blog

Pigeons

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 15:55:38 +0100

When I was a kid, there was a race I ran annually in my home town. It became my favorite race mainly because it was one of the few that we had, and I really enjoyed it. Back then, we did not wear race numbers. You simply filled out a card at the finish and they matched your card number with the time they recorded as you crossed the finish line. Simple, yet effective. But the race I ran the most, the Great Southern Runaway, was special in many ways, one of them being that the newspaper that covered the race would blowout the coverage, so you'd always get your name in the paper by simply being in the race. If you were an age group winner, you might have your photo too. It was exciting to say the least.

One year at the Great Southern Runaway, they printed a history of the race, and I found myself looking for myself from the years I had run the race. But I came across an article titled, “How To Spot A Pigeon”. The article was well written and covered running terms that were simply unfamiliar to the kid reading it. But the core part of the story was addressing runners who wear their race number on the back of the shirt. I had no experience with race numbers at that time since the races I had run didn't use them, but the story stuck with me over the years and as I started traveling to larger events, I would see people with numbers on their back. I would always snicker to myself as if someone was wearing a sign that said kick me, but didn't know it. Beyond that I never gave it much thought..

However when I started race timing, I quickly came to understand two things. One was numbers on the back are a bad thing....always. And the person that wrote the article I had read as a child was likely a race timer.

I know what you're thinking, it's not that big of a deal...right? But hear me out. It is a big deal. You see when we race timers are sitting at the finish of a race, we are focused on seeing your number to lock it in with your time. We can capture your time without the number, but if you stop in the chute to turn and show your number, it disrupts the flow of the race end. You could cause the chute to bottleneck and next thing you know, people are out of order. We see this issue come up with folks who wear their race number under a jacket also. Try as we might, announce as we do, it never fails, someone will become the pigeon for that race. Many times we find several.

The next time you put that race number on, remember to put it on the front of your body, and use at least 3 pins. We're not going to call anyone a pigeon, but you doing it right will be much appreciated.

See you at the races! Tim

What Time Does It Start

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 05:47:02 +0100

Yeah, but what time do I need to be there?

Running and walking events can be found just about any given weekend in Mississippi and the surrounding states. This time of year it's what we do. For Time 2 Run, it's what we call the busy time of year, or the Spring season. We start timing in late January and it doesn't let up til late June and this year, we even have multiple races in July and into August before the Fall season kicks in. We will time more races this year than our little organization has before and it's not even close. There is no doubt the running and walking public is becoming more and more familiar with protocol. Then again, maybe not.

The awesome thing about running and race timing in particular is you get to witness the transformative power of exercise. You get to see personal goals smashed and the elation that is shared from so many first timers. You get to see lives literally change.

But you also, as a race timer, get to experience a lot of participants first time to run or walk at any event. And that can be a little tricky.

When race organizers put together a race, there are a tremendous amount of train wrecks that have to be smoothed out and come together. The less experienced the race organizers, the more train wrecks. By race day the organizers are normally stressed to their limit and normally didn't sleep the night before, all so their event can go off without a hitch.

The volunteers show up, some early, some behind schedule. Water tables are set up. Registration is going on and people are pumped up. Although the race director is a basket case by this time, all has gone better than they could have hoped for.

Then this happens.

Someone shows up 10 minutes or less before the race is supposed to start and want to register. Keep in mind registration has been closed for 5-10 minutes. The timers have gone to sync their systems and prepare for the race to begin “On-Time”. However, because someone gets to the event late and is allowed to register, the whole symphony of train wrecks that have become a well tuned machine have once again become a Train Wreck.

We balance this situation each time we time a race and make every effort to start the event at the scheduled time. Why? Because it's important. Think I am overthinking it? Maybe. But consider this; when people sign up for a running event that is advertised to begin at a set time, you schedule to be there. Now I am going out on a limb and assuming you have other things planned for that day other than the race. If not, congratulations on having the day free. But most people who attend a running or walking event have somewhere else to be. Soccer, Dance, Pageants, family coming over or some other important event to fill your day.

You see, we take our little job serious so that we can give you the best experience possible when we time your event. We know how hard the organizers work because we do this every weekend.

So to answer the opening question; What time do I need to be there? Early. Early enough to get situated, pick up your packet and warm up, stretch and get to the starting line in plenty of time to hear race instructions that may be pretty important. Scratch that. That will be important!

So always make sure to give yourself plenty of time on race morning for the unexpected. You will have a better race experience for it. I promise.

See you at the races, Tim

The Evolution of Road Racing

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 03:20:51 +0100

Ask anyone over the age of 50 who has been running most of their life and you can hear some pretty good stories about how road racing “used to be”. As someone who began running at age 10 myself, I have seen a lot of changes in the world of running and racing over the past 36 years.

The advances in running shoes come to mind. There have been many. Along the way we witnessed the dominance of Nike evolve before our very eyes. Sure there were other players in the running boom of the 80's, but the clear winner was Nike. Although other brands have carved out their own part of the marketplace over the years, some coming, some going; Nike has been synonymous with running and most all things athletic since it's inception. But the gear is only a small part of this story.

The races themselves have changed. Wasn't so long ago that you could look for and find a 5K, 10K, 8K, 15K and occasionally a Half Marathon or Full Marathon and Half together. Walking wasn't so much a division, but there were people who took it serious, and you'd better not disrespect their commitment; even if you didn't understand it. Respect was shown rather than spoken. Runners...got runners, and the races were a triumphant conclusion to the long hard road of training for a single race in some cases. I once trained an entire year for a single race. I raced other races while training, after all, what better way to measure progress that to test yourself against other runners? What I learned in that year was that no matter what race I ran, how I finished, what my time was, my focus never changed from the race I was training for. People who knew me then might say it was an obsession, but as I have reflected over the years, I think it's more of the way it was back then; for me at least.

State Games of MS Boo Run - Meridian, MS

Today races feature more variety. There are not only theme driven races that in some cases have little to do with competition, but varied distance races that also keep things interesting. I am timing two races this year that are not a traditional 5K distance. One is 5.29K, the other is 3.21 miles. Both race distances are tied to the organizations that benefit from the races. Both are very worthy causes. Race scheduling has become quite competitive for race directors hoping to lure runners to their events. Organizers are thinking outside the box and bringing us such events as Warrior Dash type adventure/endurance racing. Color runs have become a popular option or fad that may stick around or fade like the powered colors they are known for. Foam races, Zombie runs, and even Red Dress events that are not just for the ladies anymore; have become all the rave.

So what happened to the competitive running events from 30 years ago? As road racing has evolved into running events, the calendars have become overflowing with races to choose from. People are trying new types of racing and races to attend. The popularity of the marathon has also played a part in runnings' recent leap in evolution. Companies such Competitor Group who owns the Rock and Roll Marathon series have enjoyed great success while some more traditional long standing races have fallen by the way side. Then there are Ultra Marathons, Trail Races, Triathlons and Glow Runs.

It's without a doubt a great time to participate in a race. It is also a great time to just be a runner and/or walker. Because with so many events to choose from, there is really no reason to stay home on a beautiful Saturday morning.

See you at the races. Tim

Why You Should Pre-Register For Your Race

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 16:18:26 +0100

As a race timer and former competitive runner (I never have time to race much any more), I have a lot of race shirts. Anyone who has been running for more than a couple of years has likely amassed quite a collection of cotton, dri-fit, sweat shirt, long sleeves and a tank top or two. Yes the ole race shirt. For many runners it is the ultimate prize; and for a lot of runners and walkers, it is the only prize. So when you get to a race to register on race day and you hear the words, "sorry, we're out of shirts", or at least your size, there is an understandable sense of frustration you will almost certainly feel. Even the top runners and walkers will admit that not getting a race shirt is at the very least, a mild disappointment.

There are some runners and walkers who rarely want the shirt anyway, so in all fairness I wanted to give my take on the whole race shirt dilemma. I love running shirts. For some reason I rarely wear more than a chosen few. I put them away as if someday I will pull them out and wear them again. But many never see more than a few turns. Since I have been timing races more than running, I still get shirts many times from generous race organizers, but many of those shirts can also find a degree of neglect.

So what happens? How do races run out of shirts? How can they not order enough shirts? Why?

To answer this, I have to first explain road racing economics to a small degree. To put a small 5K road race on a lot of moving parts have to come together and work in harmony. The route has to be mapped out and measured, the permits have to be obtained, the sponsors have to come on board and the expenses have to be met all before the race charity can benefit from the race. Awards cost a good bit of money depending on the type. Food, water, timing, venue, these are all expenses that have to be paid. But the most expensive part of putting on a race is...you guessed it, the race shirts. Race shirt costs can jump from $800 to $2000 with little effort. Then if there is a second printing, the prices can double in some cases. Now keep in mind, people who put on a race are trying to make some money to donate to a worthy cause. That becomes increasingly harder to do if you are out-spending your income for the race.

So many race organizers have to set a pre-registration deadline to get the shirt order in. The way it works is, the organizer will take into account the registrations that have been submitted and then make their best guess on how many extras they should order all while trying to not get stuck with a box or two of extra shirts. It is a balancing act that few race participants have ever been aware of, yet it is a very real concern to almost every race organizer.

Now with all that in mind; how do you prevent from being left off the race shirt train on race day? Quite simple, sign up early. There are benefits to signing up early for a race. You save on the entry fee, you are guaranteed a shirt in your size on race day, and you avoid the whole race day sign up crowd. Online registration has made it easier than ever to sign up early and some races will only accept online registrations.

By signing up early you have given the race organizer a more accurate count of what to expect and it helps them better prepare to put on a quality event.

As a kid growing up in Louisiana and racing in New Orleans I was introduced to the idea of the no race shirt option. This was a good choice for those who didn't really want the shirt, saving them a few bucks on the entry fee. The organizer still came out good and the participants that took this option seemed happy they didn't have to pay full price. Over the years I have seen this pop up from time to time, not really taking root, but sometimes it could be a good thing.

No matter when you sign up, early or late; hopefully now you know a little bit more about the "Why" when it comes to race day shirts.

See you at the races - Tim