From the ancient Olympic Games to today's marathons, we’re still marveled by the spectacle of human performance and with that comes the need to measure that performance. For running, that’s simple and straight forward, right? Just capture a time. While it may seem simple on the surface, timing races is a challenging thing to do in many ways and while the methods for timing have drastically evolved over the years, the core principle remains the same: accurately and efficiently determining who finishes first, second, and beyond. This comprehensive, yet short, guide delves into the world of race timing, briefly exploring its history and then dives deep into the current state of the running race timing landscape and everything someone thinking about timing a race might need to know.
As we mentioned, race timing has come a long way. Early methods relied on visual observation and rudimentary tools like sundials. The stopwatch, introduced in the 17th century, marked a significant advancement, allowing for more precise measurement. However, it wasn't until the late 20th century that chip timing revolutionized the industry, enabling accurate timing for mass participation events. Since then race timing technology innovation has stagnated; however, we believe the future looks bright. For a deeper dive into the future of race timing, be sure to check out our previous blog post, "The Future of Race Timing," where we explore emerging technologies and their potential impact on the race day experience.
Today, various race timing methods cater to different event sizes and budgets. One, or more, of these probably rings true with you:
That's a significant amount of waste! It really highlights the environmental impact of disposable items, even in seemingly small things like race bibs.
RFID chip timing has been in use since the early 1990s and a study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine (Maffulli et al., 2008) found that RFID timing systems offer high accuracy and reliability in marathon races especially. This is still the case today and why RFID chip timing remains the gold standard despite its high cost and logistical complexity.
Each of these methods has its own set of logistics, costs, and challenges. Manual stopwatch timing is the least expensive but most labor-intensive and error-prone. RFID chip timing is the most accurate and efficient but also the most expensive. Emerging technologies like Bluetooth and LoRaWAN hold some promise for the future but still face significant technical hurdles and haven't lived up to their hype.
Race directors have several avenues for finding and procuring timing services. Directly contacting timing companies is the most common approach. A simple online search for "race timing services" in your region can yield a list of potential providers (maybe so many its overwhelming!). However, finding and choosing the right timer can be challenging. For example, one challenge is that many timers specialize in certain event types (e.g., road races, triathlons, track and field events), so finding a timer with experience in your specific type of event is crucial. Here are some resources and strategies to consider:
Choosing the right timer requires careful consideration. Experience, reputation, equipment, pricing, availability, and specialization are all important factors. Don't hesitate to ask for references, request proposals, and compare different options before making a decision. Remember, finding a timer who understands your specific needs and can seamlessly integrate with your race day vision is crucial for a successful event and this can be a challenge. Why? Because Race Timing is a tough business. Many race timing companies are small, privately owned businesses, with limited staff and resources. As with any other small business, race timing businesses face unique challenges. Their revenue is often limited by the finite number of days in a year and the high cost of equipment. The timing business is a low-margin one, as the cost of the equipment and the labor has to be passed on to the race directors. This can make it difficult to compete with larger companies and can also make it difficult for small races or non-profits to afford timing services. This creates a difficult situation where the timing business has to price their services at a certain level to make the business viable, but in many cases, especially with upstart races or non-profits, the race director cannot afford the timing services. This can lead to lost business for the timer and a less professional experience for the race participant.
All of these challenges, from the complexity required to source a timing partner, to honing in on the right partner, to the inherent challenges of finding a commercial relationship that works with your timing partner as well as the challenges for the timers themselves is why at RaceOS we feel confident there’s a better way.
The current state of race timing is a mix of established technologies and emerging innovations, with RFID chip timing being the most common approach for most organized races, offering a balance of accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. However, legacy RFID systems still present challenges around setup, breakdown, volunteer management, and data integration. While newer technologies like Bluetooth and LoRaWAN are often discussed, they haven't yet proven to be reliable or cost-effective enough for widespread use in mainstream race timing. The industry is ripe for disruption, with a need for solutions that not only improve accuracy and efficiency but also simplify race day operations and reduce costs for both race directors and timers. The need for integrated systems that seamlessly connect registration, timing, results, and participant communication is also key (checkout our recent post on improving race day efficiencies if you’re interested in learning more about that).
That’s exactly why RaceOS is building a novel race timing technology platform that is redefining race timing with revolutionary timing technology that simplifies event setup, streamlines and integrates race management systems, delivers key data insights, and facilitates participant communication with ease. The RaceOS platform will enable race directors and timers to eliminate the challenges associated with legacy timing approaches, enhance the participant experience, streamline race day operations, and lower costs.
Ready to take your race day to the next level and stop settling for outdated methods and embrace the power of efficiency? Contact us to learn more about how RaceOS is making this a reality with our revolutionary timing technology or join our beta program to help shape the future of race timing today.
Stay tuned! Our next article in the series will delve into the top 10 race timing mistakes and how to avoid them. Subscribe to our blog to be notified when it's published and gain even more valuable insights.
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