Gun Time is the actual race time between when the starting gun is pulled and when the competitor reaches the finish line. It is unlike chip time, which records every individual’s time from the beginning to the end using a timing chip.
In wave or rolling start races, the official results and podium positions are determined by the start gun time, even though some runners begin after the initial group. Although chip time is applied for individual results and age-group awards, gun time remains the default for overall results to maintain fairness in competition.
