THE RUNNING CONFERENCE PRESENTED BY HAKU >TRC26
CONTENT & THEME
OVERVIEW
Exclusively Built for Running Industry Alliance (RIA) Members
Bringing the running ecosystem together to better understand today, shape tomorrow and build the future of our industry.
Sunday 6th December – Tuesday 8th December 2026 | Burleigh Court, Loughborough University
The Running Conference presented by haku 2026 (TRC26) is Running Industry Alliance’s (RIA) annual Members Conference.
The conference brings together brands, retailers, event organisers, charities, communities, media, NGOs and NGBs, service providers, suppliers, buying groups, distributors and agents from across the running industry for three days of industry intelligence, thought leadership, curated content, business networking and collaboration.
Built around six themes shaped by RIA Member feedback (The Marketplace, The Business of Running, Evolution, The Runner, Challenges and The Future), the programme looks beyond individual channels to explore how every part of the industry connects, where the opportunities sit and what we can build together. Whatever part of running you work in, there’s a seat for you.
Why attend, and what to expect: explore the full TRC26 Experience →
On this page - the full agenda for each day:
Sunday 6th - Arrive, reconnect and network, then the Opening Celebration and Out There Sessions.
Monday 7th - The Marketplace, The Business of Running and Evolution, followed by Track Stars and an evening social.
Tuesday 8th - The Runner, Challenges and The Future, with the conference closing at 4:00pm.
TRC26 is exclusively for RIA Members. Not yet a member?
Apply to join Running Industry Alliance (RIA) today and be part of TRC26.
SUNDAY 6th DECEMBER
ARRIVAL, CONNECTION & OPENING EVENING
Sunday is about arriving, reconnecting and starting the TRC26 conversation before the main programme begins.
2:00pm to 6:00pm
ARRIVAL, BADGE COLLECTION & PUDS EXPLORATION
Burleigh Court > Business Lounge / Conference & Bar Area
Arrive, collect your badge and lanyard > lanyards must be worn at all times for access > and begin your TRC26 experience.
Coffee will be flowing, PUDS will be open and conversations will already be starting.
Explore the Pop-Up Discovery Spaces, meet fellow RIA Members and ease into the conference atmosphere.
3:00pm to 5:00pm
RIA MEMBERS BUSINESS NETWORKING
Powered by Sport in Mind × Running Industry Alliance
A focused, energised networking session designed to connect RIA Members across the running industry.
Friendly, structured and open to all attending RIA Members.
Pre-booking required at registration.
5:00pm to 6:00pm
RESET & RECHARGE
Time to freshen up, pause and prepare for the evening programme.
6:00pm to 7:00pm
TRC26 OPENING CELEBRATION
Burleigh Court
WE BEGIN TOGETHER
A relaxed welcome evening with food, drinks and connection.
Welcome Reception with ERDINGER Alkoholfrei
Informal Dinner with RIA, OOO & industry peers
Conversations, reconnections and new introductions
MEET THE RIA BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Specific meet-ups in the bar facilitated, also working groups including:
Event Organiser Channel | WMAG | NextGen | Charity
FROM 7:00pm
OUTSIDE OF ORDINARY > OUT THERE SESSIONS
Burleigh Court | RIA Members only conference and attendance - lanyards will be checked
Part of Outside of Ordinary's Out There Sessions, tailored for the RIA and B2B running industry.
Short, punchy talks exploring:
Creativity in global running culture and business
The evolution of events, retail and brand experience
Storytelling and its role in shaping the future of the sport
Reflection. Inspiration. Connection.
Informal social continues in Burleigh Bar.
11:00pm | Evening closes
MONDAY 7th DECEMBER
THE MARKETPLACE. THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING. EVOLUTION.
Trackside energy. Industry connection.
Monday is about understanding where we are, where the opportunity sits and what is changing.
6:15am to 7:15am
EARLY AM RUN
Hosted by adidas | Headlamps by SILVA
6:15am meet | 6:30am start
All paces welcome. A collective start to the day.
Pre-booking required in registration | 100 places max
7:00am to 8:30am
BREAKFAST & SOCIAL NETWORKING
Fuel up, connect and prepare for the day ahead.
8:30am to 9:00am
RIA BRIEFING & KEYNOTE
A welcome to TRC26, five years of RIA and TRC > and the conversations that will shape this year's conference.
SESSION 1 > 09:00 to 10:30am
THE MARKETPLACE
Where we are now?
Understanding the running industry today > the market, its scale, performance and the forces shaping it.
This opening session sets the scene for TRC26, bringing together the data, market intelligence and commercial realities shaping the running ecosystem today.
From market performance and consumer spending to participation, retail, brands, events and emerging opportunities, The Marketplace provides the context for the conversations that follow.
What is happening in running right now? What is growing, changing or challenging the market? And what does the data tell us about where the opportunity sits?
Member Intelligence
A first look at key RIA Member reporting, including:
Endurance Sport Survey 2026/27 > Running Industry Alliance (RIA) x Triathlon Industry Alliance (TIA)
The National Running Report 2027 > Running Industry Alliance (RIA) × England Athletics
10:30am to 11:15am
COFFEE & CONNECTION
Hosted by AHOTU
SESSION 2 > 11:15am to 12:30pm
THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING
Where's the opportunity?
Exploring collaboration, commercial opportunity, growth and innovation across the running ecosystem.
This session looks beyond the market numbers to the business of running > where growth is coming from, where new opportunities are emerging and how organisations can work together to create greater value.
From brands, retailers and events to technology, services, partnerships and new business models, we explore what is driving commercial opportunity across the running ecosystem.
Where is the growth? Who is creating it? And what opportunities are we not seeing yet?
12:30pm to 1:30pm
LUNCH & CONNECTION
📍 Burleigh Court + PUDS
Informal networking, reflection and discovery time.
SESSION 3 > 1:30pm to 2:30pm
EVOLUTION
What is changing?
Exploring how the sport, major events, the industry and the grassroots are evolving, and the new approaches shaping the running experience.
Running is evolving at pace.
From the future of the sport and major events such as LA28, through to the wider running industry, new approaches to fan engagement and the grassroots, this session explores how change is filtering through the ecosystem and how it is shaping the way people experience, follow, participate in and connect with running.
What is changing? What is genuinely transformative? And how does change at the top of the sport translate through the industry and ultimately to the grassroots?
Innovation. Curiosity. Evolution.
TRACK STARS AT TRC26
THE THIRD CHAPTER
2:30pm to 5:30pm
📍 Loughborough University Trackside
Threshold Sports × krono:sports × RIA × ASICS × SportsShoes.com
A high-energy, team-based track experience > back for 2026.
Featuring:
Relay races
ASICS try-ons
Team competition
The Golden Baton > Who is taking it home this year?
Pre-booking required | 128 places
6:00pm to 7:00pm
DRINKS RECEPTION & DINNER
Running Industry Alliance (RIA) × Triathlon Industry Alliance (TIA)
RIA & TIA Members come together for a multisport evening of connection.
EVENING SOCIAL
LET THE GAMES BEGIN AGAIN
Powered by haku × Scimitar
A relaxed celebration evening with games, connection, informal networking, a sprinkle of competitive spirit and a huge dose of FUN.
11:00pm | Evening closes
TUESDAY 8th DECEMBER
THE RUNNER. THE CHALLENGES. THE FUTURE.
Tuesday turns the conversation towards who we serve, what we must navigate and what comes next.
6:15am to 7:15am
EARLY AM RUN
Hosted by SCOTT x Unsanctioned Athletics
Supported by Petzl and Bridgedale Socks
A new addition to TRC26 to start the final day.
Pre-booking required.
7:00am to 8:30am
BREAKFAST & FINAL MORNING CONNECTIONS
Fuel up and make those final morning connections.
8:30am to 9:00am
RIA BRIEFING & KEYNOTE
SESSION 4 > 09:00am to 10:30am
THE RUNNER
Who we serve
Exploring participation, culture and the changing needs, motivations and behaviours of today's and tomorrow's runner.
The runner is changing > and the definition of a runner is broader than ever.
We explore who is running, why they run, how they participate and what they expect from the industry around them.
From Gen Z and Gen Alpha to the emerging Gen Beta generation, alongside changing participation, community, culture, technology and consumer behaviour, we look at how early experiences, digital lives and new expectations could shape the runners of tomorrow.
Who are we serving today? Who are we preparing to serve next? And what do the next generations want from running?
People. Participation. Culture.
10:30am to 11:15am
COFFEE & CONNECTION
Hosted by AHOTU
SESSION 5 > 11.15am to 12:30pm
CHALLENGES
What do we need to navigate?
Exploring the challenges, pressures and priorities shaping the running industry > and how we navigate them together.
The running industry is changing quickly, bringing new opportunities alongside new challenges.
From climate and sustainability to participation, accessibility, economics, regulation, workforce, events and changing consumer expectations, this session tackles the issues that matter now.
What must we navigate? What can we influence? And where do we need to work together?
Honest conversations. Shared challenges. A way forward together.
12:30pm to 1:30pm
LUNCH & CONNECTION
📍 Burleigh Court + PUDS
SESSION 6 > 1.30pm to 3pm
THE FUTURE
What next?
Looking ahead > the ideas, opportunities and people that will shape the next chapter of running.
We've explored where the market is today, where the opportunity sits, what is changing, who we serve and what we must navigate.
Now we look beyond today.
This session brings together future thinking, emerging ideas, new voices and the next generation of leaders to explore where the running industry could go — and what we can do to help shape it.
From new business models and technology to participation, global growth, collaboration and the next generation, we ask what the next five years could look like for running.
What comes next? What could be different? And what do we want to build together?
The final conversation of TRC26.
Possibility. Ambition. The future of running.
3:00pm to 4:00pm
INFORMAL WRAP & MEETINGS
Space for networking, 1:1 meetings, final conversations and reflection.
4:00pm
TRC26 CLOSES
Thank you for being part of TRC26.
See you at TRC27 in 2027 > Save the date.