And with that, the 2026 Runningman Festival comes to an end!

Kingston Downs in Rome, Georgia, hosted a three-day race festival this past weekend, where runners chose a distance between 5K and 50K and logged their laps on our epic one-mile loop. The race was the highlight, but only took up 8 hours total of a three-day weekend.

So what happened the rest of the time? Recovery, training, learning, and a good party or two. Here’s how the weekend played out, and why people think of Runningman as more of a wellness festival with a built-in race.

What Makes Runningman a Wellness Festival?

Most race weekends are on autopilot. Pin on your bib, run the race, collect a medal, and head back home. Runningman does things differently. Co-founder Devon Levesque calls it a reset: a place to test your limits and form real bonds with like-minded people.

You can visually see that thinking in action all across the festival grounds. Beyond the course, experience recovery zones, a gym, calm spaces to clear your head, a speaker series, and a massive brand expo.

And if it’s your first time hearing about this? Our guide on what to expect from a wellness event in the USA walks you through how it all works. Welcome to the family; you’re gonna love it here.

Recovery the Runningman Way: The World’s Largest Sauna

Almost Heaven’s Sauna Village stayed packed from day one right through to the final morning. Runningman presented the World’s Largest Sauna, a 2,500-plus square foot space with 12 traditional wood-burning stoves and its own DJ booth. 

Perfectly located right beside it, Fjord’s Cold Plunge Park lets you trade off heat for icy cold. Kala came in clutch with their red light therapy to complete the recovery lineup.

Hyrox and Hybrid Training: Our Community Gym

Plenty of people left off running altogether. Fair enough; everyone exercises differently, and the Community Gym kept going all weekend with Hyrox-style workouts, strength circuits and group classes. Hybrid athletes loved it, as did runners keen to mix things up. 

If you’ve never lifted, our piece on strength training for runners is written with beginners in mind.

A Second to Slow Down: The Zen Zone

When a break from the noise was needed, the Zen Zone was waiting. The schedule included guided meditation, yoga, and breathwork. Plenty of runners dropped in to calm the pre-race jitters, or wind down once they’d crossed the finish line.

Big Ideas, Big Brain: The Learning Lab

The Learning Lab, hosted by Front Pack Sports, brought together a lineup of panels on sleep, nutrition, longevity, and mindfulness. If you want to put those ideas into practice, we’ve gathered some of our top tips in the Healthy Lifestyle Habits That Actually Stick guide.

Brands to Love: The Expo and Better For You Bodega

At the Brand Expo, you could interact with the newest health and wellness brands, watch demos, and try a few samples. You also had a chance to chat to the people behind the brands.

Wellworthy ran a free grab-and-go shop called Better For You Bodega, where you could grab snacks, hydration drinks, and supplements from top brands. In short, you had what you needed for the weekend without ever leaving the grounds.

Dance, Dance: Main Stage and the After Party

Before race day, keynote speakers on the Main Stage talked about motivation and mindset. Main Stage was the central place to be after the race on Saturday, with live performances and plenty of dancing. WILDE Brands then threw the After Party to toast a truly great weekend.

Who Will Enjoy a Wellness Festival Like Runningman?

We can’t imagine anyone NOT loving Runningman (though we’re probably biased), but in short, it’s for anyone who wants to look after their health. A few guests took on the 50K. Others walked the 5K, hung out in the sauna all afternoon, and sat in on every Learning Lab panel. Even friends and partners who don’t self-identify as runners found plenty of activities to fill their days.

It’s also more affordable than you may think, since Runningman is HSA/FSA approved.

Join Us at the 2027 Wellness Festival

We want to start by extending a massive thank you to everyone who helped make Runningman 2026 one to remember. It wouldn’t be the same without our brand partners, sponsors, speakers, and behind-the-scenes crew, and of course the incredible attendees who came for the run, the recovery, and the reach.

Want to relive Runningman? Don’t worry, we already miss it, too. Browse our festival photo gallery to ease the nostalgia, then lock in your Runningman festival pass for 2027 before they’re gone.

Once next year is on your radar, start planning your camping and glamping at Kingston Downs.