Where do you like to position yourself at the start of a race? I like to be about 4 people deep in order not to get in the way of the faster runners - they can be unforgiving if you get in the way of their fast starts!

as close to the front as my fitness allows, usually 4th or 5th row. where i do not stand is behind anyone obviously slower than myself, especially if there are 2+ of them in fancy dress.

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it's not how fast, it's how often

Generally start really quite far back and take the first two miles slow - especially in longer races (HM or longer).

Love the feeling of doing the first half steady and coming past people the whole second half.

Best ever was starting the Kingston 16 miler with the ladies rather than gents - so for 16 miles I was catching up with and overtaking blokes who'd started 10 minutes ahead of me... (I did actually have an excuse for starting with the ladies - I was officially trying to use the RW pacers)

If there are World Class runners in the race, immediately behind them.
If not then I try the 1st row.

In road races I'll settle for the middle of the pack so as not to go off too quick.

Cross countries are different....narrow paths, styles and gates can slow you down. Hence I start as near to the front as possible and go hell for leather for as long as possible. By the time I need to slow up the field has normally spread and styles etc are less of a problem.

Generally towards the back, running at a steady pace and hope that by the end of the race to catch up with a few faces I recognised from the beginning.

I'm usually 3 of 4 rows back but I agree with Steve, cross-country is different, lots of pushing and shoving at the beginning to get as far ahead as possible because of the narrow paths.