The inaugural RUN X™ World Treadmill Championship will get underway on 23 October, with 400 fitness centres across 20 countries set to host the qualification phase of the new global running competition.
Developed by Technogym and World Athletics, RUN X™ is a 5km competition that allows runners of all levels to compete on connected treadmills, compare their performances with participants around the world and potentially qualify for a world final.
From 23 October, runners will be able to complete their 5km challenge at an official RUN X™ centre, with results certified through treadmills connected to the Technogym Digital Ecosystem. Participants will be able to follow their progress through an online leaderboard, comparing their performances with other runners locally and globally.
Five Global Run X Days, designated worldwide qualification days, will be held during the qualification period, on 24 October, 14 November and 12 December 2026, followed by 16 and 23 January 2027. Affiliated centres will also be able to organise additional local running days.
Runners can find their nearest participating centre and further information on how to take part at runx.org.
Qualified runners from each country will progress to the regional phase, taking place from 30 January to 28 February 2027, before the competition culminates in a world final at Technogym Village in Cesena, Italy, on 20-21 March 2027.
The leading men and women, both overall and by age group, will compete for the first world treadmill champion titles, with a total prize pool of US$100,000 on offer.
World Athletics will also award wild card entries to the respective Member Federations of the male and female champion, giving them the opportunity to compete in the 5km race at the 2027 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Yangzhou, China, the weekend after the RUN X™ final.
World 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier and US distance runner Sara Hall are ambassadors for RUN X™, helping to promote the competition and encourage participation among runners of all abilities.
The championship has been developed to bring running communities together through a format that combines competitive racing with connected technology, making it possible for elite athletes, recreational runners and newcomers to take part in the same global challenge.
