SimDay

Run

The running legs between stations: a measured loop outside or indoors, counted in laps.

SimDay default
1 km (0.62 mi)
Loaded
No
Plates change between heats
No
Space per lane
A 200–400 m loop is easiest to judge; indoors, a treadmill per lane works but is not equivalent to running on the ground.

The standard to brief

The athlete completes the full measured distance on the marked route, passing every turn point, and enters the station area through the marked entry. On a lap course they count their own laps; the judge at the lap line only checks the final lap before they turn into the next station.

Common no-reps

  • Cutting inside a cone or turn point — send the athlete back to the point they missed.
  • Turning into the station after too few laps — the most common fault on a looped course; the lane judge sends them back out.
  • Running outside the course boundary where it shortens the route (car-park corners, crossing a kerb).

Judging notes

  • Tap the split as the athlete crosses the line into the station area, not when they start the station — that keeps run and station times separate on the split card.
  • On a lap course, give each athlete a lap counter (wristbands, elastic bands or a lane whiteboard) so they are not relying on memory at the end of a hard station.
  • If the run route is shared with the public (pavement, park), put a marshal at each crossing and tell athletes the route is not closed.

Setting it up in a gym

  1. Measure the loop with a measuring wheel, not a phone GPS — GPS can be out by tens of metres on a short loop with tight turns.
  2. Pick a loop that divides evenly into the leg distance (for example 4 × 250 m for a 1 km leg) so lap counting stays simple.
  3. Mark entry and exit to the station area with cones and a sign; most collisions happen where finishing runners meet athletes leaving a station.

Equipment

  • Measuring wheel
  • Cones and arrows for every turn
  • Lap counters (wristbands or a lap board)
  • Hi-vis for marshals

Scaling for beginners

Shorten the leg (500 m instead of 1 km) or turn every run into a shared 400 m loop for a 30-minute class version.

Formats that use it

Sources

  1. HSE — Event safety: planning for incidents and emergencies

Checked 17 October 2026.