In early December under the peaceful background of the majestic Riverwalk, one of San Antonio’s most renowned attractions, people from around the world will convene in the Alamo City for The Running Event 2025.
This is San Antonio’s first time hosting the event, as it has been held up the road in Austin, TX, for many years. But a couple of years ago, TRE was alerted that the Austin Convention Center was being renovated and the show would need to find a new location. That’s when Christina Henderson, TRE event director, went on the hunt to find the perfect location to host the event.
“I visited five cities in search of where we would bring TRE and San Antonio was actually our last stop,” Henderson recalls. “And I left San Antonio knowing it’s where we would bring the event.”
So that begs the question, why San Antonio?
An Investment in Running
One of the factors that made San Antonio so appealing as a destination for TRE was the investment the city has made over the years in the outdoor activity and running scene. Henderson believes the city has been intentional about creating a community and a space for movement and activity.
“San Antonio is becoming, and has become, a place for activity and movement and they’re inviting the community to be a part of that,” Henderson says. “By bringing TRE to San Antonio I hope that we inspire a community to start moving and running and walking and getting outside.”
Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who serves San Antonio’s District 1, says the city has put money in its outdoor infrastructure, including its Greenway trail system that allows people to run in shaded areas on gravel rocks, making it easier on the knees.
The city also has plans to redevelop the downtown area, which is where the Henry B. González Convention Center will host TRE December 2-4
The city’s commitment to building a sustainable and innovative outdoor community makes it a conducive environment and destination for running and outdoor retailers.
“We’re doing a lot to build outside infrastructure and so it’s helping the community grow,” Kaur points out. “And the community truly advocates for these things together. When they advocate for this infrastructure improvement together, they build a larger group that’s more collaborative and supportive of each other, rather than competitive.”
Home Game for iRunTexas
One of the local businesses that captures the heart of San Antonio and what makes the city unique is iRun Texas. The run specialty establishment is San Antonio’s only locally owned running store and has been in business for over 15 years. The store has four locations, with the most recent location opened up last January in Downtown San Antonio.
Garrett Sage, who took over ownership of iRun Texas after founders Mitch and Michele Allen, believes the company’s impact on the community goes beyond shoe fitting services.
“We provide a service that people appreciate and people need,” Sage says. “Our races have given back as we have beneficiaries for most of our races. That is a piece that’s kind of given back to the community, whether it is through charity partners or through just experience.”
iRun Texas hosts and times several races in the area through its race production Split Second Productions. They use the donations that come from the race production company to support non-profits, such as Street2Feet, Transplants for Children and Girls on the Run Bexar County.
The retailer recently held a fundraiser 5K to support those in the Texas Hill Country that were impacted by the July 4th floods, raising nearly $20k to donate to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
“iRun Texas has become a hub for running, more than it’s ever been,” Sage says. “Hopefully we have added to a sense of community around running.”
The Thriving Run Club Scene
The spirit of comradery and not competition encapsulates the heart of the San Antonio run community. Kristen Levere, the social media director for the San Antonio RoadRunners run club, which has been around since 1973, has noticed that there’s a sense of unity and not division when it comes to the run groups in the city.
“The collaboration is awesome,” Levere says. “To have everybody be together in the running community, meet new people and have that cross collaboration has been something, especially in the last year, that has really flourished”.
Why the collaboration between the many run groups in the city? Santino Corrales, a lifelong San Antonio native and leader of the San Antonio’s Downtown Run Group, believes it’s due to the loving and welcoming culture that is ingrained in the city.
“There’s just so many people in different walks of life, faces, different paces, ages and even people in their 60s, 70s, getting their running journey started,” Corrales points out. “It’s a great blend of everybody and it’s awesome to see all the run groups actually come together.
The Excitement for TRE25
The excitement is at an all-time high ahead of TRE and Henderson believes this year’s event will be the biggest in the almost-20-year history of the industry’s largest trade show. But more than that, she’s excited for the countless opportunities of fellowship, community and new beginnings that San Antonio will provide in its inaugural event in the city.
“There is so much power in all coming together and we get to come together in this special place in San Antonio to build new traditions, support one another and drive innovation.” Henderson says. “The Running Event is special no matter where it is, but San Antonio is going to make it especially great.”
