Rules of road athletics

There is no draw to places in road events. Athletes take up there own position and start on the sound of a pistol.

The winner of the race is the person whose torso passes through the tape of the finishing line.

Refreshment stations are placed every 5km along the route. Drinks are available at these stations and are positioned where competitors can easily pick them up as they pass. Halfway between refreshment stations are drinking and sponging stations. Here, runners and walkers can pick up drinks of water and sponges o help them cool off as they pass. Athletes are allowed to refresh themselves as often as they like, but they cannot pick up drinks from anywhere else along the course.

The walking races have two core rules. The distinctive gait that race walkers use, often very peculiar to the eye, is forced upon them by those rules. First, a walker must have at least one foot on the ground at all times. Second, from the moment the advancing foot touches the ground until the leg has reached a vertical position, that leg must be straight, not bent at the knee. Judges are distributed around the course and it is their job to watch for competitors breaking either rule. No electronic aids are used, because the rules stipulate a breach of the regulations must be visible to the naked eye. When a judge sees a walker in danger of breaking one of the rules, he or she may caution the walker. That usually is done by displaying a white sign with the offence identified by a symbol on each side. The judge then notifies the chief judge. Once three different judges have warned a walker, he or she is disqualified.