Chip Timing System Update! Where’s my Chip time?... and other questions answered

The Southern Arizona Roadrunners has recently rented the IPICO RFID Chip Timing System with the intent to purchase in the coming weeks.  We rolled it out for the Saguaro National Park Labor Day Run, diving right in to the deep end of electronic timing.  This is a great system that I have full confidence will be a great addition to the club.  There were, however, some issues that I will need to learn and overcome in order to make it work perfectly for us.  I have been inundated with emails about the system and don’t know if I can respond to all of them.  I appreciate your patience on all of these concerns.  Here are a few of the questions I’ve gotten.

1.  Where did my chip time go from the original results? 

True, I did post original results containing the chip times alongside the gun times.  However, there were not enough starting times registered for me to leave it up on the website.  We believe that the steel plates that anchor the scaffolding (and which I laid the timing mats on) may have interfered with the signal.  Our service representative from IPICO was a little shocked that our read rate was less than perfect at the start, so he asked me to take the chip times off the site until we get the issue fixed.  I will have this fix ready by the the Jim Click Run N’ Roll event so that everyone can have a true time from starting line to finish line.  Please remember that all Overall and Age Group Awards will be decided exclusively by gun time. 

2.  I’m missing in the results.  Where am I? 

We missed a handful of people in the results (I’m cleaning that up now and will have it finished by tonight).  A few people are missing because their tag was not read across the mat at the finish line.  This could be for a variety of reasons, but rest assured that I will get the results fixed using our backup information.  Your tag may not have registered across the mat at the finish for a couple of not-so-obvious reasons.  First, we need you to wear your bib on the front of your body and not be blocked.  Second, the bib tag cannot have been bent or broken in any way.  I believe that one person’s tag may have been missed because it was hidden behind a fuel belt.  Another person may have crumpled his bib and had it in his hand while crossing the line.  I will be more clear about what is needed in coming races. 

3.  What’s up with the big, bulky bib tags? 

Yes, they are a bit big.  They are, however, what we are going with now and will consider a shoe tag in the near future. 

Finally, I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew by timing a two-race event.  Combining the 5k and 8 miler presented some challenges that can easily be fixed… as soon as I learn all the features of the IPICO System. 

Thank you again for your patience.  The hardware and software are extremely powerful and have many features… I believe that everyone will be happy with the results in the very near future…  Well, almost everyone.

Trials of miles,
Greg Wenneborg
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