RUFA Standards

At Running Up For Air, we are striving to put on the most sustainable and responsible race we can. 

Gold Standard in Waste Reduction

Our races utilize composting and recycling and create minimal race waste. On average, our events produce:

  • 10 gallons of trash
  • 30 gallons of  recycling
  • 5 gallons of compost

Total trash produced at the 2023 Grandeur Event

Total compost from the 2023 Grandeur Event

Cupless racing at our 2023 Colorado RUFA Event

Cupless Events

All RUFA races are cupless events and have committed to using no styrofoam or plastic one-time use products. 

Shuttle system and carpooling

Our flagship event, Grandeur Peak in Salt Lake City, utilizes a shuttling system to transport runners to/from the event. When a shuttling system is not available, we incentivize our runners to carpool, take public transportation, or use human-powered transportation to get to the event.

Runners unload from the Electric Bus shuttle system utilized at the Grandeur event

Air Quality Monitoring

Through our partnership with Purple Air, we install air quality monitors at the base area and at the summit of each route. Runners have access to the AQI continuously in both locations on race day. This allows our runners to decide if they feel safe to run and/or if they want to mask for any portion of the race. 

No Single Race Use Supplies

All equipment needed for each race is reused year over year and/or at multiple race locations in a given year.

All Electric Power Supply

No gas generators are used at RUFA events.  All events are powered by electric batteries (in some cases, by electric vehicles, solar power or plugging in to the local power grid.

Have Another Suggestion? 

Have a suggestion to improve and raise our standards? We’d love to hear from you.  

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