Finish Time vs. Chip Time

And so the Century Tuna Superbods Run recorded more than 10,000 runners. What a feat I must say and congratulations to the organizers and runners. I quite expect this somehow because of how the organizers marketed the run. I think it is the most hyped run to date and I am not sure if other races would follow its marketing strategy.

Unfortunately, I was not there to witness the run. I am supposed to be there even though I would not be running just to accompany a friend who would be running the 5k event and to make my first sport photography. I felt embarrassed of not having made my planned photoshoot but I need some sleep. As a rule, I would always prioritize my health. It is also quite a regret of being absent in an event that I was criticizing in my last blog entry. My attendance there could have provided me some data on what to write here now. Anyway, I have noticed something worth mentioning.

The online result of the race came out fast. This is another remarkable achievement since other races would take several days to publish the result online. On the race result page, there is a column for Finish Time and Chip Time. I would like to believe that the former is taken from the clock runners see in the finish line while the latter is the time generated by the so-called “chip” given to the runners on registration. Comparing the two time results, I could see discrepancies, from milliseconds to minutes. Now the question is which time is official? Basing from the tabular presentation of the result, it looks like that the Finish Time is the official one. Now, the second question is what is the use of the chip if it does not have any use at all?

It is very apparent that the Chip Time is secondary or even does not have any bearing in the official result of the race. One can run without it. However, why is it that it is a requirement of the said race? I think everyone is also aware that one of the reasons why the registration to the race is expensive is this “chip”. How much can we save if we could do away with this chip? How many runners could participate if they do not need to pay for this chip?

I am a runner. I could run with simple or basic requirements from the race organizers. I only need water and the clock on the finish line to complete the race. I am thankful to sponsors if they could provide sports drinks, light snacks, magazines, and other amenities but these are supposedly free. I do not need any entertainment after the race because I would prefer to go home and take a rest. I do not need celebrities to make me run. I am a runner who does not need to pay for pampering. I am a runner who could run without the most advanced technological gadget or capitalistic consumerism.

The year has 10 more months to go. I have not joined any runs yet this year because of the registration fees. I hope that in the coming months, the races would have reasonable entry fees, deserving beneficiaries, and less consumerism.