What Is Sky Running?

I can remember the first time I saw trail running videos of people running along rocky ridgelines. That looked way too scary to just be normal trail running and I was right. I was looking at an aspect of sky running.

Skyrunning, also known as mountain running, is a physically demanding form of trail running at an altitude above 6600ft (2000m) and involves rock scrambling on slopes steeper than 30%. The most famous sky runner is Killian Jornet who has set record times up many mountains around the world.

Let’s look at how sky running evolved to what it is today and how you can get into this exciting sport.

What Is Sky Running?

Sky running or skyrunning, also known as mountain running or running at altitude, is a physically demanding sport wherein the runners cover ground that is above 6,600 feet or 2,000 meters. It involves climbing difficulty not exceeding II grade on the UIAA scale and must have an incline of 30% or more.

Those runners or athletes training and competing in this kind of sport are called sky runners. In some races, running paraphernalia is utilized to aid in the progression of the sky runners and the competition itself. This equipment includes technical gloves, crampons, poles, hands, and other forms of assistive equipment.

International Skyrunning Federation

The governing body of the skyrunning sport is the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) which was founded back in 2008. The ISF was established with the goal to develop, uphold, direct, conduct, and regulate skyrunning and other related sports and activities.

Moreover, the ISF creates and sustains networks, linkages, and harmonious relations among its officials, members, and athletes. It is a non-profit non-governmental association with international interest and a legal personality based on the Swiss Civil Code. The seat of the ISF is located in Switzerland.

A Brief History About Skyrunning

Italian mountaineer Marino Giacometti conceptualized skyrunning together with his fellow climbers and they began to spearhead skyrunning races back in the early 1990s. Those early races were held at Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc.

In 1993, the sportswear company Fila supported the sport and this took skyrunning to newer heights when races began to reach Mexican volcanoes, Mount Kenya, Himalayas, and the Alps. In 1995, Marino Giacometti founded the Federation for Sport at Altitude (FSA) in order to further develop and govern this ever-growing sport.

Then in 2008, the FSA gave birth to the International Skyrunning Federation (IFS), which is the current governing body of skyrunning and other related sports and activities.

The Disciplines Of Skyrunning

There are three main disciplines of skyrunning. Here are its details on distance, vertical climb, and more information:

• Sky – distance covered is 20 to 49 kilometers and the minimum vertical climb is 1,200 meters.
• Ultra-distance covered is 50 to 99 kilometers and the minimum vertical climb is 3,000 meters. The finishing time is under 16 hours.
• Vertical – distance covered is a maximum of five kilometers and the minimum vertical climb is 1,000 meters. The minimum average incline should be 20% and 5% of total distance should be above 33%.

Skyrunning Competitions

Skyrunning or mountain running competitions happen all over the world because of their growing popularity among many athletes and sports enthusiasts. At present, there are around 200 official competitions being held in 26 countries. Every year, over 50,000 sky runners and athletes who represent 65 countries participate in these official races.

The events and competitions being regulated and facilitated by the ISF are the Skyrunner National Series, Skyrunner World Series, Continental Championships, Youth Skyrunning World Championships, World Championships, and Vertical World Circuit. Most of these races are being conducted annually, but some are held twice a year or depending upon the target schedule.