Qualifying Waves and Running With Others

Wave Starts - Seeded Waves Now Available!
The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k utilizes wave starts. Participants start in waves with others of the same general speed. You will select your wave on your registration form. If you are planning to run faster than 56 minutes, and want to be seeded in one of the first 11 waves, proof of qualification is required. All qualifying waves require proof of a qualifying time, either your 2008 or 2009 Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k finish time or a finisher's certificate, printed race result, website results or a newspaper clipping from another race (5k - that's 3.1 miles - or longer) which you've run since March 31, 2008. We can convert any race, from 5k (3.1 miles) up to a marathon, into an equivalent 10k time. 

If you are a walker (or a jog/walker or a walk/jogger) - special waves have been set aside just for you! Request a walking wave or a jog/walk or a walk/jog wave when signing up by checking the "walker" or "jog/walk" or "walk/jog" box on the entry form. For safety reasons and to be courteous to faster participants, walkers will not be placed in the running waves.

If you mail or fax your entry, attach a copy of your proof to the entry form when you mail or fax it. Make sure your printout includes the race name, date, your name, and your time.

If you register online, you'll be asked to provide your results (the race name, distance and time), along with the link to that race's results page.

For questions about qualifying, email 10ktime@sportsbackers.org.

Don't Have a Qualifying Time?
If you don't have a qualifying time and can't get one before you have to register, you'll have to sign up for a non-seeded wave (56 minutes or slower). Don't worry, it doesn't mean you won't be able to run faster than that, it just means you'll have to do it by starting in a slower wave. There are no more than 1,500 people in a non-seeded wave, so you'll still have plenty of room to run.

Running With Others
If you want to be in the same start wave as someone else, register everyone online together. If you request to run with a friend in a qualifying wave you both need to supply proof of a qualifying time. If you register as a group online and want to be placed together, you all must select the slowest person's wave. If you are planning to run with a fast runner, make sure they are willing to run in a slower wave with you before you register online.