The Running Event (TRE), the largest running industry trade show in North America, will be held November 29 to December 1, 2022 in Austin, TX. Established in 2006, TRE has become the “go-to” event for footwear, apparel, accessory, and service brands to display their newest technologies, products, and gadgets. The event is also a great place to make connections with other running industry leaders and professionals and learn about running in all of its forms (trail running, road running, cross country, track and field, etc.). The three day event will feature 280 exhibiting companies and thirty-eight educational sessions.
PRO TIP: Read our highlights from the 2021 event.
In 2021, TRE launched “Switchback at The Running Event,” which highlighted outdoor industry and trail running specific content for the first time. Switchback will be continued in 2022, providing additional opportunity for trail running brands and professionals to play a larger role in the running industry as a whole.
Participating outdoor brands include large names such as Brooks, HOKA, Osprey, Birkenstock, The North Face, Nike, GU, Salomon and Garmin, as well as up-and-coming brands including Lowa Boots, Vionic, BioLite, Sayso Shades and Farm To Feet. There will also be several outdoor/trail running specific events and presentations including a “Trail Cleanup,” “Summit at Switchback” networking event, and a presentation by the American Trail Running Association (ATRA), “Connecting To The Trail Curious Community,” featuring ATRA president Adam Chase, ATRA event specialist Peter Maksimow, Head of Public Relations and Trail Strategy at Saucony, Sharon Barbano, and Event Director for TransRockies Events, Kevin Houda McDonald.
Chase shares his thoughts on the upcoming panel, “ATRA’s panel is really about growing the trail running pie. If there are more trail runners, there are more runners and that appeals to the entire TRE audience. We, trail runners, are just a small slice — less than 10% — of the industry of running. But we are a growing one and the running segment needs us to drive more participants to the sport. That is what the panel discussion seeks to address: how do we attract more trail runners? It isn’t restricted to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), per se, but that is certainly a big part of the discussion, especially the inclusion part.”
Robert Sherburn. Photo: Nancy Hobbs.
In addition to Chase and Maksimow, the ATRA team will also have executive director Nancy Hobbs and event specialist, Robert Sherburn, on the ground at TRE. Sherburn had to say about the event through working it for ATRA the past few years, “TRE has become a reunion of sorts, so seeing friends and colleagues from across the country, and the world, is something I look forward to the most. In addition, I’m excited to help bring more about the trail running space to TRE via ATRA and the Switchback portion of the show, plus learn about the latest and greatest from vendors, manufactures, and event pros in our growing sport.”
Stay tuned for updates from the event on our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as a post event recap article in Trail News here on the American Trail Running Association website.
