How to follow Samir at the 114th Boston Marathon !
Technology is really an amazing thing. I received an e-mail on Friday from the Boston Athletic Association introducing the AT&T Athlete Alert Program being utilized at the Boston Marathon. This program which can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/FollowSamir allows individuals to sign up for text and/or e-mail alerts so that you can follow your favorite runner as they take on the most famous marathon course in the world.
Updates are sent to you directly from the course as the runner hits the start, 10K (6.2 mile), Half-Way (13.1 mile), 30K (18.75 mile) and finish (26.2 mile) markers on the course. All you need to do is click on the link and register your e-mail or cell phone along with your favorite marathoner’s bib number. I’m assuming of course that ‘25939′ (Me) would be your favorite. If you want to track the race favorites or multiple runners you can do that as well.
So how does the technology work? The first type of timing chip that was popularized in larger races was the Champion Chip. It was a small plastic round chip that was attached to a runner’s shoe laces. As runners cross timing mats which are placed throughout the course, information is sent electronically to race officials to track each runner on the course.
This tracking is referred to “Chip Time” as opposed to “Gun Time”.
Gun time is used to declare the actual men’s and women’s winners of the race. These elite marathoners who are competing to “win” a marathon as well as cash prizes are simply placed at the very start of the race and when the gun sounds they take off. They race each other over 26.2 miles and whoever finishes the course first wins – very simple. This allows the elite men and women to simply race each other and not worry about their individual mile spits or times. Finish first and you win. Pretty straightforward.
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