GSE Timing Wave Start Guidelines

General Guidelines

GSE Timing has adopted four main methods of managing wave starts during the COVID-19 pandemic. One is better suited for larger events, one is better suited for smaller events, one is designed specifically for medium and larger cross-country running, and the fourth is for smaller cross-country meets (dual meets and triangulars). While we are more than willing to work with event directors on a hybrid of these approaches, or other approaches altogether, we feel like these approaches are more likely to create accurate results with the least amount of management than variations on them might require.

GSE Timing does not assist in start line administration on race day. We will provide a visible clock if needed to assist in getting all participants started on time. We strongly encourage whoever is administering the start to have a back-up clock/wristwatch with running time. This is not needed for the chip start option.

Please note that these start methods are not limited to events where social distancing is expected but were designed with that in mind.

Larger Races | Smaller Races | Chip Starts (Small CC Meets)

Method III: Larger CC Meets

Cross-Country running events tend to be larger than most fitness events with more races. Due to the size of the starting line, chip starts are not generally an option. Here is a "rough draft" of what we feel would work best in this sport. This is a work in progress and, as always, modifications will be made where possible to accommodate the needs of individual events.

• Coaches will designate who is running which race & the order they want them to start.
• GSE will assign bibs in numerical order by team and the race they are running.
• Athletes’ bibs will have their start time printed on it. One runner per team starts every 00:15.
• The bibs will be assigned in start order for each team in each race...kids line up in bib order.
• GSE provides a visible clock at the start that starts with the gun & the first wave of kids start.
• GSE staff do nothing with the start except reset the clock for each race.
• An assistant coach for each team marshals their team’s start, sending kids out every 00:15.
• Any start time errors will need to be reported to GSE so that they can be adjusted.