A record-breaking morning in a fine city
On Sunday 6 September, 8,047 runners set off through the centre of Norwich for Run Norwich 2026. If you spotted an #RN26 tee on the streets that morning, chances are it came off ESP presses, and we’ve been walking around with grins on our faces ever since.
If you were anywhere near the city centre, you’ll know this year was a big one. The sold-out race had the largest field in its history, and around 20,000 spectators lined a route that took in Norwich Castle, the Cathedral and Carrow Road before finishing outside City Hall. The rain threatened early on, thought better of it, and the sun turned up instead. Norwich City head-coach Philippe Clement got things under way as guest starter, the day after the Canaries’ win at Sheffield United.
Both course records went at the sharp end. Jonathan Escalante-Phillips of Cambridge & Coleridge AC broke the record he set in 2024, sneaking just under the 30 minute mark with 29:59. Daisy Glover of Framlingham Flyers won the women’s race on her Run Norwich debut in 33:26, setting another new course record.
The moments that really got us this year happened further back, though. The youngest runner in the junior race was seven and the oldest in the main race was 87. Two visually impaired runners and a wheelchair racer all completed the course. More than 1,000 Foundation Runners raised money for Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, the charity that organises the event, backed by strategic partner Norse Group. Over 600 volunteers kept everything moving. The Foundation’s chief executive, Ian Thornton OBE, called it “the people’s race”, and we can’t think of a better description.
Race day kit, printed in Norwich
ESP printed all of the Run Norwich 2026 race merch, along with the charity tees, the kids’ race tees, the volunteer tees and 9,000 snoods. That put our work on the start line, in the junior race, out on the course with the volunteers and on a lot of necks come winter.
The official race day tops came in two styles (as seen above). The t-shirts are a new unisex design with a more relaxed, everyday fit, a change Run Norwich made after listening to runners’ feedback. The vests keep the athletic cut of previous years, so they sit closer to the body for anyone who prefers a fitted race top.
Race tops rarely retire after race day. They turn up at parkrun, club sessions and soggy Sunday long runs for years afterwards, so the print has to go the distance too.
Two days at The Forum
For two days before the race, you’d have found us at the Expo in The Forum, customising tees for runners. Packing finished orders into boxes at the studio is satisfying enough. Handing a freshly customised tee back across the table, to the runner it’s for, is even better. It’s always a highlight to be face-to-face with the people wearing the kit you’re printing.
Golden Tickets and embroidered caps
Then there were the caps. The Golden Ticket is one of the best bits of Run Norwich weekend. This year, 11 mystery race packs hid a secret ticket, and each winner took home a prize bag stuffed with gifts from the event’s partners, including a custom embroidered cap we donated just for the occasion. We’d love to know where they end up – so shout if you have one!
Proud to play our part
ESP is proud to sponsor Run Norwich and support the work it makes possible, and everything we produced for the event was printed and embroidered ethically, in-house at ESP. Once event costs are covered, the money raised goes back into the Community Sports Foundation’s programmes, which use sport to support more than 56,000 people a year across Norfolk and Suffolk, from mental wellbeing sessions to inclusion programmes for people with disabilities.
Race weekend is only one side of life at our Norwich print studio. Day to day, we’re busy with custom screen printing and embroidery for brands, businesses and events of every size. That might be t-shirts and hoodies for a team, tote bags for a conference, or branded caps and water bottles for a fundraiser. Big runs or small ones, you can rely on ESP to make custom branded merchandise that people actually want to wear, carry and use.
Congratulations to every runner, volunteer and supporter who made Run Norwich 2026 what it was. See you same time next year!