DEKA, the fitness racing brand founded by the team behind Spartan, has announced the launch of ‘Gym vs Gym’. This new worldwide competition will see affiliate gyms across the globe race the exact same DEKA MILE format over one synchronised weekend, creating an international competition designed for fitness communities.
Taking place from October 2–4, 2026, every participating affiliate gym will host the DEKA MILE course. Gym members will compete on their home turf, with their times contributing towards their gym’s overall position on an international leaderboard.
Rather than rewarding a single elite performance, the competition measures collective performance per gym. Results will be calculated using the average DEKA Marks recorded across Age Group and Team categories.
The launch follows a period of growth for the DEKA brand, with events now hosted in 41 cities across 12 countries. Gym vs Gym allows athletes to compete on an international stage without leaving their local gym. The single leaderboard will track performances by gym, country, region, and individual.
The competition format centres on the DEKA MILE, which is a 1 mile functional fitness race combining ten standardised fitness zones with 160m running intervals. Athletes tackle movements such as rowing, SkiErg, weighted lunges, farmer’s carries, tank push and pull, wall overs, burpees, and box step-overs.
Affiliate gyms can run heats across all three days of the competition weekend. Individual age-group athletes and two-person teams can both contribute to their gym’s overall standing, and non-members are also encouraged to race.
Gyms meeting a minimum participation threshold will compete for two global titles: Fastest Gym and Highest Participation, with winners receiving the ‘Golden RAM Trophy’. Every athlete will receive an official DEKA Mark, a finisher medal, and a t-shirt.
Emily leRoux, Vice President at DEKA International, said “Great gyms aren’t built around one exceptional athlete – they’re built around communities. Gym vs Gym celebrates exactly that.
“It’s an opportunity for coaches, members and local communities to work towards one shared goal while seeing how they compare with gyms around the world. We wanted to create something that every affiliate could be proud to host, whether they’re introducing someone to fitness for the first time or supporting experienced racers.”
Yancy Culp, Co-Creator and Senior Director of DEKA, said “This isn’t about replacing existing competitions. It’s about giving gyms something they can own together. The energy that comes from an entire community training towards one weekend, welcoming new faces through the doors and representing their gym on a global stage is incredibly powerful. That’s what community fitness should look like.”
Affiliate gyms have until July 17, 2026, to officially register for the Gym vs Gym World Challenge.
