Solutions
We work very closely with the Race Director and the Race Committees to ensure the best possible race day experience for the athletes.
Some additional information about disposable chip timing can be found here:
http://www.chronotrack.com/for-athletes/
One of the best ways to increase registration is to have online registration. I have recently signed with my timing equipment company to offer real-time facebook, twitter and text updates to athletes that register using Chronotrack Live. There is no charge to the race for this service. The athlete only pays a service fee to register online and get the social media updates at no extra charge. If you are interested in this, let me know and I’ll provide more information.
I am happy to offer my experience and enthusiasm in any way I can to assist
in the success of your event. If you would like me to attend a race
planning meeting, just let me know.
I look forward to working with you in to help make the event very successful this year!
Following is some additional information about my timing services:
There are 3 main mandatory items for a race:
–an organized race day process
–an accurate course
–quick, accurate results for the runners
Other items are what can set your race apart from the others and cause people to come back the next year and bring friends:
–great post-race food
–excellent shirts
–unique awards
I’d be happy to help you with the race in any way I can. (I don’t charge for any extra services, it’s all part of the race timing fee)
We offer chip timing at very affordable pricing.
I also like to work with events to assist in pre-race planning. I have some suggestions below that will help you increase attendance at the race.
–I have excellent t-shirt and awards contacts and will be happy to put you in touch with them if you’d like.
Regarding your event, I would make these suggestions (they aren’t
mandatory to follow, they are some ideas that have helped increase
participation at races).
–I suggest getting race bibs and safety pins from roadid.com. The race bibs are free, with only a $4.99 shipping charge. Safety pins are $12.99 for 1400 and don’t have any additional shipping charges.
–for your 5k, I would suggest having some awards for the walkers,
even Top 3 Overall is fine. The walkers love to compete and they will
show up at your race if there are awards. We will have a separate
division for them. Definitely advertise that you have a walking
division.
–Do you have your t-shirts and awards ordered yet? I can assist you
with that if you haven’t already done so. The contact is Jaci Egan, Preferred Sportswear Inc.
610-394-4010/ 1877-845-8337 office
484-437-9568 cell
eventshirts@yahoo.com
www.EventShirts.net
Let her know that I referred you and she’ll give you incredible pricing…and the quality and printing can’t be beat.
–Awards: I like these 16 ounce drinking glasses with the race logo and Award Winner printed on them. If you order 72 of them, they are only $1.02 each. With a typical 54 awards for the race, you’ll have some extra glasses to present to sponsors or other people who help with the race. The glasses are very popular awards. I use them for awards at all the races I direct.
http://bargainmugs.com/custom-bar-pub-glassware-c-7/16-oz-personalized-pint-glass-mixing-glass-p-225
–you may want to contact all the local schools and offer discounted
race entry for kid’s under 16.
–you may want to have a family race admission fee: for instance, if
the race entry fee is $20, you can have a family entry of $55 for 2
adults and 2 children. This will get more people in the race.
–I have a full PA Yamaha ProAudio system available if you need it for
$150. Just let me know.
Is there electrical power at the finish line? I can bring a generator
at no charge if needed.
I can help you with making the race application, data entry, setting
up online registration, course set-up and many other items. Just call
me and I’ll be glad to assist. Most of these services are offered at
no additional charge!
Please let me know if you have any questions. I can be reached anytime
at 570 470 4922.
–The race will be Chip timed. My primary timing system is with Chronotrack and ChampionChip timing
chips.
–preregistration: within 2 days of the event, I would like you to
send an excel spreadsheet with all the preregistered runners
information. The spreadsheet should have fist name, last name, city,
state, age, gender (and t-shirt size if you would like me to print
that on the label). I will then import that information into my timing
system. I will provide a spreadsheet for you that alphabetically lists
all the preregistered runners, which makes it very easy for race day
check-in.
–I will enter all information for race day registration into my
timing computer on race day registration. How many race day runners do
you typically have? I have entered up to 375 race day entrants at a
race this year, so we can handle large amounts of race day
registration.
–I will arrive at the race site by 6:45am for a 9:00am start
–who sets up equipment, start and finish line: I will set up all
finish line equipment, with a finish line chute with streamers,
overhead clock on a finish tower and timing mats. You can see a
picture of the finish line on the homepage at www.fastfinishes.net.
For the start line, all we will need is a line that denotes the start.
If you require anything else at the start or finish, please let me
know.
–results: I will start printing results after the first 20 people
finish. I will post them in a convenient area or give them to you to
post if you prefer. These results are preliminary, as sometimes people
switch race numbers or forget their chip. If they do, we will work to
make the adjustment in the finish and this could affect final results.
The racers will be very happy to see the results posted so quickly. I
will also post complete age group results (I noticed that last year’s
results only show the Top 10 in each age group.
–slow runner/walkers: we stay for all finishers. The finish line
stays up until everybody has finished. They deserve to cross the
finish line just like everybody else. It doesn’t reflect well on the
timing company or the race if somebody finishes and everything is in
the process of being taken down.
–any additional charges: no additional charges
I have chip timing, however, I also have 2 backup systems in case
something happens to the chip timing. Always being able to provide
quick and accurate results is the top priority.
My back up timing system is to use Race Director timing software and
manually hit the enter key as each runner finishes. I then match up
the times with the finish line string (I tear off the bottom of the
race bib at the finish).
My secondary back up timing system is to video tape all finishers with
the finish clock in the frame.
In all my 2011 races, the primary chip timing has worked and I haven’t
had to use the back-up systems. It is worth it to me to have these
systems in place just in case.
Additional questions:
–race day registration and chip distribution: we will work closely
with your team on race day. I have found that the best system is to
hand out the chips with the race bib. For preregistered, I will
provide all the chips. You can divide the prereg into as many lines as
needed. For race day registration, your volunteers must check to make
sure all the information is correct (we get 5-10 applications each
race without age or gender). We will page people before the race to
get missing information. I have a portable PA system that is good for
this that you can also use at the start line.
–I can get the race listed on several area running websites.
I can certify a 5k course starting at $325.
FastFinishes.net has been timing races since 1993. I retired from a
career in sales with Fedex after 20 years. We have made our reputation
by providing the same world-class service and quality that Fedex
exemplifies.
I like to do more than just time an event. If I can help your event be
successful, then I will have done my job.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
I look forward to working with you!
Best regards,
Mark
Below are the benefits that chip timing can provide you and the athletes in your race. Also, the method of preparing the race bib for disposable race bib chip timing is shown.
