The National Running Show, NEC Birmingham January 25-26th 2025
In the morning I set off from a blustery Brighton on my way by car to Birmingham in the midst of a yellow weather warning to immerse myself in everything new in the world of running, at the National running show. It was the first time I had attended the NEC in Birmingham and I was excited to see what the show had to offer.
As I arrived I was greeted with a very busy exhibition floor. It really was a feast for the eyes, and much larger than I was expecting. I instantly saw several recognizable brand logos looming high over the top of the crowd. I was a bit taken aback by the crowd level, but was eager to soak up the vibes of the show.
There was a full programme of Inspiring talks across several stages, I attended a talk from Hertfordshire based running club, the Spider Runners. You’d be able to spot them by their spiderman-esque training tops. Their run club focuses on inclusivity and welcoming runners of every ability and age. I found their talk extremely uplifting, as they posed the question Are we all runners? To which they hoped that we would all agree we are capable of becoming a part of this sport. Later they asked us to ponder the barriers we face when becoming a runner or joining a running club. They helped the crowd to reflect on their common, negative thought processes by asking for a show of hands, to questions such as, Have you ever felt self conscious of your body whilst out on your run? and Have you ever felt excluded by the running community? It was eye opening, seeing a sea of outstretched arms, pointing out a plethora of shared, uncomfortable feelings. I did however find comfort in this shared moment of group vulnerability, showing me just how many people have experienced the same feelings.
Both during this talk and others, speakers were opening up around the topic of mental health and running. How can running improve our mind? Lots of people choose to run alone, many describe this as a meditation in motion, allowing a chance to obtain a clear mind whilst out in nature or even on the treadmill at the gym. On the flip side of this, running in a group with like minded people, can have great benefits for people's overall wellbeing. Feeling part of a group, where people motivate each other to their next milestone, or just being sociable and having some laughs.
Over at the Holland and Barrett stand, I was able to take advantage of their offering of a weigh in, on the Tanita scales. As technology such as AI and virtual reality grows in a wider sense, within many sectors, the continued advances in science and technology, have the potential to elevate, not just athletes performances but sports people of every level, which is excellent news. Body Composition scales have been popping up in commercial gyms for a good few years now, with an emphasis on allowing gym attendees to gain extra knowledge about their body composition. The scales work by allowing a weak alternating current to pass through the body, meaning that body composition scales can determine not only weight but also body fat percentage.
While I continued to wait in line to get weighed, I was treated to some samples of Holland and Barretts new clear protein drinks. The pineapple flavoured drink was particularly delicious!
After stepping on the scale for a short period of time, I was provided with a comprehensive digital document covering my body weight, body fat percentage, musculature balance, body water and metabolism. This data is a great starting point and a great tool to help us stay on track and see very clearly what progress we are making with our fitness goals. This wasn't the only data on display at the show; there was also other performance testing. Everything from apps that are designed to help improve your running form, technologies that can improve bladder control, Vo2 max testing, echocardiogram and ultrasound.
I paused at a café where I took a breather, relaxed my legs and had a large cup of coffee. Then I continued around the rest of the booths. Starting at the most important and probably obvious product that springs to mind when we think about running… Trainers! there was definitely no lack of these on display. There were plenty of opportunities to try out some of the newest styles on the market. I saw many trainers available with highly cushioned soles, which due to the advances and cost in the foam used in manufacturing, I think we will be seeing a lot more companies making this style of shoe in the future.
Everything you could ever want or need for running was being shown. There were plenty of sports bras, socks, clothing, insoles, recovery products, and an abundance of protein and energy based bars and snacks. As well as coffee with added protein which was so tasty and one of my favorite things I sampled, a savory, tomato and red pepper flavoured energy drink. Made by Voom Nutrition. I was pleasantly surprised that it was fresh and delicious, definitely a departure from the regular flavours you might expect.
There were also plenty of opportunities to grab some deals with many products at the show heavily discounted, so if you are looking to make savings, this is the place to visit. I enjoyed stopping at the Pressio stand and opted to treat myself to a couple of new items. There were also chances to win products and get your hands on a host of freebies throughout the day. Vita Coco had a spinning wheel game, full of prizes and at the Running Channel booth I tried my luck at a teddy grabber machine. I was disappointed with my accuracy though, as my claw descended into a sea of polystyrene, towards the socks I had my eye on, only for it to return to its starting position with no prize, bummer! Continuing with the theme of arcade style games, over at the Carmex booth I played a fruit machine by touching the giant lips on the screen, with hopes of winning a bright yellow beanie or running vest.
Overall It was a great afternoon, I had a fantastic time. If you hope to see the whole show floor and take advantage of all the talks, events and activities available, I would highly recommend enjoying the show by attending both days with a weekend ticket. I look forward to next year's show.
https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/
https://www.voomnutrition.co.uk/
https://www.spiderrunners.com/
