President’s Letter - Strategic Goals Overview

That’s what the Running Industry Association will focus on as we roll into key sales months in 2026. Run specialty has always been at its best when retailers, brands, and partners stay close to each other and tackle challenges as a community. The RIA’s job is to make sure that space exists.

So our goal is straightforward: keep the RIA at the center of the running industry as the place where connection, collaboration, and leadership come together.

In keeping with that goal, we’re focused on four priorities: Growing Retail Membership, Deepening Engagement, Delivering Tangible Value, and Building a Stronger Organization.

Growing Retail Membership

Run specialty retailers are the heart of this industry. The stronger and more representative our retail membership is, the stronger the entire association becomes.

In 2026, we’ll continue working to bring more stores into the RIA community. More retailers at the table means stronger conversations, better shared insights, and a clearer voice for the channel as a whole.

Deepening Engagement Across the Membership

Joining the RIA is just the starting point. What really matters is how members engage with each other.

We want to keep creating opportunities for that to happen—through RIA Huddles, the Summit, data initiatives, and other programs where retailers and brands can share ideas, talk through challenges, and learn from each other. The more connected the community becomes, the more valuable those conversations are for everyone involved.

Delivering Clear, Tangible Value

Membership has to deliver real benefits. That’s something we think about constantly.

Whether it’s better industry insights, cost saving discounts, opportunities to connect with brand leaders, or huddle programming that helps retailers run stronger businesses, the goal is simple: make sure members feel the value of the RIA in practical ways.

Building a Stronger Organization

As the RIA grows, we’re also focused on strengthening how the organization operates behind the scenes.

That means continuing to refine our structure, clarify roles, and build processes that help the RIA stay focused and accountable to our members. A stronger foundation allows us to do more—and do it better—for the community we serve.

The running industry continues to evolve, but one thing hasn’t changed: when this community comes together, good things happen. The RIA exists to help make those connections possible and we’re excited about the role we will play in helping run specialty move forward in 2026 and beyond.  Thanks for your support as we work toward those goals. 

• Eric Contreras, RIA President

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