Ultimate Running Championship – URC is the arena where you can explore how you master various arts of running, and how complete you are as a runner.
If you characterise yourself as a casual athlete or exerciser, test if you are able to complete all five stages with style at one specific URC location close to you. Challenge a friend or a foe while you are at it to add an extra level of excitement – and find out who can claim the The Ultimate Runner title.
If the pro-level devision is a better fit for you, URC is the place to challenge athletes from other branches of your sport – or even a different sport entirely. URC is an exciting new playground for endurance racing, that adds the virtual aspect to traditional competitions in an innovative way.
The concept seeks to attract an array of different endurance athletes, including track and field/road runners, sky runners, trail runners, triathletes, cross country skiers, cyclists and soccer players to name a few. We aim to offer one single arena where athletes can compare skills in the most natural form of human movement.
Congenital and acquired skills in many endurance sports translates well to running, especially if the conditions varies and are a bit unpredictable. URC is inspired by mixed martial arts, and specifically the Ultimate Fighting Championship with their famous quote “styles make fights”. We think the same concept belong in the world of running as well! Athletes with various backgrounds and strengths will bring their absolute best to the arena, and in the end, the strongest overall runner is crowned “The Ultimate Runner”.
Stages
We divide pure arts of running into five domains, and they each make out one stage in URC.
Street
Perfect for the typical road runner, or “Tracker” in URC terms, who is adapted to a fast pace on flat and hard surfaces. The street is 3 km long, predominantly on asphalt and as flat as possible. This stage is also suitable for the agile and efficient runner with a fair share of endurance.
Vertical
Up, up, up, for the most part on trails or gravel. Nowhere to hide or rest, the objective is to climb 200-300 vertical meters. Endurance is gold in the Vertical, but a fierce stamina with an ability to grind will also come in handy. The “Climber” is made for this task, along with the general cardio-king/queen possessing a high VO2 max.
Downhill
Steep down as fast as it goes. However, overestimate your abilities, and you might find yourself eating dirt. This stage is typically the same course as the Vertical, only in the opposite direction of course, so it should be somewhat familiar when diving into it. For the Downhill you need to be strong, flexible, agile and focused!
Sprint
Full power and speed ahead on flat asphalt, for approximately 400 meters. Every second counts! The Sprint is often located along the Street-course, but in the opposite direction. Blasting everyone else in the Sprint will earn you many points that could be nice to trade off during the more enduring stages.
Technical
Up, down and around on shifting conditions in forest or mountain terrain. The Trail is more or less 2 km long, and requires technique, capacity and a clever game plan. Plenty of time can be gained by achieving a nice flow along the Trial, and the “Rocker“ who is used to move around in rough terrain, will certainly thrive throughout this course.
URC Scoring Points and Running Skill Grading
The scoring system in URC rewards individual performances compared to the opponents, on each stage. Every second counts, and will redeem points that might come in handy throughout the stages. Participants are graded with colored jerseys based on their skill in each art of running, and ultimately earn from zero to five stars that depict their overall level as a runner. Hence, every participant can compare their running skills both horizontally and vertically, meaning that it is possible to level up against famous athletes as well as a next-door neighbor.