Organisers of The National Running Show have revealed an expanded ensemble of exciting speakers for the 2026 edition. Taking place from 31st January to 1st February 2026 at NEC Birmingham, an abundance of athletes, adventurers, celebrities, industry experts and thought leaders will take to the stages and spaces catering to every running interest and ability level.
An award-winning annual event The National Running Show is the biggest running community meet-up in the UK, bringing together in excess of 30,000 enthusiasts across two days and showcasing a wide range of over 250 established and emerging brands, often with exclusive product previews and show-only offers.
The existing speaker line-up announced at launch includes decorated and iconic athlete Carl Lewis, elite runner and 2028 Olympic hopeful Phily Bowden, one of the UK’s most successful middle-distance athletes Laura Muir and avid marathoner and pop rock band star Harry Judd.
Among those recently added to the speaker roster is decorated British ultrarunner Tom Evans, who this summer fulfilled a long-held ambition by becoming the first British man to win UTMB since 2010.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Super Bowl’ of trail running, the main HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc race held annually at the end of August is a challenging and highly prestigious 106-mile (171 kilometre) ultramarathon. Starting and finishing in Chamonix, France the course passes through Italy and Switzerland, incorporating approximately 10,000 metres (33,000 feet) of positive elevation gain. An average ‘Did Not Finish’ (DNF) rate of around 30-40% evidences the difficulty of the challenge.
Trail running enthusiasts with their own UTMB aspirations will be keen to hear from two further speakers at the show who formed part of the winning support team this year. Performance Nutritionist Paul Booth who fuelled both Tom Evans and Ruth Croft to victories at UTMB will be speaking at event; as well as Data and Performance Scientist Joseph Mestrallet. Joseph was instrumental in securing Ruth and Tom the UTMB podium, creating bespoke tactical and strategic pacing plans that incorporated the exact conditions of the race.
British ultrarunner and member of the GB team which won gold at the 2025 24-hour World Championships Sophie Power will be returning to The National Running Show. In 2025, Sophie, who founded the charity SheRACES, drew huge crowds and global media to her live demonstration at the show, setting a new world record for the longest distance run by a woman on a treadmill in 48 hours.
A new panel announced for 2026 includes members of Project Fire and Ice – a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary comprising of team members Jason Fox, Karl Hinett, Brian Wood MC, and Aldo Kane. Their SAS-led expedition by Ultra4Charity involved completing The Arctic Ultra – a 500km self-supported trek through the snow-covered forests of Swedish Lapland in aid of for SSAFA, the armed forces charity. The special forces collective will share behind-the-scenes insights from their extraordinary challenge.
Also joining the enviable speaker ensemble are members of the 2026 European Athletics Championships, which will also be taking place in Birmingham. Additionally, returning to the show, The Running Channel will be beckoning visitors to The Running Skills Theatre for expert talks, Q&As and demonstrations, talking all things running at every level.
Tickets for The National Running Show 2026 are available now. Early booking is advised to secure attendance at what is set to be the biggest and most popular show to-date.
