A score given to each runner for each race they complete, evaluating their performance in that specific race.
How is my UTMB Index Score calculated?
The UTMB Index Score is calculated using a statistical algorithm based on the runners finish time for that particular race course. The distance, positive elevation gain and negative elevation gain for that race are used to identify similar races in our database already completed by runners in this race. These races then form the basis of statistical calculation to determine a UTMB index score specific to this years edition of this race.
Is the race's technicality considered in the Score calculation?
Finish times in Trail Running are influenced by many different factors, including the technicality of the terrain, heat ,wind, rain, altitude, time of day etc.. Our experience shows that it is not possible to quantify the technicality of a race, so instead we have created a calculation method based on statistical analysis of the results and runners in that race based on our database of more than 5.2 million individual results.
The same level of technicality is applied equally to all runners in that race for each particular edition of each race.
This method has two major advantages:
- It allows us to consider any factor that can affect race time, if the conditions slow a race down then we can idenify this in the results.
- Our database and scoring system continuously improve as we gather more race data.
Does a race Score change over time?
No, the Score for a race remains constant for each edition of a race, allowing direct comparison of your race Scores across different time periods.The score can however change year to year for the same time at the same race, see more.
The distance and elevation that I have are different to those listed on your website?
There are often differences in the distance and elevation for a particular race depending on the type of device used to record the track and the GPS calculation method. The UTMB Index uses the distance and elevation solely as the starting point for the statistical analysis, therefore slight discrepancies in the listed distance and elevation compared to the official race site or your own recorded data do not impact the UTMB Index Score for a given race.
Why is there a difference between my Score for a race and the Score given to a different years edition of the same race?
It is normal for different years of the same race to have different scores attributed for the same time. Even if two different years races have the same track, there are other outside factors that can influence the UTMB index score such as heat, wind, aid stations, compulsory materials, track condition etc. Our statistical calculation method takes these different aspects into account indirectly by looking at the different finish times for all participants and assigns the Score accordingly.
Sometimes, the calculated score for a previous edition may be too high due to incorrect information, errors in the results or lack of recent results for these runners. In the spirit of fairness we don't want to penalise runners when we discover these errors, which could be days, weeks, or even months later. Therefore, the slightly high score will be maintained, and the next edition will be adjusted to the correct level. Our main goal is to enhance the accuracy of the UTMB Index to standardise different races worldwide. To achieve this, from time to time races will be adjusted in the current year to better align them with the actual race level. This ensures that certain races don't become easy high-scoring opportunities that don't reflect actual performances.
Does the overall position in the race affect the Score?
The Score is not influenced by the runner's position or ranking in the race, it is solely a measure of the speed of the runner, if you are first place or 10th place your Score does not change.
I saw a runner who ran on a similar course (distance + elevation) got a different Score to me. Why is that?
Our years of experience tell us that two races which may be advertised with the same distance and the same elevation profile, but in reality differ quite considerably. Our statistical correction coefficient makes allowance for these differences as well as many other technical aspects, it is for this reason that the UTMB Index was created.
Why is my Score listed as "To come"?
This means that the result has been entered into our database, but the score is still being calculated. The time it takes to update and calculate scores depends on the number of results to be processed. We strive to process the results as quickly as possible, but during the peak race season, it may take longer than usual due to the manual verification step in our calculation process.
Is a Score calculated for every race listed on you website?
- "Vertical KM" races
- Virtual Races
- Races where the total effort (distance km + (elevation profile/100)m) is less than 20 (e.g. 15km + 400m = 19km effort)
- Back-Yard Ultra or elimination style races
- Races with an insufficient number of finishers to establish a reliable score
- Races with result files that contain too many errors to determine which runners participated.