up was quickly followed by another motivational speech to cheer runners on, with plenty of hugs and even tears shared.

MADE Running’s journey is a mad one, not least because of the countless people who’ve helped make it happen, and with Hermen informing those who travelled all manner of distances that the hope is for this to be just the first of several similar events, the inaugural MADE Running UK tour was officially teased.

Watch this space and keep your eyes peeled for dates coming soon.

And you can browse the full Nike ‘We Run This City’ with JD HERE.