Race day & GPS timing

Start corrals, waypoints, the live map, and how automatic timing works.

On race day, open the race in the ALLEYKAT app. The app handles timing for you — you just run. Here's what to expect for each format.

In-person races

In-person races are built around zones: a start corral, one or more waypoints in order, and a finish. ALLEYKAT validates each one by GPS as you pass through it.

Start: Be inside the start corral when the race begins. Your clock starts at the gun. (Loop races are the exception — there is no corral check-in; you tap START RACING yourself when you're ready.)
Waypoints: Pass through each waypoint zone in order. The app confirms each one as you hit it. (Alleycat races are the exception — hit them in any order.)
Finish: Enter the finish corral to complete the race and lock in your time.

●Missed a waypoint?

For point-to-point courses, ALLEYKAT can still finish you if you reach the finish corral after covering at least ~85% of the race distance — even if a waypoint got skipped due to a GPS gap. These finishes are recorded but flagged for the director to review.

Async & FKT races

There's no shared start. Open the race whenever you're ready to run within the window (FKT routes are always open), start recording, and run the route. Your time is recorded when you finish.

Keep the app running

You don't need to keep ALLEYKAT on screen — tracking continues in the background, so you can lock your phone or switch apps mid-race. What you shouldn't do is force-quit the app. If your phone dies or the recording fails anyway, you can recover your result afterward.