WThis Saturday, it is going down in a way it has never quite gone down before. The first thing to expect is the unexpected... obviously. The second thing to expect is everything you'll read below. Dig in and we'll see you at the Storehouse.
The Global Running Community
BGP has 3,000 racers coming in from 21 countries and 45 states, representing hundreds of clubs and crews from around the world. Add on top of that 2,000 spectators in support. It's going to be a beautiful thing.
F1 Style Race Format
Here's how it works... There are 4 Men's/Nonbinary Open Races and 4 Women's Open Races to start the day. Each race is a 5K (5 laps) with roughly 300 athletes per. Finishers 1-50 in each race advance to the Super Finals and positions 51-100 advance to the B Finals (both 3Ks - 3 laps). What place you finish in the Open Race determines where you stand on the starting grid in the Finals. Win your Open Race, get slotted into the first row on the grid, so on and so forth. The game becomes a tight rope walk between getting a top position in your Open Race while being able to recover in time for the Finals.
Unparalleled Viewing Experience
One of the hallmarks of BGP is the indoor/outdoor race experience. The F1-style starting grid and finish line are situated within the Storehouse and feature the full sensory experience. This is the best place to lock down if you want to send chills down your spine while seeing the racers start and finish. Looking for something a little more breezy? Head outside to the 1K loop with twists and turns for you to see runners from all angles.
Super Finals Under the Lights
One big update from last year is we've moved the schedule back a bit to have the Super Finals at night under the lights. As the kids say... Absolute Cinema.
Full Festival Area
We've expanded the Festival Area this year with 7 total food trucks everything from Cousins Maine Lobster to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (accommodating all dietary restrictions), 2 full bars, and a couple surprises we're not going to spoil just yet. Tons of picnic table seating and shade to enjoy.
There's also a section for the kiddos rumored to have enough sidewalk chalk to cover all of Lower Manhattan.
BGP Sponsor Activations
The entire space will be packed with activations from BGP race sponsors. ASICS will be on site with demos of a never before seen shoe. Red Bull is of course back this year with multiple surprises, Cadence and The Feed will be handing out gels to keep everyone topped up on fuel, Wahoo will have KICKRUN treadmills for warmup and cooldown.
Rythm Health has created a full blown medical grade booth where you can test out their world's easiest blood test backed by some of the top athletes in the world.
Athletes will be able to snag a post-race massage from one of Bathhouse’s massage therapists, and Chirp will be at the ready with recovery tools to keep you fresh. If you really want to dial in your recovery, you can get the lowdown on Eight Sleep’s magical hot/cold mattresses and mattress covers.
The Official BGP '26 Afterparty w/ Special Guest
Directly following the Super Finals / Podium Celebration, we'll switch gears and get into the Official BGP Afterparty. We're revealing the special musical guest this Thursday on @banditgrandprix. Be on the lookout. Hint: They've been the soundtrack of our personal summers for quite some time and they're gonna have you dancing like a fool.
The Coveted Team Competition
In addition to the individual competition, the team competition is back and (way) bigger than last year with dozens of teams and hundreds of racers hitting the start line in hopes of taking home the new Team Competition Trophy. 6 scorers per team, 1 point per finish position, lowest score wins.
This year’s competition will feature huge rosters from local crews like Manhattan Track Club and Brooklyn Track Club, 2025 team champions Lostboys will be back to defend their title, and heavy representation from challengers like The Herd, Black Distance, and Portland Bureau of Runners. With an expanded field for 2026, anything can happen.
Also, not entirely sure what this is but found it in Ale's Figma and felt like it needed it's moment...
The BGP '26 Capsule
Last but not least, we’ll have the exclusive BGP '26 capsule at the Bandit merch table all day long (while supplies last). Check every piece out below and read about Ardith's inspiration here.
