RIDC’s Powerful Impact at TRE 2025
If you were at The Running Event this year, you already know: the RIDC did not come to play!
We pulled up to TRE celebrating five years of pushing this industry forward. The energy was undeniable, the community showed up deep, and the impact was impossible to miss.
We brought 25 BIPOC retail employees and owners through our scholarship program, encouraged brands to bring their BIPOC teammates into the mix, delivered sessions that actually sparked real conversations, and launched the first-ever RIDC House, which turned into the place everyone wanted to be. We then wrapped it all up with the running industry’s party of the year at THE COOKOUT.
The vibes were high, the momentum was real, and our community made this TRE 2025 one for the books. Keep reading for the full recap and photos from an unforgettable week.
Education was a major part of our presence at TRE, and the RIDC showed up ready to spark real conversations about how intentional partnerships fuel community engagement and long-term loyalty. We led and joined a series of powerful sessions that brought athletes, brands, retailers, designers, and community leaders into the same room to talk about what it truly takes to build an industry that serves everyone.
Our DEEP DIVE: The Future of Run Specialty explored how representation and authentic relationships shape consumer trust. The Featured Session, Built to Perform, Styled to Inspire, highlighted how design and storytelling move culture forward. In the Training Camp Theater, we unpacked what it means to consistently show up for community in The Practice of Showing Up, and partnered with On for Creating Pathways: Women & Girls in Movement, a conversation focused on expanding access and opportunity. Together, these sessions helped the running industry rethink not just what it offers, but who it includes and how it connects.
Our Welcome to TRE Mixer kicked off the week with powerful connections. Board members, staff, and scholarship recipients from across the country came together to meet, reconnect, and gear up for an impactful week ahead. This national mix of voices and perspectives reflects how far the RIDC’s reach has grown and how deeply our work is resonating across the industry.
Huge thanks to our partners, TRE and On, for helping turn opportunity into action. Partnerships like these move our mission forward and ensure that more leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers are not only represented but actively shaping the future of the running industry.
Photo Credit: Henry Selis
In San Antonio, our 5th Annual CommUnity Run/Walk powered by Saucony became more than a run — it became a moment. Over 300 people laced up with us, turning a simple 2.5-mile route into a living, breathing reminder of what community looks like when we show up for one another.
Every corner brought another wave of connection: crews catching up, first-time participants finding their rhythm, and returning friends bringing the same love they’ve shared year after year. By the time we wrapped with snacks and conversation, it felt less like an event and more like a reunion.
Thank you to everyone who made this our most powerful CommUnity Run/Walk yet.
Photo Credit: Henry Selis
THE COOKOUT came through with the vibes, the flavor, and the energy as we celebrated five years of the RIDC. More than 900 RSVPs rolled in, making this the biggest COOKOUT we’ve ever hosted. All of it took place inside the first-ever RIDC House, which quickly turned into the place to be.
From the moment guests stepped inside, the energy was unmatched. People came ready to dance, eat, connect, and honor the culture and community that have carried the RIDC through five powerful years. Every corner of the RIDC House was alive with music, movement, and moments that reminded us why this work matters.
Huge love to our partners who helped bring THE COOKOUT to life: HOKA, ASICS, Altra, New Balance, Strava, Brooks, Superfeet, Feetures, Charlotte Running Co., Big Peach Running Co. and On.
Year five proved one thing. THE COOKOUT is more than a party. It’s the pulse of our community. And the RIDC is just getting started.
Photo Credit: Henry Selis
