Can I use staggered or wave starts?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes. Staggered starts can reduce pacing and congestion. The timing is set by the technical delegate or, if there isn't one, approved by the chief referee in consultation with the course measurer (ASA Rule 33.9.5).

ASA's suggested gender-based staggers (Rule 33.5 note):

Distance	Women, juniors and masters start before the men's race
Up to 15km	5 minutes
20km	10 minutes
30km	15 minutes (juniors 10)
40km	15 minutes (juniors may not race this distance)

For races of different distances on the same route, ASA suggests starting fun runs (6km or less) 15 minutes, races of 15km or less 20 minutes, and races of 20km or less 30 minutes after the marathon start.

Wave starts and prizes (Rule 33.17.2): all potential prize winners in a category must be seeded in the same wave. Runners in later waves are not eligible for category awards, and you must say so in the event rules.