Running has a new world championship — and the course is a treadmill. World Athletics and Technogym have launched Run X, the first-ever World Treadmill Championships, a global 5K race where anyone can compete for a share of a $100,000 prize pool and wildcard entries to the 2027 World Athletics Road Running Championships.
Treadmill Running (Credits: BBC Sport)
World Treadmill Championship: How to Compete in Run X
The format is deliberately simple. From October 23, 2026 to January 24, 2027, runners log a certified 5 km trial on a connected Technogym treadmill at an official Run X centre — entry is free, and results are automatically certified through the Technogym Digital Ecosystem and posted to a live global leaderboard.
The top 25% of runners in each age category (from 18 up to 75-plus) advance to the Regional Phase (January 30 – February 28, 2027). From there, the top 10 men and top 10 women in each category earn invitations to the World Final on March 20–21, 2027 at the Technogym Village in Cesena, Italy, where they will compete head-to-head for the first world titles in treadmill running.
$100,000 Prize Pool and Wildcards to Yangzhou
Winners get far more than bragging rights. Beyond the $100,000 prize pool, World Athletics will award wildcard entries to the overall male and female winners’ Member Federations for the 5 km race at the 2027 World Road Running Championships in Yangzhou, China — taking place just one week after the Run X final.
World Athletics president Lord Coe backed the concept, calling it a “great opportunity” to bring a fresh audience into the sport. Global ambassadors and elite athletes Jimmy Gressier and Sara Hall will inspire runners along the way. Twenty countries are already taking part, and the long-term ambition is even bigger: organizers hope treadmill racing could join esports competition within five years.
The journey began on October 23. Step onto a treadmill, connect your run, and see how far you can go.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
