National Running Show Marks 10th Year with Susie Chan

Susie Chan reflects on a decade of snowy starts, sold-out crowds and backstage laughter with the National Running Show

Susie Chan is marking 10 years with the National Running Show, and the Peloton Tread instructor says the event has only grown bigger since her first appearance in 2018. Chan has hosted the annual Birmingham gathering since its debut, watching it expand from a snowy opening day into one of the UK running community’s biggest annual meetups.

Chan shared her reflections as part of the National Running Show’s Miles and Milestones series, a set of Q&A profiles marking the event’s 10-year run. She was invited to present the very first show after years of race commentating and an active presence talking running on social media.

From a Snowy First Year to Sold-Out Crowds at the National Running Show

Chan says the biggest change she has watched unfold is simple scale. Each year has brought more attendees and more brands to the floor, even through the disruption of the pandemic. “That first year in 2018 it was snowing, and I remember thinking ‘will people come?’ Then the queue outside was huge,” Chan said, recalling the moment she and the show’s CEO checked the doors before opening.

That early uncertainty gave way to consistent growth. Chan points to the National Running Show’s rebound after Covid as proof that interest in running keeps climbing year over year, a trend that mirrors what Chan has seen among her own Peloton Tread community over the same stretch.

Backstage Laughs and Standout Guests

Chan has co-hosted the show’s stage programming alongside Iwan for the past several years, and she describes a dynamic familiar to anyone who has watched the two present together. Iwan stays polished on stage, she said, but turns into “a giant child backstage,” with the pair frequently cracking up over an inside joke moments before walking back out to the crowd.

The guest lineup is what stands out most for Chan personally. She has interviewed multiple Olympians and everyday runners sharing stories of grit and life change, and she says those conversations are still capable of stopping her in her tracks after a decade on the National Running Show stage.

What Keeps the National Running Show Community Coming Back

Asked what makes the National Running Show different from a typical expo, Chan pointed to something harder to package than a vendor list. “I think it is the community. This show brings everyone to it,” she said, describing the atmosphere as more of a feeling than anything tangible.

Chan said she leaves every edition of the National Running Show inspired and newly hyped about running, pointing to the informal after-hours meetup that forms once the doors close as one of the best parts of the weekend. Attendees and speakers alike use it as a chance to reconnect, she said, calling it a natural extension of the community the show has built over 10 years.

What Keeps the National Running Show Community Coming Back

Asked what makes the National Running Show different from a typical expo, Chan pointed to something harder to package than a vendor list. “I think it is the community. This show brings everyone to it,” she said, describing the atmosphere as more of a feeling than anything tangible.

Chan said she leaves every edition of the National Running Show inspired and newly hyped about running, pointing to the informal after-hours meetup that forms once the doors close as one of the best parts of the weekend. Attendees and speakers alike use it as a chance to reconnect, she said, calling it a natural extension of the community the show has built over 10 years.

With the National Running Show’s 10-year celebration set for January 30 and 31, 2027, at Birmingham’s NEC, Chan’s decade-long run as host puts her among the few constants across the event’s entire history, a run that began with a snowy queue and has since become an annual fixture for the UK running community.

Readers looking to join the celebration in person can find tickets for the National Running Show’s 10-year event now on sale, with code 10YEAR available for a discount at checkout.

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