2021 Race Day Details

Virtual Race Details: April 17-25

Become the race director for your own Virtual Drake Road Races. You have the freedom to complete your race distance on your own time and from anywhere. Check out the 2020 Virtual Race Guide to get an idea on how to prepare yourself for the race!
Prepare Your Route
As the race director you are in charge of designing the route for your virtual race! Perhaps you want to run your favorite trail, try to hit a PR or challenge yourself with a hills, it's up to you. Plan out your course on websites like Map My Run, On the Go Map, Strava or your favorite app.
Track Your Time
You can use a stopwatch, GPS watch or your favorite running app to record your time. Once you've completed your race, enter them in to the virtual leader board. 
Celebrate Together
Share your race day experience with fellow racers on social media by using hashtag #MyDrakeRelays and tagging @drakerelays in your photos on Instagram and Twitter and Drake Road Races on Facebook.

In-Person Race Details: April 18 

In collaboration, with local officials, the 2021 Drake Road Races will be held in-person Sunday, April 18. Races will start outside Drake Stadium and finish on the iconic Blue Oval with appropriate COVID-19 protocols in place.
To ensure the health and safety of all involved, participants can expect the following changes for the 2021 Drake Road Races:

Reducing the field size to a maximum capacity of 2,000 participants which will include no more than 1,225 5k participants and 775 Half Marathon participants.
Cancelling the 10k race due to COVID-19 safety precautions in 2021. All current 10k registrants will be notified about their registration options.
Packet pick up will be available Saturday, April 17 in the Knapp Center to those who are registered for the in-person event; a mask requirement and social distancing protocol will be in effect. There will not be vendors or a speaker series. Registrants who remain virtual will be shipped their race packet and will not be able to pick it up in person. More information regarding packet pick up scheduling and protocols will be announced at a later date.
Staggered start times will be implemented while also limiting the number of athletes per wave in order to safely start all runners and limit crowd size at the start line.
Face coverings will be required to be worn by all participants when not racing, including pre-race staging and upon crossing the finish line. 
Post race activities such as award ceremonies and the recovery zone will not be available. Finishers will receive their prepackaged items and be asked to exit the stadium. 

Start Plan - Timeline
The Drake Road Races will be implementing a staggered start with the first start time at 7:00 AM and waves of 50 runners departing every 90 seconds.
The Half Marathon will start at 7:00 AM, runners can begin staging at 6:45 AM on Forest Ave. Runners will line up and the next 50 runners will enter the starting corral to be started on a first-come-first-served-basis.
The 5K will start at 7:15 AM, runners can begin staging at 7:00 AM in Lot 18, north of Forest Ave by Drake Stadum. Runners will be staged there and will enter the starting corral once the Half Marathon runners have all started. 
Start # Time Total Runners Half Marathon Runners 5K Runners
1 7:00:00 AM 50 50 -
2 7:01:30 AM 50 50 -
3 7:03:00 AM 50 50 -
4 7:04:30 AM 50 50 -
5 7:06:00 AM 50 50 -
6 7:07:30 AM 50 50 -
7 7:09:00 AM 50 50 -
8 7:10:30 AM 50 50 -
9 7:12:00 AM 50 50 -
10 7:13:30 AM 50 50 -
11 7:15:00 AM 50 50
12 7:16:30 AM 50 50
13 7:18:00 AM 50 50
14 7:19:30 AM 50 50
15 7:21:00 AM 50 50
16 7:22:30 AM 50 50
17 7:24:00 AM 50 50
18 7:25:30 AM 50 50
19 7:27:00 AM 50 50
20 7:28:30 AM 50 50
21 7:30:00 AM 50 50
Clear 7:30:00 AM 800 400 400