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5k races at Washington Park typically start on south end of the park and finish at the Diagonal, but due to the nature of the relay and needing an exchange zone, the Couples Runners will start and finish on the Diagonal as the road is much wider there.

Teams will start in waves so as to minimize congestion in the Runner Exchange zone. Teams will be seeded and assigned their bib numbers by their total 5k time. One hundred runners will start in each wave. Waves will start 1 - 3 minutes apart, depending on the number of total teams.

Runner #1 will start and will run down the diagonal to the outer road, turn left, and make a complete circuit around Wash Park back to the intersection of the diagonal on the west side of the park. Runner #1 will then run around the southern end of the park back to the entrance to the diagonal, turning left to the Runner Exchange Zone.

The Runner Exchange Zone will have its own chute entrance to the right of the chute to the Start/Finish Line. Runner #1 will make their way down the chute to the appropriate corral. Corrals will based on bib numbers:

If the first digit of your bib number is even, you will be looking for a BLUE corral; if odd, then a RED corral. So bibs in the 100s, 300s, etc. will be RED; bibs in the 200s, 400s, etc. will be BLUE.

RED & BLUE corrals will be further separated by the last two digits:

01 - 25
26 - 50
51 - 75
76 - 00

Each corral will have a sign identifying it but it is strongly suggested that you take a look at the corral layout before you start so you will know where to find your running mate.

Once you hand off to your partner, Runner #2 should work their way to the left side of the Exchange Chute to avoid other runners who are handing off. Runner #2 will then run the same course, going around the park, and around the southern end a second time before turning left at the diagonal to Finish line.