The young fly-half started against the Scotland and British & Irish Lions stand-off in Friday night's pre-season clash with Bath at Old Anniesland.
For Urwin, the opportunity to face a player he watched throughout his own development was an experience to savour.
"Yeah, it was pretty cool," Urwin told Scotland Rugby News. "He's someone you look up to and then you get to play against him.
"It's about looking at that and seeing the level it's going to take. Getting experience against guys like him is really important for me and some of the other academy boys."
Russell was a player Urwin regularly watched while coming through the pathway, with the youngster admitting he has looked to learn from the former Glasgow fly-half.
"He's someone I looked up to pretty much all the way through," he said.
"He's got so much good stuff to his game. He's definitely someone I looked up to and tried to take a lot of stuff from."
Urwin was one of a number of young Warriors given game time against Bath, with the English side running out 53-5 winners.
Despite the scoreline, the stand-off felt there were aspects of Glasgow's first-half performance from which the squad could take encouragement.
"I thought some of the stuff in the first half was positive," he said.
"There were probably just a couple of easy tries that we let in, which was a bit disappointing, but there was some good stuff in there as well."
Urwin will now turn his attention towards the start of the new campaign as he looks to earn further opportunities in Franco Smith's squad.
Asked whether the changes at fly-half - Adam Hastings has left for Montpellier - ahead of the new season had provided any additional motivation, Urwin said his focus remained on his own preparation.
"I guess I can't really control that," he said.
"I just have to put the work in at training and make sure I'm ready for when the opportunity does come, whenever that is down the line.
"I just need to make sure I'm ready for it and ready for that level."
The fly-half signed his first professional contract with the Warriors earlier this year, having progressed through the club's academy system.
As he continues that transition into the senior squad, Urwin says his focus is on continuing to develop and ensuring he is prepared when his next opportunity arrives.
"I think it's just about taking that stuff on board but still getting better and preparing myself so that, when these opportunities do come, I'm in a place to take them and hopefully push on."