Race Corrals - how do they work in shorter races? (Read 881 times)

I've never seen corrals at a race other than a marathon. Generally your on the honor system to line up where you belong.

Actually I lied the Falmouth Road Race has corrals and I've run that. It's still a big mess though.

There is a 5k race in Tampa that usually has 1500+ runners. They have a special start group upfront for those that have run sub 16 (it might be a little higher but there are around 25-30 in there). That is the only time that I have seen that in a 5k.

This was actually a combined 5k and 10k.

The Bolder Boulder 10k has 50,000+ runners and 86 different waves. The first 23 waves are "qualifying" waves, and require proof that you've run a qualifying time in the prior year. Qualifying distances can be anywhere from 2 miles to 50k -- they have a chart showing the required times for each distance and wave. They are definitely strict about showing proof. They do not rely on the honor system! I've run every BB since 2002 and this system works extremely well. The qualifying waves are relatively small, so the course never gets too crowded (considering the number of runners), and everyone around you tends to be running at about the same speed. Even if you start at the back of your wave, you will be running at your pace by the time you cross the start line a few seconds later. And it's chip-timed, so there is no worry there, either. Anyway, that's how they do it in my neck of the woods.

Honey, it's VEGAS! It's about who ya know.... I use to be a Marketing Bit** and set up many trade shows in Vegas. Never without a role of $20's and a bag of Snickers Bars. Oddly, I often got things done with Snickers bars. I bet if you paid off the race officials you could get in any corral you want. I'm just being silly, please, no one put a hit out on me...but the trade show story is very true.

The Beach to Beacon 10k has a local elite corral of about 100-150 runners. About 30 of them are professional athletes, plus any age group winners from the previous year (or 2?) plus anybody that can meet some pretty stiff standards (sub-32 10k, sub-16 5k) - the rest are filled up with local athletes that have a chance of doing really well in the race and aren't decided upon until about a month before hand (registration is 6 months before the race.) The last 2 years, I have gotten to start in the local elite area, and it's a whole different race. I used to start right at the front of the regular corrals, but its a huge advantage of not having to drop your stuff off 30 minutes before the race, not having to stand like a sardine in the corral for 20 minutes before the race, and having a pair of portable johns that are only shared amongst the elite crowd instead of the 10 or 20 that are shared amongst the 5000 other people.

The Beach to Beacon 10k has a local elite corral of about 100-150 runners. About 30 of them are professional athletes, plus any age group winners from the previous year (or 2?) plus anybody that can meet some pretty stiff standards (sub-32 10k, sub-16 5k) - the rest are filled up with local athletes that have a chance of doing really well in the race and aren't decided upon until about a month before hand (registration is 6 months before the race.) The last 2 years, I have gotten to start in the local elite area, and it's a whole different race. I used to start right at the front of the regular corrals, but its a huge advantage of not having to drop your stuff off 30 minutes before the race, not having to stand like a sardine in the corral for 20 minutes before the race, and having a pair of portable johns that are only shared amongst the elite crowd instead of the 10 or 20 that are shared amongst the 5000 other people.

AHA! That's what I suspected. In the last 5K I ran, I think the last years age group winners were seeded ahead of the crush of normal runners.