Houston Running: Don't Lose Your Timing Chip in Des Moines

Houston Running

One of the leading sources for the discussion of Houston-area (and Texas as well) road racing. Focus and attention will be given to Houston-area runners, specifically HARRA members, that compete in outside-of-the-area events as well as those who do interesting things that aren't captured in the various media outlets, such as Inside Texas Running, Runner Triathlete News and Roberta MacInnis' Running Notebook in the Houston Chronicle (all fine publications and columns but with limitations too).

About Me

Name: WalkSports.com

Location: Spring, Texas, United States

I'm a mid-to-the back of the pack runner who probably enjoys promoting runners more than I do running myself ... I've completed 21 marathons (with a 4:47:32 PR! in Austin) and 52 half marathons (with a 2:09:58 PR! in Oregon) since November 2003 ... I've done a marathon in 12 states, half marathon in 23 and an event in 30 states and one Canadian province ... I have a 13-year-old daughter, Waverly Nicole, who completed her first half marathon in January 2006, made only two B's each of the last two years, was the only sixth grader to sing a solo (Carrie Underwood's Don't Forget To Remember Me) in their choir program (adding Taylor Swift's Tim McGraw in '08) and scored a 19 on the ACT in December 2007 as a seventh grader ... Waverly and I are members of the following clubs -- the Seven Hills Running Club, HARRA and The Woodlands Running Club ... I'm Marathon Maniac #308 ... I edit HARRA's Footprints in Inside Texas Running and write a column for Runner Triathlete News called, "Talking the Talk" ... I'm also the running columnist for the Courier of Montgomery County ... I'm a three-time winner of TAPPS' Sportswriter of the Year Award as well as TABC's Golden Hoops Award.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Don't Lose Your Timing Chip in Des Moines

I was checking out the website for today's Des Moines Marathon in Iowa's capital city and I came across this --

The 2006 IMT Des Moines Marathon events are electronically timed using the ChampionChip system. "Net/chip" times will be recorded as the athlete official course time. The chip time begins once it crosses the start line and will record time until it crosses the finish line mat.

As a result, regardless of where you are lined up at the starting line, your official time will not begin until you cross the start line. Timing is provided by Accu-Split.

Timing mats will be placed at the start, mile 13.1 and finish line. Clock locations are 5K, 10K, Halfway, 30K, 40K & the finish line.

You will be charged $80.00 for timing chips and/or chip straps that are not returned.

Ouch!