The National Running Show Birmingham in partnership with Children with Cancer UK takes place from 9am – 5pm on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th January 2020 at Birmingham’s NEC, and this third edition of the event promises to be the biggest and best yet, giving runners an opportunity to prepare for a successful year of running at the very beginning of the running calendar.
The award-winning show will once more welcome thousands of runners, sports brands, retailers, nutrition experts, race organisers, communities and expert speakers who will all gather under one roof for a weekend-long celebration of running.
With the 2020 show offering a larger floor space than in previous years (Halls 17 and 18), visitors will be able to discover the latest kit, tech, nutrition and races from over 250 exhibitors, learn from inspiring speakers and improve their running technique thanks to the hands-on feature areas.
Once more, The National Running Show will appeal to runners of all abilities and interests, from those starting out on their first 5K through to more experienced track, endurance and adventure athletes. Opening what promises to be two packed days will be Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell (9-9.15am, Saturday 25th January) followed by Kriss Akabusi and Dean Karnazes (9-9.15am, Sunday 26th January).
Each of these stars will also feature as speakers on the Inspiration Stage sponsored by Runner’s World, and hosted by Susie Chan and Iwan Thomas. They will be joined over the course of the two days by a first-class line-up of Olympic gold medallists through to ultra running pros and globe-trotting adventurers. Speakers include Steve Cram, Jo Pavey, Lazarus Lake, Mimi Anderson, Anna McNuff, Camille Heron, Nicky Spinks, Jordan Wylie, Nikki Love, Chris Nicholson, Alex Cook, Anita Bean, Allie Bailey, James Elson, Nick Butter, Rob Pope, Lowri Morgan, Geoff Brierley, David Hellard and Susannah Gill.
Another highlight of the show is The Running Skills Theatre sponsored by Intersport, with its own full schedule of talks, tips and advice about all things running.
Intersport are also sponsoring Ask the Experts, where visitors to the show can book one-to-one sessions with a range of experts, and the All Terrain Running Zone to try out the latest running shoes and see how they perform on hard surface, grass, loose trail and rocky trail.
The feature areas are always a huge draw for runners as they offer a fantastic chance to speak to those in the know, trial products and learn how to improve performance. New feature areas for 2020 include The Ultra Zone sponsored by Bad Boy Running, The OCR Zone sponsored by Spartan Race and The Trail Zone sponsored by We Run Trail.
Visitors can also look forward to 3D Gait Analysis and MSK Clinic sponsored by Run3D, Steve Cram’s Training Camp, the Nutrition Advice Zone sponsored by Kate Percy’s Go Bites, Podiatry Clinic sponsored by Cardiff Metropolitan University, Sweat Test Zone sponsored by Precision Hydration, The Run Café sponsored by Runderwear (vegan for 2020), The Run Clinic sponsored by The Movement & Running School, The Running Bookshop sponsored by Bloomsbury Sport, The Treatment Room sponsored by Sports Injury Fix and NURVV Run Experience sponsored by NURVV. Of particular excitement is the chance to win one of three new treadmills at the Treadmill Challenge sponsored by Hammer Fitness UK.
Official Retail Partners for The National Running Show Birmingham 2020 are Intersport and Up & Running, with each retailer hosting a number of high-profile running brands and showcasing the very best running gear on the market. Brands in the Intersport Zone include adidas, AfterShokz, ASICS, DW Fitness First, Energetics, Intersport DW Sports, New Balance and SafeSize. Brands featured in the Up & Running Area include Altra, Brooks, CamelBak, CLIF Bar, Craft, Hilly, Hoka One One, On, OOFOS, Plantronics, Polar, Ronhill and Saucony.
The National Running Show’s Sustainability Policy includes numerous measures to offset the impact of the event at every stage in the production chain. Measures include using branded t-shirts made from recycled bottles (through Scimitar), installing kit recycling drop-off points (through ReRun) and offsetting team travel to the event using the Travel Carbon Calculator. VIPs are being given reusable jute bags and the visitor Show Guide is printed on recycled paper. The show encourages all visitors to be mindful of what they can do to contribute to this.
The National Running Show won the awards for Best Consumer Show and Best Show Feature (The Run Clinic) at the EN Indy Awards in October 2019. The show has also won and been a finalist at numerous other award ceremonies since its inaugural event in January 2018.
Mike Seaman, CEO of Raccoon Events, commented: “We are extremely excited that The National Running Show Birmingham 2020 is almost upon us. This will be our third edition of the event and we have so much planned to ensure that it really is the most successful show yet. No matter how far or how fast you run, there is something for everyone – from our superb feature areas through to our incredible range of exhibitors covering everything from apparel, footwear, accessories, tech and nutrition to race entry and charity fundraising. As always, our speaker line-up is incredible, and we cannot wait to be thrilled and inspired by all those taking to the stage next weekend. Tickets are still available in advance and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the NEC soon!”
The third edition of The National Running Show Birmingham in partnership with Children with Cancer UK takes place on 25th-26th January 2020. Tickets cost £10 and are valid for both days; there is the option to make your ticket £12 by adding a £2 donation to Children with Cancer UK, to support the 12 children diagnosed with cancer in the UK every day. Go to nationalrunningshow.reg.buzz to secure your ticket.
The National Running Show B2B Networking Dinner takes place at 7pm on Saturday 25th January. Go to nationalrunningdinner.com for information and tickets.
The National Running London takes place on 13th-14th June 2020. Tickets are currently free and are available at nationalrunningshowlondon.reg.buzz.