WALKING AND RACE WALKING AT THE FEDERAL CUP

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Do you need to have Olympic caliber race walking form to compete in the race walking category? No. But you are absolutely NOT allowed to run. Several of our competitors take this race very seriously without knowing how to do that strange looking wiggle walk. Each year there are teams of four or more competitors competing for the honor of the fastest race walking team. If you sign up for the 5K walk, please respect this opportunity for serious walkers to compete.

Is the walking judged? Yes, but not as strictly as a sanctioned race walk event. You don't have to master the Olympic race walking technique to enjoy the Federal Cup’s diverse walking competition (or community). We feel this makes the Federal Cup unique among area races.

Walkers MUST refrain from running. Running at any time for any distance is unfair to those competing for time and position, and is THE basis for disqualification.

What if you just want to walk the 5K and aren't concerned about time? No problem. Sign up for the walk and walk (but don't run, even for a few steps) the 5K at your own pace. Refreshments will be waiting at the finish!

Would you like to walk some and jog some? No problem, but you do need to sign up for the run. Be courteous to the competitors, and please line up at the back of the running pack so the serious runners can race for position. Also, please give the right of way and the benefit of the doubt to the serious walkers when the walking wave starts to over take you.

Race Walking Rules: The actual definition from the USATF Definition of Race Walking. Race Walking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs. The advancing leg must be straightened (i.e., not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until the leg is in the vertical upright position.

In practice, the Fed Cup enforces the contact rule but not the bent knee rule.

I.E.: If you break into a run you will be breaking the contact rule, whereas if you don't have good form you could be inadvertently breaking the bent knee rule without running.
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