a much simpler way to deal with timing chips

[stomper]

Most of the timing chip systems at races only record you at the beginning and end of the race. Perhaps there is a different system for triathlons, long races like marathons, etc, but all the chip races I've been in only have those two sensor points.

Therefore you can get your time by simply holding your chip in your hand, swiping it near the sensor mat when you begin, and swiping it near the mat at the end of the race. In between it can be in your pocket, bra, hat or whereever you want to keep it. No straps necessary.

I tried this the other day at race for the animals and it worked fine.

Of course you have to remember to swipe it, but if it means I don't have to wear a dongle on my foot I am up for that.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Funny you bring this up. 

Funny you bring this up. This is a screen shot of the Wingfoot electronic newsletter put out by the Atlanta Track Club. Here's the link: http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/Wingfoot/wft_february/2010020201/29.html The picture is on page 3.

A guy in my running club who runs 6 minute miles told me he saw this guy ahead of him through the whole race and couldn't catch up to him. Apparently, he's swipping his D-tag, but it doesn't register because he can't be found anywhere in the results. Bummer too, since this barefoot runner was fast!

 

[jlubkoll]

Depending on the race there

Depending on the race there may be a couple of mats. On the larger Marathons here (At least in Berlin and Vienna) there are Mats every 5 km. You do not want to miss any of them. They usually calibrate the mats to approximatly knee height from what I have seen when they install them. Looking at the above picture i guess the guy does not go deep enough.

I handle this by a little ankle band, see here from a run in Potsdam. In this case it was a one-time chip which made installment on the ankle band a little harder.

With the usual champion-chip here and VFFs this worked like this:

Never had problems with timing on any of the races i used this. Even when running shoed i use the ankle strap nowadays.

 

[Dirtbag]

Triathlons have sensor points

Triathlons have sensor points at the end of each discipline, going in and out of the transition area, so that you get times for the swim, T1, bike, T2, and the run. And my chip for every event I've done has looked like the bottom picture Jlubkoll's post. Which means going barefoot is no problem since the chip straps to the ankle and is meant to go in the water and on the bike, through at least one shoe change.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I have a little dog collar I

I have a little dog collar I use that has a plastic snap buckle. Works great, and I don't have to remember to swipe (or swipe low enough) at all the check points.

 

[stomper]

Hmm, okay, maybe my idea

Hmm, okay, maybe my idea isn't so great? It's weird that the guy in that photo didn't get a good swipe.

Clearly these timing systems have some variation in their abilities. The "chip-in-bib" system at some races obviously has to function up to chest level. So why do some only work at foot level?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

If I were him, as fast as he

If I were him, as fast as he is, I would have laid that D-tag on the finish mat, just to make sure. I mean, he actually remembered to take it out, after all. I find I forget to start and/or stop my Garmin when I wear it in races. All he had to do was bend down a little more. I still wish I knew who he was and what his finishing time was.

 

[jlubkoll]

The chip-in-bib systems work

The chip-in-bib systems work with antennas in chest height (usually the yellow round ones, at least here) where people run through. The chip on shoe works with mats.

Also the chip-in-bib is a mich larger antenna and therefore can receive more energy to send it's id.