This is how your start group is determined

Like most major marathons around the world, we uses a seeding system to stagger the start. The fastest runners start in the front and the slower runners at the back. The start lasts for three hours, where each start wave starts every few minutes. Which wave a runner is placed in is determined by earlier qualifying time explained below.

  • Races approved for seeding: Arranged by Göteborgsvarvet

    Below list contains all races approved for seeding arranged by Göteborgsvarvet, which are valid for Göteborgsvarvet 2024. Runners who successfully completed one of these races automatically qualify for a start wave based on the result, no other registration is needed.

    • Göteborgsvarvet 2022
    • Göteborgsvarvet 2023
    • Göteborgsvarvet Marathon 2023
    • Varvetmilen Jönköping 2024 - 1 April
    • Varvetmilen Göteborg 2024 - 13 April
    • Varvetmilen Malmö 2024 - 20 April
    • Varvetmilen Täby 2024 - 27 April
    • Varvetmilen Örebro - 28 April
    • Digitala Varvetmilen 2024 - (1-5 May, registration will open in February)


    Further down the page, you will find a seeding chart which describe the starting wave you preliminary end up in depending on race and results.

  • Multiple qualifying results: Results from many races

    If you have two or more registered results from races approved for qualifying, it is always the best time that counts. You can never be placed in a start group further back.

    Without qualifying results?

    If you do not have previous results you will be placed in a start group between 16 - 25 based on the time of registration. Your final start group for Göteborgsvarvet 2024 will be announced two weeks before the race. Start certificate with this information will be sent by email and will also be available on My pages.

  • Races approved for seeding: Arranged by external organizers

    You may apply for a separate seeding when successfully completed an external race between 30 April 2022 - 30 April 2024 which meet following criteria:

    • A sanctioned* marathon faster than 4:01:26h
    • A sanctioned* half marathon faster than 1:48:48h
    • A sanctioned* 10k faster than 37:58 minutes (men) / 40:39 minutes (women)

    Send us a copy of your result to info@goteborgsvarvet.se latest 30 April 2024.

    Virtual races that are not arranged by Göteborgsvarvet will not be considered for qualifying purposes.

    *A sanctioned half marathon / marathon is a race approved by the Swedish Athletics Association (or another nation's association) a quality mark which, among other things, means that approved timekeeping has been used, that the track was checked and had medical care and water stations along the course.

  • Seeding to: Startgroup Elite

    ​Competitors who have achieved one of the below result limits at a sanctioned race during the period 1 January 2023 – 8 May 2024 can apply for a free registration to the race and be seeded to the elite start group. Send a certificate of your result to elite@goteborgsvarvet.se latest May 8, 2024.

    Men: Marathon 2.24.00, half marathon 1.07.00, 10 000m 30.00,00.
    Women: Marathon 2.46.00, half marathon 1.18.00, 10 000m 35.30,00.

    The marathon/half-marathon times must be done on measured road courses, while the time of 10 000m, in addition to a measured road course, also can be done on arena.

Preliminary means that the times may be adjusted to achieve a smoother flow during the race. Your definitive start group will be specified in the start certificate sent out in May.
Preliminary means that the times may be adjusted to achieve a smoother flow during the race. Your definitive start group will be specified in the start certificate sent out in May.
  • Seeding races spring 2024: Varvetmilen 2024

    No previous result yet, and would like to take the chance to advance to a better start group? During spring 2024 Varvetmilen is arranged in several different locations during several dates. Varvetmilen gives a great chance to make a good result on 10k, all races are fast and flat. Regardless of where in the Sweden you choose to run Varvetmilen, the result is approved for seeding for Göteborgsvarvet 2024. You can also run Digital Varvetmilen.

    Read more about Varvetmilen 2024

  • Advance in the starting waves: Run for charity or travel sustainably

    An alternative to running seeding races and still advancing in the starting groups is to Run for charity in the Göteborgsvarvet or travel sustainably with the Runners´train.

    Run for charity Runners´train

  • Maximal time

    The finish close at 07.00 pm. A rope is drawn on Hisingen, Frihamnen at 05.40 pm after 13.3 km and at Nordstan at 06.05 pm after 15 km. Runners who does not reach Frihamnen in time will be transported back to the finish area. The start is going on between 01-04 pm, the maximum time to finish the race depend on which start group you belong. An approximate average pace of 7.31 min / km is required if you are placed in the last start group to manage the limit after 13.3 kilometers.

  • Disqualification

    A runner who starts in an earlier start group than what has been assigned to them for Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon 2024 will be disqualified. Since 2018, all runners have their first name printed on their race bibs. A runner with another runner’s race bib is an issue of disqualification.

  • Running with a friend

    If you want to run with a friend, it is always allowed to move to a start group further back. You can do this without contacting us and it will affect your results. Note that this only applies when moving to a start group further back, moving to an earlier start group will lead to disqualification.

FAQ