Road Running Technical Council

Road Race and
Finish Line Management

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter I: The Start

Timing Requirements

Watches and Timing Devices

Official Times and Provisions for Alternate Times

Synchronizing the Primary Timing Device

Reporting Times from a Running Watch

Handling Automatically Truncated, Rounded or Rasied Times

Official times when Fractions of Seconds are Unavailable

Timing the Start

Multiple Starting Lines

Auxiliary Watches and Digital Display Clocks

Managing the Start

Pseudo-Starting Line

Starting Command and Countdown

Seeded Runners

Starting the "Wave" Start

Chapter II: Finish Line Theory

The Ladder

Arrival Rates and Processing Rates

Estimating Peak Arrival Rates

Estimating Chute Build-Up

Finish Line Back-Up

Processing Runners in Batches

Ideal Chute Length

The Wave System for Handling Mega-Races

Chapter III: Finish Line Sub-Systems

Time versus Bib-Number or Name

Manual Select Timing

Tape Recorder

Video-Tape Recorder

Direct Computer Entry

Time versus Place

Tic Sheet Recording

Select Timing Only

Printing Timers

Direct Computer Entry

Place versus Bib-Number or Name

Place Stick

Place Card Only

Place Card/Pull Tag

Pull Tag/Spindle

Manual Recording

Bar-Code Reader

Chapter IV: Design of the Finish Line System

Toll-Booth versus Multi-Plex Systems

Combining Sub-Systems

The Pre-Finish Line Area

The Finish Line

Judging Close Finishes

The Deceleration Zone

Single Chute Operation

Multiple Chute Operation

Two Chute Operation

Four Chute Operation

Six Chute Operation

Eight Chute Operation

Processing Chute Design and Construction

Processing Chute Dimensions

Chute Construction

Handling Interlopers and Other Problems

Example of Finish System Design for a Large Race

Example of a Short Race of Medium Size

Example of a Small Race

Example of a Really Small Race

Chapter V: Race Registration

Entry Forms

Race Flyer Information

Entry Blank Information

Pre-Race Registration

registration for a Manual Recording System

Number Blocking

Letter Coding

Registration for a Pull-Tag Finish System

Peelable Pull-Tags

Pull-Tags for the Spindle System

Color-Coding

Pull-Tags with Bar Codes

Packet Pickup

Using Computers to Facilitate Packet Pickup

Organizing Packet and T-Shirt Pickup

Late Registration

Number Blocking and Color-Coding

Handling Entry Fees

Chapter VI: Award Search and Posting Results

Manual Recording Systems

Place Card Systems

Pull-Tag Systems

Chapter VII: Race Result Preparation

Preparing the Data

Using Select Times

The Select Only Mode

Results Format

Chapter VIII: Scoring Races By Computer

Race Setup

Recording Times and Select Times

Processing Results with the Computer

Chapter IX: Verification of Performances

Types of Cheating

Course Cutting

Failure to Start at the Start

Impersonation

Course Monitoring

Start Check-In Procedure

Video-Tape the Finish

Awards and Disqualification

Appendix A: USATF Rules of Competition

Appendix B: Glossary of Terms