Qualifying For Tink Half - Clock time vs. Chip time

[jennynoel]

I am signed up for my second Tink Half Marathon (and second half altogether.) Last year I missed the cut-off for submitting proof of time and ended up running in the last corral. Since I'm NOT a fast runner, it was perfectly fine, but I really want to be able to get a couple of character photos this year without stressing about the sweep.

All the races I've run in the past were chip timed, but I can't find a 10k in January that is timed that way. There are several that are clock timed. Any advice on clock timed races? I want to run the 10k as fast as I can to buy myself time in the half marathon.

Any experience or advice will help me choose a race and put me at ease. I tend to get a little anxious about these things!

Thanks!

 

[Ariel484]

The most important thing with Proof of Time Submission is to make sure to find a race that has the results available online - that is what runDisney needs to see to corral you.

Clock time vs. Chip time...

Chip time is the time you crossed the starting line to when you cross the finish line. If you're in a chip-timed race, your race bib will have a chip attached to the back that works with the sensors on the start and finish line to record your time.

Clock time is the time from when the official race clock starts to when you cross the finish line. So if you don't cross the starting line right when the clock starts, you'll get some extra time tacked on even though you technically aren't on the course yet. The chip time is your "true" time running the race distance, so I'd say that a chip-timed race would be much preferred.

You'll often see both chip and clock times listed in the results (your Tink results from last year should have both), with the chip time (sometimes called "net" time) being less.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I am signed up for my second Tink Half Marathon (and second half altogether.) Last year I missed the cut-off for submitting proof of time and ended up running in the last corral. Since I'm NOT a fast runner, it was perfectly fine, but I really want to be able to get a couple of character photos this year without stressing about the sweep.

All the races I've run in the past were chip timed, but I can't find a 10k in January that is timed that way. There are several that are clock timed. Any advice on clock timed races? I want to run the 10k as fast as I can to buy myself time in the half marathon.

Any experience or advice will help me choose a race and put me at ease. I tend to get a little anxious about these things!

Thanks!

I don't believe Disney minds if you submit a POT that is clock-timed, just that they can verify it (via a website) if they wanted like Ariel484 stated. The key is that depending on how "NOT a fast runner" you are, you could find a smaller race and then line up closer to the front. Just be mindful of those around you (which is true really no matter where any of us line up). It depends on how much time you're trying to save in a clock-timed race. I was in one a few years ago that added 2.5 minutes to my half-marathon time because no ones chips worked and I lined up towards the middle of the pack.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

Have you gotten faster/improved with your running since the last Tink half you did? Because you could just submit the chip time from that race and it would hopefully be enough to at least get you out of the last corral. Or how about one of your other past races? The race you submit for POT can be from anytime within the last couple years. If all the results for those races you've done are available online, and are recent enough/a distance 10K or greater, just pick your fastest time and submit it.

I personally would definitely prefer to submit a chip time over a clock time, unless you were starting close to the front of a smaller race. Especially if it's a 10K, since they'd have to do an pace adjustment for the increased distance up to a half marathon. That would tack on more time to your predicted finish time.

 

[Keels]

One of the race groups in my city still does the old "tag pull-spindle-clock timing" thing. Like, SUPER old-school where someone with a hand-timer writes the times down, someone pulls the tag from your bib and hands it back to the person in the middle with the clipboard. It's crazy to see, but if it worked back then ... it works now! My running friends and I have never had an issue with that (it's actually pretty cool to see!), while one of us has always had some problem or another with chip-timed races and thankfully have our Garmins or RunKeeper to get the chip time corrected.

As long as the results are published online, I would go with whatever race works best for you!

 

[FFigawi]

One of the race groups in my city still does the old "tag pull-spindle-clock timing" thing. Like, SUPER old-school where someone with a hand-timer writes the times down, someone pulls the tag from your bib and hands it back to the person in the middle with the clipboard. It's crazy to see, but if it worked back then ... it works now! My running friends and I have never had an issue with that (it's actually pretty cool to see!), while one of us has always had some problem or another with chip-timed races and thankfully have our Garmins or RunKeeper to get the chip time corrected.

I love races like that. The Turkey Trot in Richmond (at either VCU or UofR) uses numbered Popsicle sticks to track times. They hand you one as you cross the line, and you give it to a person a few steps later that is working to write down times from the scroll of paper coming out of the timer and match them with your stick number and bib number.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you're in a chip-timed race, your race bib will have a chip attached to the back

Or a chip that attaches to your shoe. Rock and Roll does it that way (at least Seattle and Vancouver), as do my local town events.

 

[Keels]

I love races like that. The Turkey Trot in Richmond (at either VCU or UofR) uses numbered Popsicle sticks to track times. They hand you one as you cross the line, and you give it to a person a few steps later that is working to write down times from the scroll of paper coming out of the timer and match them with your stick number and bib number.

It was pretty cool - it was my third (and best-to-date!) local half marathon, and I wasn't really sure how it worked. But man, the ladies working that line were so efficient.

Or a chip that attaches to your shoe. Rock and Roll does it that way (at least Seattle and Vancouver), as do my local town events.

RnR NOLA did that as well. I still have it on my first retired pair of "running" shoes.

 

[FFigawi]

Or a chip that attaches to your shoe. Rock and Roll does it that way (at least Seattle and Vancouver), as do my local town events.

Most international races use the Champion Chips too. I ended up buying one since it was easier and cheaper than paying the rental fee every race.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

One of the race groups in my city still does the old "tag pull-spindle-clock timing" thing. Like, SUPER old-school

Oh man, I feel old! In my mind, pull tags are the default. I think of chip timing with results available online within minutes as 'new fangled.'

One of the local race service companies has a big sheet of plywood with the age groups across the top of it. At the finish area, they lean it up against a vehicle. As you finish and turn in your card they tape it to the board. It's really old school, but quite efficient.

For those of you from the Atlanta/Athens ares: 'Have a good race and have a safe race!'

 

[Disney at Heart]

Oh man, I feel old! In my mind, pull tags are the default. I think of chip timing with results available online within minutes as 'new fangled.'

One of the local race service companies has a big sheet of plywood with the age groups across the top of it. At the finish area, they lean it up against a vehicle. As you finish and turn in your card they tape it to the board. It's really old school, but quite efficient.

For those of you from the Atlanta/Athens ares: 'Have a good race and have a safe race!'

I am used to the cards too. Small races around me still use them.
You must be talking about Classic Race Services??? Loved Will Chamberlain and now Carole Black.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

I am used to the cards too. Small races around me still use them.
You must be talking about Classic Race Services??? Loved Will Chamberlain and now Carole Black.

Yep, CRS. They always do a great job. I still have my wrist band AND bobble-head Santa from the Will Chamberlain Memorial Santa Stroll.