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What is a Catcher Car? This is how the Wings for Life World Run works
No finish line, no set distance – just a moving target. The Catcher Car chases runners down in the Wings for Life World Run, turning a global race into a unique athletic event.
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The Wings for Life World Run isn’t your typical race – there’s no fixed finish line waiting at the end. Instead, runners are chased down by a 'Catcher Car', a moving finish line that steadily tracks them down until it eventually brings their race to an end. Read on to find out exactly how that works.
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What's the idea behind Catcher Cars?
The Catcher Cars give everyone a 30-minute headstart
© Marc Conzelmann for Wings for Life World Run
At each of the Wings for Life World Run flagship races there will be Catcher Cars acting as moving finish lines. The race is over for a runner once the car overtakes them. To give the runners a chance of making inroads into the course before being passed, the cars at the various locations will set off 30 minutes after the athletes.
The drivers of each car will cruise the course until they have passed every runner in the race. By staging the World Run in this manner it means that everyone can take part and all runners will cross the finish line.
As Colin Jackson, Olympic medallist and International Sports Director at Wings for Life notes: "For some, the Catcher Car will be the most motivating part of the race; for others, it will be their biggest fear."
For some, the Catcher Car will be the most motivating part of the race; for others, it will be their biggest fear
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What speeds do the Catcher Cars travel at?
Catcher Cars start at 14kph and hit top speed four hours later
© Ondrej Kolacek for Wings for Life World Run
The starting speed of the cars is a steady 14kph and they trundle along at this pace for the first half an hour of their journey.
At exactly one hour into the race the vehicle shifts to 15kph and then adds another kilometre for each passing half hour.
At three hours, the car's speed takes a leap from 18kph up to 22kph and continues to speed up in four-kilometre increments until it reaches its top speed of 34kph at 4h 30m. It will maintain this pace until every runner has been passed.
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If the finish line is constantly on the move, how do I know my result?
Runners are passed at the 27.2km mark in Vienna
© Philip Platzer for Wings for Life World Run
The progress and final result of each runner is recorded by a timing tag hidden in their individual race number. The tag is activated when they cross the start line and is deactivated, and their final race distance measured, when they’re passed by the Catcher Car.
Runners are encouraged to set themselves a pre-race target with the Wings for Life Goal Calculator.
Get the lowdown on the Wings for Life World Run
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How do I sign up for the race?
Sign up for the Wings for Life World Run 2026: there's an event near you
© Sinisa Kanizaj for Wings for Life World Run
There’s still time to sign up to race and join the masses of runners worldwide who are committed to supporting Wings for Life on their mission is to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
Those wanting to take part on May 10, 2026 still have time to register for one of the runs, but the application deadline varies depending on where you want to run - find your nearest event here.
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