What happens at the start, and how strict is the false start rule?

• Road races start with a gun, cannon or air horn, or another distinctive and unambiguous start signal suitable for the competition. Races with large fields should give warnings 5 minutes, 3 minutes and 1 minute before the start.
• On "On your marks", athletes assemble on the start line in the manner the organisers decide. The Starter makes sure no athlete has a foot or any part of their body touching the start line or the ground in front of it, then starts the race.
• The rules say Starters and Referees should avoid being over-zealous with false start rules outside the stadium, because recalling starts in road races is difficult and in large fields impractical. Where there is a clear and wilful breach, the Referee should not hesitate to consider appropriate action against an individual during or after the race.
• Organisers of road races must ensure the safety of athletes and officials. For competitions in the main World Rankings Competition categories, they must ensure the roads are closed to motorised traffic in all directions.

Source: World Athletics Technical Rules (Book C, C2.1), Part VII Road Races, in the edition updated 1 July 2026: https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/book-of-rules