Pls. explain BIG difference in chip vs. clock time

jeanneg

I swam with a dolphin!
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Feb 22, 2001
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I was looking at last year's results for the half-marathon and found many people that had a 30 minute or greater difference between the clock and chip times. How can the difference be so great? I know they allow 15 minutes to get over the start line for sweeping purposes, but what about the people that took over 30 minutes to get over the start line? I thought everyone would cross in the 15 minute window allowed.
 
Jeanne - It took us 30 minutes to cross the start line in the Half this year. Therefore, by the time we "beeped" over the start, the clock was already running for 30 minutes. Clock time is when the race officially begins, but your chip time doesn't start until you step over the line.

The difference between your clock time and chip time really depends on how many people were in front of you. We estimated there were about 15,000 people in front of us at the start. We were pretty close to the end of the line. ;)
 
The sweep time starts when the last person crosses the start line.
 
So if I am to understand correctly, they must have adjusted the sweep times that they posted in the race guide, would that be right? I think the guide said they would allow 15 minutes.
 

I think it was adjusted when they changed to the wave start for the half. Wave A started at 6am, but Wave C didn't start until 6:30. I believe they waited to start the sweep clock until the last person in Wave C crosses the start.
 
Clock time = OFFICIAL time = time since the gun went off and the first person crossed the start line


Chip time = YOUR race time = time since your chip crossed the start line.


Last year with multiple waves..they still only had one clock and that was the clock time and thus the official time.

Since the sweeper bus follows the last person...the buffer is for the last person to cross teh start.

Officially--you won't be swept until you fail to pass the checkpoints in the max time. Best to train for the official pace of 16:00 b/c you never know what your buffers will be.

But theoretically--someone from group A could have a stonker--and have a 30:00+ buffer.
 
Does anyone know how long it took for the FULL marathoners to cross the start line? If i recall correctly, my daughter had a "D" on her bib and the difference was less than a minute.
 
Does anyone know how long it took for the FULL marathoners to cross the start line? If i recall correctly, my daughter had a "D" on her bib and the difference was less than a minute.

I was in the D corral in January, it took me about 3 minutes to cross the start line.
 












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