Chip & Gun Time

[jacob42.2]

In some events you'll recieve a small microchip for you shoe. This serves as a timing device, and can give you splits along the course. It also allows you to see your CHIP time and GUN time.

CHIP-The time that you have actually crossed the start line. This time, if you started farther back from the line, will be faster than your gun time.

GUN- The time the actual race started, and the official time, as to not turn every race into a Time Trial (TT)

The chip time is also the time you can use for a BQ (Boston Marathon Qualifier) and a PB/PR (Personal Best/Personal Record)

[dgrant]

At both of the 10km races I've done this month there have been timing chips, but no 'chip time'. There were no timing mats at the start line to record each runner's start, only mats at the finish to record each person's finish. So all that was measured was the elapsed time from the sound of the start gun to the time you crossed the line (gun time).

The chip was only there to record runners' individual finishes, instead of the old-fashioned way of having dozens of volunteers scribbling down bib numbers as racers finished.

However, this is pretty rare, and both these races had fewer than 200 runners.

[Monk]

Is chip timing more prolific than gun timing? I have run a number of local races and it seems to be 50/50...

[dgrant]

Is chip timing more prolific than gun timing? I have run a number of local races and it seems to be 50/50...

I think it depends on the size and distance of the race. Small, short races can do without chips, but longer races use chips partly to record split times, as well as to record finish times.

[Monk]

I think it depends on the size and distance of the race. Small, short races can do without chips, but longer races use chips partly to record split times, as well as to record finish times.

Right. And I was therefore surprised at the RedDeer marathon that it was a field of over a thousand and it was gun timed.
The time did turn out fairly accurate though. I started my 'watch' when I crossed the start and stopped when I crossed the finish, and they were only about 15 seconds faster (I started at the back of the pack).

[dgrant]

Geez, for a full marathon it would be fair to expect some split times. Some races give you 4 or 5 splits.

[Monk]

(not that it means much anymore, but...)

And this race is certified as a BQ, as well...