How the UTMB Index Score is calculated for each 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 year’s 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 identify this in the results.
- Our database and scoring system continuously improve as we gather more race data.
Does the overall position in the race affect the score?
The UTMB Index 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 in first place or 10th place your score does not change.
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 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.
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.