Trail Running | OutdoorXpo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trail Running | OutdoorXpo

Where Every Trail Begins

Put your brand at the centre of the UK's trail running community.

View the Floorplan

Our trail running visitor profile

62%
Regular trail runners
 
54%
Planning a trail race this year
 
41%
Purchase gear at the show
 

A dedicated space for trail running brands to connect and convert

The Trail Running area is designed to give brands a clear route to engage with an active, purchasing outdoor audience. This is where trail running brands can:

  • Showcase products within a relevant, activity-led environment
  • Demonstrate performance in real-world scenarios
  • Connect directly with consumers planning and investing in their next race or adventure
  • Position themselves alongside leading retailers, partners and credible voices in the category

Visitors arrive with intent. They are researching kit, comparing options and looking for trusted recommendations. By bringing retail, content and live environments together in one place, the trail running area allows brands to move beyond display and into meaningful engagement.

The result is a more focused and effective setting, where product discovery, understanding and purchase happen together.

A dedicated Trail Running zone within the UK's largest outdoor consumer show - NEC Birmingham, March 2027.
What's in the Zone

Everything under one roof

The Trail Running area brings together product, expertise and real-world application - alongside retailers, content and live environments visitors can explore in a dedicated setting.

Footwear & apparel

Visitors can try on trail-specific footwear on a dedicated indoor test terrain, with leading brands including Salomon, Inov-8, Hoka and Altra on hand with expert fitting services.

Expert talks & coaching

A packed programme of sessions from elite athletes, coaches and physiologists covering race preparation, nutrition, injury prevention and technique for technical terrain.

Route & Race discovery

Visitors explore Britain's best trail routes and race series, with National Park representatives, race organisers and route specialists guiding their next adventure.

Navigation & skills

Hands-on workshops covering map reading, GPS use, and off-road safety - ideal for runners progressing to longer, more technical routes in the mountains and fells.

Nutrition & fuelling

Sport nutrition brands showcase trail-specific gels, bars, hydration systems and recovery products with live demos and advice tailored to distance and intensity.

Community & events

Running clubs, race series and local trail groups connect with visitors. Discover upcoming events and enter your next challenge on the spot - the community buzz is real.

Visitor insights

Who you'll reach

Our Trail Running visitors are active, passionate, and ready to invest. Here's what our visitor survey tells us about the audience you'll be speaking to.

62%
of visitors are regular trail runners, arriving with clear purchase intent
54%
are planning a trail race or event this year - active consumers with immediate kit needs
£450+
average annual visitor spend on trail running gear, events and services
41%
make purchases at the show - not just browsing; these visitors come ready to buy
Participation & intent profile
Regular trail runners
 
62%
Planning a trail race this year
 
54%
Purchase gear at shows
 
41%
Occasional trail runners
 
23%
Aspiring to run more trails
 
13%
🎯 Visitors actively come to research and purchase gear. This is not a passive audience. Visitors arrive having already decided to invest - they are comparing products, seeking expert advice, and ready to buy.
📣 3 in 4 visitors discover a new brand at the show. Post-show surveys consistently show visitors finding brands they hadn't previously considered - a direct opportunity for new and returning exhibitors alike.
🔁 91% would recommend an exhibiting brand to fellow runners. Trail runners are community-driven. A strong show presence creates word-of-mouth that extends well beyond the weekend itself.
Exhibit in the Trail Running Section

Secure your stand in the UK's most visited outdoor consumer show.

Connect directly with tens of thousands of passionate trail runners, showcase your products in a hands-on environment, and grow your brand in front of the audience that matters most. Enquire today for full details on packages, stand sizes and pricing.

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exhibitor packages
for OutdoorXpo

Get in touch
The UK Trail Running Market

The bigger picture

For context, here's how the UK trail running and wider running sector sits within the broader outdoor market.

16M
people running regularly in the UK - the country's second most popular sport
England Athletics
39%
year-on-year increase in running participation across the UK in 2024
Running Industry Alliance
£2.5B+
annual value of the UK running market across footwear, apparel, events and services
UK Market Research, 2025
+42%
growth in trail race participation at 26-50 mile distances - longer events, bigger kit spend
Running Insight, 2025
5.5%
CAGR forecast for UK running footwear market through to 2030 - sustained growth ahead
Deep Market Insights
68%
of 16-27 year olds plan to run more in 2025 - Gen Z is driving the next wave
YouGov / England Athletics
23%
growth in the UK running event market in 2024 - races, ultras and trail events all booming
Let's Do This
53%
of 2024 event participants were first-timers - a constant pipeline of new consumers entering the market
Great Run / 2024