How the UTMB Index is calculated and weighted.
How is the UTMB Index calculated?
The UTMB Index is calculated from the weighted average of a runner’s best scores, up to the top 5 are taken into account. Runners must have at least one score from races completed in the past 24 months for their UTMB Index to be valid, if their UTMB Index is valid then all their results from the past 36months are used to calculate their UTMB Index.
- The best result is given the highest weight, and the weight progressively decreases for the subsequent four results.
- Newer results receive higher weight than older results.
How do you calculate the UTMB Index for a runner that doesn't have 5 results?
To allow the UTMB Index to be open to as many people as possible, as soon as a runner has completed one race, they will receive a UTMB Index. Their UTMB Index will be given a slight negative weighting compared to someone who has achieved 5 results. This gives an advantage to runners who have multiple performances, while allowing inclusion of runners with less than 5 results.
This is similar to other sports where you need to have several results to consolidate your performance level.
I had a very bad race with a slow time or didn't finish (DNF). Can you remove this score from my profile to prevent it from affecting my UTMB Index?
Your UTMB Index won't be affected by a slow race or a DNF! If a score from one race is much lower than your previous results, it won't be used in calculating the UTMB Index. We believe that significantly lower UTMBs should be disregarded since the UTMB Index is intended to measure speed. Technically, your UTMB Index is calculated using your best 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 results, comparing them to reward you with the highest score. This approach benefits runners with multiple results while not penalizing them for a single bad result.