World Treadmill Championship: Where amateurs compete against the elite
The World Treadmill Championship, or 'Run X', has launched as a global virtual competition that allows amateur runners to compete against elite athletes for a $100,000 prize pool. The event aims to legitimize treadmill running as a competitive sport, with finals scheduled to take place in Italy.
Why it matters
This represents a shift in how fitness technology and virtual platforms are being used to democratize professional sports and create new competitive categories.
Figure caption, Treadmill World Championship - what are they and how to compete?
For decades, treadmill running has been viewed as little more than a training tool for outdoor runners.
But that could be about to change, with the launch of the World Treadmill Championship.
In this new World Athletics-sanctioned competition, runners around the world log 5km on a treadmill and compete for a prize pool of $100,000 and the title of world champion.
Known as Run X, it pitches everyday runners against elite athletes.
BBC Sport was invited along to a qualification event at a gym in Southampton to observe runners logging their times on the global virtual leaderboard.
Image source, Run X Image caption, The finals for the first ever Treadmill World Championship will take place in Italy in March
Among them is British marathon runner Charlotte Purdue.
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