In a world where technology and sport are increasingly intertwined, Technogym and World Athletics have taken an innovative step with the launch of RUN X, the first World Treadmill Championship. This virtual event will connect professional and amateur athletes in fitness and sports centers worldwide, redefining the concept of global competition and bringing elite athletics closer to everyone, regardless of geographic location.
The announcement was made in Milan with the presence of Nerio Alessandri, founder and CEO of Technogym; Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics; and 10,000 m world champion Jimmy Gressier. The 5 km competition will allow participants to experience the thrill of a world championship from the comfort of fitness centers, promoting regular physical activity and global interaction through technology.
A global indoor running experience
RUN X arises from the shared vision of Technogym and World Athletics to leverage the universal popularity of running and bring it indoors with full safety and comfort. Technogym, with over 40 years of leadership in treadmill innovation and presence in more than 50,000 fitness centers across 120 countries, provides its connected digital ecosystem to ensure 5 km results are accurate and certified. Additionally, the company’s social campaign, Let’s Move for a Better World, reflects its commitment to an active and sustainable lifestyle globally.
From the first quarter of 2026, clubs will be able to join the RUN X network, and runners will be able to register from the second quarter, with the final scheduled for late 2026 at an iconic location. Participants will compete in real time via online leaderboards, and the top runners from each country will advance to the regional championships and then the world final, with a total prize of $100,000 and the chance to receive invitations to events in the World Athletics Road Race Series.
Innovation, technology, and a global community
Sebastian Coe highlighted that RUN X will create a virtual competition space capable of uniting amateur and professional runners, generating entertainment, motivation, and a global running community. Meanwhile, Nerio Alessandri emphasized that this collaboration will involve millions of people in regular physical activity, connecting affiliated fitness centers through Technogym’s exclusive ecosystem, which will drive the competition.
With RUN X, athletics takes a leap into the future, where technology not only measures performance but also connects people from different cultures and continents in a shared experience of sport, competition, and passion for running, taking the race to a whole new level.
