IT'S A TIMING THING

THE RACE BEHIND THE RACE: HOW YOUR RUNNNG TIME IS REALLY RECORDED

For most runners, race timing is something they only think about for a few seconds: start the watch, cross the finish line, stop the watch and check the result. But behind that seemingly simple number is a complex operation involving race entries, race numbers, RFID chips, timing mats, data management and, increasingly, live results and tracking.

To find out what really happens between the start gun and the result appearing on a runner’s phone, we asked two specialists responsible for keeping the numbers accurate: Grant Panter, Managing Director of PEAK Timing, and Derrick Chamberlain, owner of Chamberlain’s Timekeeping, which uses FinishTime equipment.

Their answers reveal why your watch and the official result don’t always agree, why you don’t need to jump over a timing mat, and what runners can do to make sure their finish is recorded correctly.

TIMING STARTS LONG BEFORE THE START GUN

Professional race timing involves far more than recording when runners cross the finish line. Both companies offer comprehensive services that extend from online entries and race administration to race-day timing and results.

PEAK Timing handles participant administration, race-number allocation, printing and packing, race-pack collection and race-office support. Chamberlain’s Timekeeping offers a similar package, including the design and printing of race numbers, attaching RFID (Radio Frequency ID) timing tags, managing collections and publishing results.

For runners, much of this work happens behind the scenes. Chamberlain’s Timekeeping, for example, sends online entrants a WhatsApp message containing their race number, collection details and a QR code that organisers can scan when handing over race packs.

“Runners often underestimate how much data integrity and race-day preparation are required to deliver accurate results on time,” says Panter. Participant information, race numbers, timing equipment and processing systems all need to be aligned before the race begins.

WHY YOUR WATCH DOESN’T MATCH YOUR OFFICIAL TIME

This is probably the biggest source of confusion for runners. You cross the finish line, stop your Garmin or Apple Watch and see 1:52:14. Then you check the official results and discover your time is 1:53:03.

Which one is right? Potentially, both. The key is understanding the difference between gun time and net time. In a gun-to-mat system, the official race clock starts when the starting gun fires. Your finish time is calculated from that moment until you cross the finish mat.

If you’re near the back of a large field, you could spend several minutes simply moving towards the start line after the gun has gone. Your watch, meanwhile, may only start when you actually cross it. That creates an immediate discrepancy.

There can be other differences, too. Runners may stop their watches during a toilet break or while stretching a tight muscle. GPS watches and apps such as Strava also use their own methods of calculating elapsed and moving time. The official race result is based on the timing method used by the event.

“The races are timed based on a start time of day and when you return back to the finish time of day,” explains Panter.

So don't automatically assume the timing company has got your time wrong just because your watch says something different.

WHY THE WINNER IS DETERMINED BY GUN TIME

That brings us to one of running's perennial debates: if a runner at the back of the field actually runs faster from start to finish, why shouldn't their net time determine the winner? Because racing for overall position is different from measuring individual performance.

World Athletics rules determine that overall winners are ranked according to gun time. As Panter points out, this also gives leading competitors a common race clock, allowing them to see the race unfolding and know exactly who they are racing for position.

In practical terms, if you're racing for the podium, the answer is simple: get to the front of the starting field.

As Chamberlain puts it, potential prize winners know they should line up at the front.

“The rules are quite clear that prize winners are identified on gun time and not net time,” he says. “He who arrives first at the finish is the winner.”

For the rest of us, net time can be a useful indication of how long we actually took to cover the course. But it isn’t necessarily the time used to determine race position.

YOU DON’T NEED TO JUMP OVER THE TIMING MAT

We’ve all seen it. A runner approaches a timing mat, looks down nervously, leaps over it or stomps directly onto it as if trying to activate some kind of hidden pressure switch. There is no need. In fact, both timing specialists are clear: just run normally.

“The chip is already attached to the race number,” says Panter. “There is no need to take any action when crossing the mat and best to run as per normal over the mats.”

Chamberlain confirms that the technology doesn’t require runners to physically step on the mat.

“It will read the chip even if a runner jumps right over the mat,” he says.

There is, however, one important piece of advice: don’t start celebrating immediately after crossing the finish line. Panter recommends crossing both sets of timing mats before stopping to celebrate. In other words, get completely through the timing area first. Then throw your arms in the air.

THE BIGGEST TIMING MISTAKE MIGHT BE YOUR FAULT

If there is one practical lesson runners should take away from this, it is this: don't cover your race number. The RFID timing chip is attached to the race number, which should be worn on the front of your running top or vest. Hydration packs and bottles can be a problem.

“Timing chips are often covered with, for example, carried water bottles, which often block the chips from being read,” says Chamberlain.

Panter also warns against wearing the number on the back of a running top, putting it in a pocket or covering it with a hydration pack.

And don’t tamper with the race number itself. The chip, or the material containing it, should not be removed or interfered with.

The simplest solution is also the best: attach the race number properly to the front of your vest or shirt and leave it alone.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR RESULT IS MISSING?

With thousands of runners passing through a finish area, occasional problems can happen. If your name doesn’t appear in the preliminary results, the best approach is to report the problem through the appropriate race office or support system.

PEAK Timing will try to assist on race day, although the team may be dealing with several issues simultaneously. In those cases, runners may be asked to submit their query to the race office.

Chamberlain’s Timekeeping uses a formal ticketing system with FinishTime, with queries continually monitored and addressed.

Rather than simply reporting that your result is missing, provide useful information such as your race number and approximate finish time. This can help the timing team investigate what happened.

HOW QUICKLY DO RESULTS APPEAR?

For modern races, runners have become accustomed to checking their results almost immediately after finishing.

Both PEAK Timing and Chamberlain’s Timekeeping provide real-time results. PEAK Timing says its results are live and immediately available, while Chamberlain’s Timekeeping normally publishes results once the top 10 have been confirmed.

The biggest potential disruptor isn’t usually the timing technology itself. It’s connectivity. Poor or absent internet connectivity can delay the transmission of information, even if the timing system has successfully recorded the runners.

That distinction is important: a result not appearing instantly online doesn’t necessarily mean your finish wasn’t recorded.

AND WHAT ABOUT LIVE TRACKING?

Live tracking has become increasingly popular at major races, allowing spectators to follow runners at split points and estimate when they’ll reach the finish.

For this to work, the event needs timing points positioned along the course. Those points feed information into the live system, but connectivity can affect how quickly it reaches spectators.

As Panter explains, timing-point data is live, but internet connectivity can cause delays.

So if your friend’s dot appears to be sitting stubbornly at the same checkpoint for 20 minutes, don’t immediately assume they've stopped for coffee or something bad has happened to them. They might simply be waiting for the data to catch up.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR RACE TIMING?

Technology in race timing continues to evolve, with hardware becoming more mobile and accurate and new ways of capturing a runner’s progress being developed.

Panter is keeping an eye on the possibilities, noting that technology is constantly changing. Chamberlain is more specific about one development he’d like to see: virtual mats. He also sees considerable scope for more automation around the collection of pre-entries.

That may sound a long way from the traditional race number and timing mat, but the direction is clear: less manual administration, more automation and increasingly immediate access to information.

For runners, that should ultimately mean a smoother experience from entering a race to seeing their name in the results.

THE NUMBER AT THE END OF YOUR RACE

The next time you finish a road race and immediately check your time, spare a thought for the technology and people behind that number. From processing entries and recording times to checking results and making data available online, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.

And if your watch says something different? That doesn't necessarily mean anyone got it wrong. Your watch tells the story of your activity. The official timing system records your race according to the rules and timing method used by the event.

Understanding that difference makes the number on the results page a little more meaningful – and might save you from the temptation to stomp on the timing mat next time you finish a race.