Dynamic Race Pula 2026 brings together running and functional fitness at the NK Uljanik stadium
On 26 September 2026, Pula will host a new sporting competition that combines running, strength, endurance and the precise execution of functional exercises in a single format. The first edition of Dynamic Race Pula will take place at the NK Uljanik stadium, with the start of the competition announced for 9:30 a.m. According to the official event information, it is a hybrid fitness race intended for both recreational athletes and experienced competitors, with running sections alternating with predetermined workout stations. The organisers expect between 150 and 200 participants from different parts of Croatia, with the option of competing individually or as a pair. The event should place Pula on the increasingly prominent calendar of hybrid races, a sporting format that in recent years has attracted a growing number of people interested in combining aerobic endurance with functional strength.
The competition is organised by Dynamic - functional fitness Pula, and the project is led by coach Davor Kasumović. The gym's official website states that he completed a higher-level coaching programme at the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb, specialising in the conditioning preparation of athletes, and that he has eight years of competitive experience as well as several years of work with recreational athletes. From 2019 to 2022, Kasumović also worked as a conditioning coach and swimming coach at the Pula Swimming Club, while today he runs functional programmes and conditioning preparation for athletes through Dynamic. His work with young swimmers is also reflected in current sporting results: Istra24 states that Veronika Tanković completed her conditioning training under Kasumović's guidance, while Glas Istre reported that in July 2026 she won the national championship title in the 200-metre breaststroke in the younger junior women's category. The organisers emphasise that they want to transfer their experience of working with recreational athletes, competitors and young athletes into an event that will be demanding, but understandable and accessible to a broad range of participants.
Hybrid races require a balance between pace, strength and recovery
A hybrid competition differs from a traditional road race because the result does not depend solely on running speed. The competitor must repeatedly move from rhythmic movement into a task that places strain on different muscle groups and then return to running without a complete rest. Such a format requires the ability to manage energy, control technique while fatigued and assess one's own pace. Starting too quickly can make the later stations more difficult, while an excessively cautious approach can leave too much energy unused. This is precisely why hybrid races attract both runners who want to test their strength and functional fitness athletes who want to see how well they can maintain their work capacity over longer running sections.
The global popularity of this format can also be seen in the development of major international series. HYROX, one of the world's best-known fitness races, lists more than 100 events on its official website for 2026, and its standard format is based on alternating running with functional stations. Dynamic Race Pula is not a copy of that competition, but a locally designed event with its own rules, loads and schedule. What they share is the idea that a competitor must demonstrate several different abilities within a single race, rather than specialising in only one discipline. Such a concept allows spectators to follow changes in the standings at the stations, while giving competitors more room for different tactics. One person may build an advantage through running, another on the ergometer or while working with weights, but the final result depends on the overall performance.
Five functional stations and 800-metre running sections
The official Dynamic Race event information provides for 800-metre running sections between the functional stations. The organiser has announced which exercises will be performed, but not their final order. The exact sequence of stations and the complete technical format will be published later, meaning that competitors cannot base their preparation solely on memorising one sequence known in advance. They will have to develop a general ability to transition from running to loaded work and back again. The programme includes the farmer carry, RowErg, push press, burpee broad jump and goblet squat, five tasks that together test grip, core stability, leg and shoulder work, coordination and the ability to maintain intensity.
- Farmer carry is performed by walking with a weight in each hand. The task places strain on the grip, forearms, shoulder girdle and core, with an additional challenge arising when it is performed after running.
- RowErg involves rowing on an ergometer. The competitor must coordinate the work of the legs, core and arms and find a pace that will not consume too much energy before the next section.
- Push press involves pressing weights overhead with assistance from leg drive. Successful execution depends on transferring force from the lower body and maintaining a stable finishing position.
- Goblet squat is a squat performed with a weight held in front of the chest. In addition to leg strength, it requires core stability, controlled depth and a consistent repetition rhythm.
- Burpee broad jump combines a burpee with a standing long jump. Because of the repeated lowering to the ground, standing up and jumping, it usually raises the heart rate significantly and tests coordination under fatigue.
In the men's individual competition, the farmer carry covers 200 metres with two 24-kilogram weights, the RowErg 1,200 metres, the push press 50 repetitions with two 15-kilogram weights, the burpee broad jump 100 metres, and the goblet squat 50 repetitions with a 25-kilogram weight. In the women's individual competition, the programme provides for a 200-metre farmer carry with two 16-kilogram weights, 1,200 metres of rowing, 50 push press repetitions with two 7.5-kilogram weights, 100 metres of burpee broad jumps and 50 goblet squat repetitions with a 15-kilogram weight. The listed tasks have not been published in their actual order of execution. The organiser reserves the right to define the final sequence and technical details, while the standards for correct movement execution should be published before the competition. This will clarify for participants what constitutes a valid repetition, when a judge may require a movement to be repeated and under which circumstances a time penalty is imposed.
Single for an individual challenge, Doubles for a shared strategy
In the Single category, the competitor completes the entire course independently, runs all the running sections and performs the full number of repetitions or prescribed distance at each functional station. This is a format in which there is no possibility of sharing the workload, making it especially important to determine a sustainable pace from the beginning to the finish. According to the organiser's announcement, the individual competition will be divided into men's and women's age groups of up to 35 years, 36 to 44 years, 45 to 54 years, and 55 years and over. Such a division enables competitors to be compared with athletes of a similar age, although everyone completes the same basic race concept. A realistic assessment of fitness will be crucial for recreational athletes, while more experienced participants will probably try to gain seconds during transitions and through more consistent execution at the stations.
Doubles is intended for a pair who complete the running sections together, while the work at the functional stations can be divided according to an agreed strategy. The official event information states that the detailed method of switching between team members and dividing the work will be determined by the regulations. The men's pairs category includes 75 push press repetitions with two 15-kilogram weights, 1,200 metres of rowing, 100 metres of burpee broad jumps, 75 goblet squat repetitions with a 25-kilogram weight and a 300-metre farmer carry with two 24-kilogram weights. Women's pairs have a 300-metre farmer carry with two 16-kilogram weights, 75 goblet squat repetitions with 15 kilograms, 1,200 metres of rowing, 75 push press repetitions with two 7.5-kilogram weights and 100 metres of burpee broad jumps. According to the published event information, mixed pairs perform distances, repetitions and loads equal to those in the men's individual category.
There is no age restriction in the pairs competition, and men's, women's and mixed teams are permitted. Tactics will not be only a question of who is physically stronger, but also of how to distribute the work without long periods of standing or unnecessary switches. A pair in which one member is better on the ergometer and the other is more confident in squats and presses can adapt the task distribution to their respective strengths. At the same time, both members must finish the running sections together, meaning that a difference in running fitness can be just as important as strength at the stations. Doubles therefore offers a more accessible entry into hybrid competition, but it does not remove the need for preparation, communication and a clear plan.
Starts in smaller groups and electronic timing
Competitors are expected to start in groups of eight, with a new group setting off every ten minutes. The final start times and group schedule will be known after registration closes, so each participant will need to check their allocated time in good time and arrive prepared in the starting zone. This starting method reduces congestion at the functional stations and enables judges to exercise better control over the execution of tasks. At the same time, competitors will not necessarily run directly alongside all their main rivals in the category, meaning that the officially measured time will be more important than their position within the starting group. According to the event information, professional electronic timing will be used, the results should be available online in real time, and the official standings will be confirmed after the event has ended.
The rules stipulate that each participant competes at their own risk and, by registering, confirms that they are medically fit for a physically demanding competition. Competitors will have to follow the instructions of the judges and official staff, while incorrect execution, skipped repetitions or failure to follow instructions may result in a movement being repeated, a time penalty or disqualification. Since the detailed standards have not yet been published, the organisers will have to clearly define the criteria for each exercise before the race. This is particularly important for the squat, overhead press and burpee broad jump, where small deviations in depth, finishing position or movement method can affect the validity of a repetition. It is therefore useful for participants to train not only for speed, but also for technically correct repetitions that can be maintained under supervision and while fatigued.
Registration, entry fees and practical information for travelling to Pula
Registration is conducted through the Utrka.com platform, and the number of starting places is limited. Registration becomes valid after the form has been completed and the entry fee paid, while the organiser may close registration before the announced deadline if the permitted number of participants is reached. According to the event information available on 3 August 2026, the entry fee until 5 August is 42 euros for Single and 62 euros for Doubles. From 6 August to 6 September, the price rises to 46 euros for an individual entry and 72 euros for a pair, while from 7 to 20 September the fee is set at 50 euros for Single and 80 euros for Doubles. Starting packages will be collected during registration at the event itself, in accordance with the organiser's instructions.
In the official records of the Croatian Football Federation, the NK Uljanik stadium is listed as SRC Uljanik Veruda, at Ulica Velog Jože 3 in Pula. The location makes it possible to organise running laps and functional stations within a clearly visible sporting area, which is important for both competitors and spectators. Visitors travelling to Pula from other cities can check accommodation offers in Pula in advance, particularly if they wish to arrive the day before the morning start. Since the exact start times of the individual groups will be published only after registration closes, participants should follow the official announcements and plan to arrive with enough time for registration, package collection and warming up. For additional information, the organiser has published the email address dynamicracepula@gmail.com and the telephone number 098 254 912.
The first edition of Dynamic Race brings a format to Pula's sporting scene that is simultaneously competitive, recreational and attractive to spectators. Unlike an event focused on only one discipline, the standings here can change after every running section and every functional station. Participants will have to combine fitness, technique, strength and tactical management of effort, while pairs will add communication and workload distribution to those demands. The organisers want to develop the event into a new sporting landmark in Istria and position Pula among the Croatian cities that host hybrid races. The final reach of the first edition will depend on competitor interest, the quality of execution and clear regulations, but the format already announced shows that it has been designed as a serious test of overall physical fitness, rather than merely a short-term fitness challenge.
Sources:
- Utrka.com - official Dynamic Race 2026 event information, race format, stations, loads, starts, registration and prices (link)
- Dynamic functional fitness Pula - information about Davor Kasumović, professional education, coaching experience and gym programmes (link)
- Croatian Football Federation - official name of the stadium and address of SRC Uljanik Veruda (link)
- HYROX - international context of fitness races combining running and functional stations and the number of events announced for 2026 (link)
- Istra24 - information about swimmer Veronika Tanković's conditioning training under the guidance of Davor Kasumović (link)
- Glas Istre - report on Veronika Tanković's national championship title at the Croatian Championships in July 2026 (link)