This week, thousands of people will flock to Austin, Texas, for The Running Event—a trade show centered around the running industry. Many of the major players in the sport will be there, from shoe companies to apparel outfitters to nutrition brands, each showing off their latest products and learning about industry trends.
Or as Tommie Runz puts it: The Running Event is where all the cool kids go.
If you can’t make it to the expo floor, don’t worry. For the first time, The Running Event (TRE) will be broadcasting a live stream on its YouTube channel and website so the masses can catch all the action. The show will be hosted by Tommie Runz and Gary Koutsoubos—of PR Project—and they’ll be talking to some of the biggest names in running on Wednesday and Thursday.
Tommie Runz (full name Thomas Bailey) says the stream is designed to bring the trade show to the public, beyond the one-off social media posts. He and Koutsoubos will chat with guests in 15-minute increments on a set inspired by ESPN’s flagship Saturday morning football show: College GameDay.
But this is more than just advertising what the brands have coming up, Tommie says. He and Koutsoubos want to help consumers put a face to brands and learn about them on a deeper level. “How often do you get to hear Hoka or Nike talk?”
Tommie says in previous years, many shoe brands have “lifted embargos” (i.e. publicly announced their product) after TRE. But this year, he expects many to go public throughout the event.
While the live stream is uncharted territory, Tommie believes it represents an important step in the running industry. He says BIPOC people like himself and Koutsoubos aren’t routinely centered at events like this. When he first attended the TRE in 2021, he admits he felt slightly out-of-place as a black man.
The live stream, however, is a chance to show the industry that BIPOC people are not only welcome in running, but they have bonafide influence.
“I do hope that when we leave there that we’ve made an impact and a dent on representation in a way that’s not to just diversify what an Instagram post or an ad looks like,” he says. “We want to build things that are us and that we feel are valuable, not just checking a box, but a valuable addition to the running community and the Black and Brown community.”
Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
