Treadmills are usually associated with individual workouts at the gym. But in October 2026, runners will begin competing on treadmills for a world championship title. World Athletics and Technogym are launching an international 5K treadmill championship. The first stages will be held at fitness centers in different countries, with athletes’ times included in one global leaderboard. In this article, we explain how the new competition format works and who can take part.
What is RUN X
The RUN X World Treadmill Championship is the first 5K world championship held on treadmills. Its format connects local centers into a global competition.
Fitness clubs, universities, hotels, and corporate fitness facilities equipped with RUN X-compatible Technogym treadmills will be able to host the Qualifications and Regionals.
All races will follow the same rules, and the results will be combined into a global leaderboard. This will allow runners from different countries to compare their times even though they compete at different venues.
As the races will take place indoors, weather conditions, wind, and course elevation will not affect the results. All participants will compete under controlled conditions on treadmills connected to the same digital system.
Who Can Take Part
RUN X is open to professional athletes and recreational runners aged 18 and over. Men and women compete in separate rankings within each age group.
| RUN X Age Groups |
| 18–23 |
| 24–35 |
| 36–45 |
| 46–55 |
| 56–65 |
| 66–75 |
| Over 75 |
A participant’s age is determined as of December 31 in the championship year. After registration, every participant receives a personal RUN X ID and selects the Official Center for their Qualification run. Registration is free, although individual centers may charge an access fee.
Championship Format
RUN X consists of three stages.
1. Qualifications
Qualification races are scheduled for October 2026 through January 2027. Each participant can complete one official attempt per competition day.
If a runner competes on several days, only their best time is included in the leaderboard. Once the list of locations is published, runners can find their nearest Official Center in the “Find a Gym” section of the RUN X website.
2. Regionals
The top 25% of runners in each age and sex category advance to the Regionals, scheduled for January and February 2027.
A category is eligible only if at least four runners from the same country have recorded a valid 5K time in that age and sex category. Each runner has one official attempt at the Regional stage. Their time determines whether they qualify for the World Finals.
3. World Finals
The World Finals take place on March 20–21, 2027, at Technogym Village in Cesena, Italy. The event includes an overall competition and separate age-group races. Twenty athletes — 10 men and 10 women — qualify for the overall final.
The prize pool is USD 100,000 and is awarded to the top finishers in the overall competition. Prizes also include wild card entries for the 2027 World Athletics Road Running Championships.
Full qualification criteria and competition rules are available in the official RUN X rules.
How Results Are Recorded
The console of a Technogym Excite+ Run 300 treadmill. Photo: Technogym.
Each runner receives a personal RUN X ID after registering. Before the start, participants log in to their profile on the treadmill console and launch the race. Their result is automatically added to the global leaderboard once they complete the 5K distance.
Every official attempt is supervised by a trained RUN X Specialist, who checks the runner’s identity, confirms that the treadmill is operating properly, and monitors compliance with the rules. During the race, runners may not lean on the handrails, step onto the side platforms, or use outside assistance.
Qualification races can be completed on approved Technogym Excite Run, Artis Run, and Skillrun models. Only Technogym Skillrun treadmills are used for the Regionals and World Finals. This ensures consistent technical conditions for participants from different countries.
RUN X shows how technology opens up new possibilities for sport and creates competition formats unaffected by weather, wind, or course elevation. Connected equipment and a shared digital leaderboard allow runners in different countries to compete in the same championship at different venues.
On the IKS blog, we regularly share sports news and cover new competition formats and technologies. Follow the IKS competition calendar to learn about upcoming races in advance and choose events to enter.
