Raccoon Media Group is celebrating a record-breaking year for its flagship event, The National Running Show. The eighth edition, held at the NEC Birmingham, welcomed a record number of 30,893 running enthusiasts from across the UK and beyond.
Building on a landmark 2025 during which The National Running Show swept the AEO Excellence Awards for Consumer Show and Marketing Campaign of the Year, alongside an EN Award for Best Content Programme – the event reached new heights in 2026. With over 300 premier brands in attendance and a record-breaking 70% rebook rate, the show continues to demonstrate industry-leading loyalty and high-value retention among Tier 1 partners. The diverse content programme spanned dedicated spaces and stages, hosting a world-class line-up of 100+ speakers from celebrities to athletes, and community leaders to industry experts. Those featured included: Carl Lewis, Laura Muir, Dean Karnazes, Tom Evans, Phily Bowden, Harry Judd and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. The 2026 show featured almost 30 interactive sessions with returning classics such as the Travelator and Pilates Studio which sat alongside exciting new debuts, including the Fordy Runs Rave Run and an immersive British Orienteering Trail. “To match our record-breaking investment in the 2026 show, we curated a premier roster of talent. The result was a non-stop, two-day schedule of elite-level sessions and immersive, engaging experiences,” said Kate Jamieson, Content Director of Raccoon Media Group.
Plans for The National Running Show 2027 are already in motion, “there will be a 30% increase in show floorspace to meet demand,” said Craig Hanratty, Portfolio Director, Raccoon Media Group, “our 2027 roadmap features an expanded portfolio of engaging activations, highlighted by
collaborations with Guinness World Records, the My Home Gym installation, and a signature Obstacle Challenge.”
Launched in 2018 as Raccoon Media Group’s flagship event, The National Running Show has evolved from a grassroots start-up in a garden shed into a global powerhouse. Since its inception, the company has scaled organically, now boasting an international portfolio that includes the International Running Expo (IRX), Run Show (Dubai), and ISPO. Raccoon Media Group has cemented its position as a premier specialist event organiser within the global sports and outdoor sectors. Recognised as the definitive partner for launching or scaling industry exhibitions, the group now manages some of the world’s most influential events.