i-Race

i-Race

i-Race is the Indian Institute of Technology’s (IIT) iconic running race that is held simultaneously in cities across the globe. It is a unique race where runners race against themselves to compete with every other participant across the world. It is a really cool concept!

Why is that?

The uniqueness of i-Race is that the participants are compared with their own limitations, and the ones who come closest to their abilities are ranked higher. Thus, even if a runner finishes slower than other participants, he or she could be the eventual winner.

How is that achieved?

The i-Race organizers have developed a complex and sophisticated mathematical model. Using this model, the race computers adjust for changes in one's racing ability due to age, gender, race distance, height and weight. Thus, the runners' performances are compared against their calculated limits, and the winners are chosen from across the globe based on who comes closest to one’s ideal best.

Due to the unique model of i-Race, one can participate in it even in the city where there is no i-Race planned. So we look forward to hosting you in i-Race in the city of your liking.

The Rationale

We believe that in life, the real winners are those who beat themselves, not others. Also, as IIT engineers, we see technology as an enabler, as well as a leveler, for mankind. So with i-Race, we allow everyone to have the same chance of winning independent of one’s limitations of age, gender, etc. Finally, with i-Race, we flatten the world, remove the geographical boundaries and make the globe one big racetrack.

One world, one race: the human race!