There's usually 2500-3000 on the start list, of which about 1750-2000 actually start.

In recent years there's been start pens which will accommodate perhaps 40 people.... a team like ours would perhaps only share it with one other team, but smaller teams would have several teams in their pen. And people would arrange themselves accordingly. This system works fairly well, although you perhaps need to look at the course and aim for the outside of the first corner if you don't want to be slowed.

However last time at Parliament Hill everyone was just left to their own devices, which as can be imagined was absolute carnage with many people starting way too forward for their ability. I was fairly late into the start area and was only about 3 rows from the back... although the benefit was i spent the entire race going through the field.