Controversial Nike ad near Boston Marathon finish line has been removed

Nike said it installed a new advertisement near the Boston Marathon finish line following criticism of the original version.

In the days leading up to the annual 26.2-mile race, the athletic apparel brand put up a sign in the window of its Newbury Street store, which read: "Runners welcome. Walkers tolerated." The words sparked backlash online, with many social media users claiming the ad lacked inclusivity.

Robyn Michaud, running her fifth Boston Marathon in the adaptive division, posted a photo of the sign to Instagram with the caption, "Are you kidding me?"

She wrote that, due to a spinal cord injury, she has to walk periodically throughout the race.

"Even with a cyst in my spinal cord, I still regularly break 5 hours in Boston and plan to again this weekend," Michaud wrote. "Thank you for TOLERATING me, @nike. Perhaps you should swing by the adaptive and para staging area on Monday to see what true grit is all about."

Another user posted a TikTok video criticizing the ad, saying, "Imagine hating on someone running a marathon because they took walking breaks? 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles. Just do better, Nike."

Instagram user and Boston marathon runner @mikerunsmarathons posted an edited version of the sign, crossing out the word "tolerated" and updating it to read: "Runners welcome. Walkers welcome."

"Hey, Nike, I fixed your Boston Marathon sign for you! Every runner belongs regardless of their experience level and background," he wrote in the .