Technogym and World Athletics have joined forces to create RUN X, the world’s first official treadmill championship. The 5km global competition will connect runners worldwide through Technogym’s digital ecosystem starting in 2026. Participants will compete via real-time leaderboards, advancing from local to world finals for a share of the $100,000 purse.
The event was presented on Oct. 27 in Milan in the presence of Technogym founder and CEO Nerio Alessandri, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier.
The competition will make running accessible indoors – in fitness and sport centers – with no time or weather constraints. Starting from the first quarter of 2026, fitness and wellness clubs from all over the world will be able to affiliate and join the network hosting the first World Treadmill Championship. Starting from the second quarter of the year, runners will be able to register for the competition, which is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. Members will have a chance to compete against professional athletes, appearng on an online leaderboard that displays real-time rankings from participants around the globe.
Results will be certified through treadmills connected to the Technogym Digital Ecosystem. The top-ranked participants in each country, sorted by age group, will then advance to regional championships to qualify for the world final. At the end of 2026, the world’s top ten male and top ten female runners will compete in the final at an iconic location to achieve the first treadmill world title. RUN X will feature a $100,000 purse. In addition, World Athletics will grant wild cards for some of its World Athletics Series events, such as the World Road Running Championships.
Headquartered in Cesena, Italy, Technogym was founded in 1983 by Nerio Alessandri, who designed his first fitness machine at the age of 22 in his garage. Four decades later, the company operates in more than 50,000 fitness, wellness and sports centers in 120 countries. Its integrated digital ecosystem connects users to personalized training through Technogym equipment and mobile platforms.
In 2024, Technogym achieved double-digit growth in both its B2B and B2C segments, with revenue increases reported in all major regions. The company closed the fiscal year with €901 million in consolidated revenues, up 11.5 percent year-over-year.
See also: Technogym and World Athletics present RUN X™, the first World Treadmill Championship
