Inaugural Running USA Member Village will connect runners with eight leading events and endurance organizations from across the country
(Sept. 29, 2026) — Running USA will bring its members directly to one of the world’s largest gatherings of runners this fall with the debut of the Running USA Member Village at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo, held in conjunction with the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
For the first time, the Running USA Member Village will provide attendees at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo with a dedicated destination to discover races, connect with event organizers and learn more about running experiences across the United States. Eight Running USA member organizations will be represented in the inaugural village.
“Running USA is where the running industry connects and the Member Village concept is going to deliver on that for these members during one of the biggest weekends in global running. We are grateful to Chicago Event Management for the collaboration on this pilot project and our members for activating,” said Shawn Sullivan, Executive Director of Running USA.
The Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will take place Thursday, October 8 through Saturday, October 10 at McCormick Place, North Building, Level 3 – Hall B1 in Chicago. The Abbott Health & Fitness Expo is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Running USA Member Village will be located at Booth 826.
The Running USA Member Village will showcase a diverse collection of destination races, historic events and endurance event organizations:
Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend
Held in Champaign, Urbana and Savoy, Illinois, the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is known for flat, fast courses, enthusiastic Midwestern community support and a memorable finish inside Gies Memorial Stadium. The weekend features multiple distances, including the Illinois Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and mile. More info: https://illinoismarathon.com/
FRESHJUNKIE Racing
Built by athletes for athletes, FRESHJUNKIE Racing produces endurance events throughout Louisiana and the Gulf South, combining professional event production with memorable local experiences. Its portfolio includes events such as The Louisiana Marathon, Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon, Northshore Half Marathon, Battleship 12K and numerous others across the region. More info: https://www.freshjunkieracing.com/
GO! St. Louis
GO! St. Louis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging healthy, active lifestyles through running events, community partnerships and youth programming. Its signature Greater St. Louis Marathon showcases the Gateway City through a race weekend featuring the marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and family events, and smaller community events are held throughout the year. More info: https://gostlouis.org/
Kentucky Derby Festival minimarathon & Marathon
The Kentucky Derby Festival brings the excitement of Louisville’s signature spring celebration to the running community through its Humana miniMarathon & Marathon and Festival 5K. Participants experience some of Louisville’s best-known neighborhoods and landmarks, with the miniMarathon and Marathon courses featuring a run through Churchill Downs as part of race weekend. More info: https://derbyfestivalmarathon.com/
Mercy Health Glass City Marathon
The Mercy Health Glass City Marathon brings runners to Toledo, Ohio, for a fast, flat and runner-friendly race weekend. The event will celebrate its historic 50th running in 2027 and includes a marathon, half marathon, relay, 5K, kids run and a variety of community activities. More info: https://glasscitymarathon.org/
Missoula Marathon
Set against the mountains, rivers and open skies of western Montana, the Missoula Marathon has grown into one of the country’s premier destination running weekends. Its point-to-point marathon course takes runners from the Montana countryside into a memorable downtown Missoula finish, while the full weekend offers marathon, half marathon and shorter-distance opportunities. More info: https://www.runwildmissoula.org/
Quad-City Times Bix 7
A summertime tradition in Davenport, Iowa, the Quad-City Times Bix 7 is a historic seven-mile road race famous for its challenging Brady Street Hill, enthusiastic crowds, live entertainment and long history of attracting elite athletes. The event celebrated its 52nd running in 2026 and anchors a full week of running and community activities in the Quad Cities. More info: https://bix7.com/bix7/
Ventures Endurance
Ventures Endurance produces community-focused endurance experiences across the country, with a portfolio that includes road races, marathons, half marathons and other participatory events. Its running properties include the Milwaukee Marathon, Fargo Marathon, Maine Coast Marathon, Santa Rosa Marathon, Rockfest Half Marathon & 5K and other destination events. More info: https://www.venturesendurance.com/
Attendees are encouraged to visit the Running USA Member Village throughout the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo to meet participating organizations, learn about upcoming events and discover new running destinations from across the country.
About Running USA
Running USA is a non-profit that serves as the leading trade organization for the running industry in North America and hosts the nation’s preeminent industry conference annually. Through education, research, best practices and data, Running USA is committed to supporting and facilitating growth, diversification and excitement in running communities everywhere. We promote networking and idea-sharing between event organizers, sponsors, vendors and athletes. Running USA is a member of a global alliance of organizations focused on the betterment of the global running community including the Running Industry Alliance and European Athletics. For more information, visit runningusa.org.