I know that it probably feels like I’ve gone on incessantly about the timing chip issue, but this post is different. In my research for the timing chip article on CRN (yes, I occasionally research these things) I came across the website for ChampionChip, and I found something there that I wanted to share. Whoever put together their list of dos and don’ts obviously had a sense of humor and apparently an extra apostrophe that they weren’t sure what to do with. (He said, ending his sentence with a preposition.)
Two of my favorite don’ts from the list are:
- The chip can be damaged by extreme shocks and by cooking it in a microwave oven.
- Do not cross the systems by walking on your hands. Your chip will not be read.
I must admit that I am disappointed. Walking on my hands across the start and finish lines is one of my favorite things to do, it ranks right up there with putting my timing chip in my Hot Pocket and then microwaving it. It adds a little something to the flavor.
The other cool thing that I found at their website was a link to TimePoint, which seems to be a permanent timing mat that is located at various parks and tracks. You purchase your own ChampionChip and then when you run at a park that is equipped with TimePoint you can see your splits displayed on a digital board as you cross the mat. You can check out the video below for a better idea of how it works. Perhaps some of the English runners who read Half-Fast could go and check it out for us Yanks, since the nearest TimePoint equipped park is in Newcastle. I would ask my loyal readers in Budapest or The Netherlands to go and check out the parks in their areas but unfortunately I don’t speak Hungarian or Hollandaise. I’m going to wrap this up now because all this talk of Hungary and Hollandaise sauce is making me crave a timing-chip-stuffed Hot Pocket. Mmmmmm delicious!
So you see, the intent of this post was not to beleaguer the timing chip issue into playing Barbaro, despite the fact that the Association of Running Event Directors agreed with my stance on that issue.
12 half-fast comments:
Is the timing chip the color of chocolate? This might be one source of confusion.
What? You're not supposed to microwave the chip? Dang nabbit.
Nice find with the Association of Running Event Directors.
Hm So maybe THATS why my my timing always seemed messed up...
I'm in England but at the opposite end of the island, so no dice on testing the permanent timing mat. But, if you want to pay for my train ticket up there, then sure I can do it. That'll be about 105 GBP, or, in the US equivalent, the mortgage on your house plus your first born.
I won't hold my breath.
And I was just in The Netherlands! Rats!
TimePoint sounds absolutely amazing... would love to see something like that near me.
Oh Hollandaise? Damn you. Now I'll be thinking about that all day.
I like to think that instead of the writers having a sense of humor, people actually tried that stuff. Remember, most people are idiots.
maybe it's a liability thing... like McDonalds coffee saying it's hot.
I quote the great Homer Simpson:
"See, Lisa? Because of me they have to write that disclaimer."
Morons.
Hopefully this won't happen to you, but FYI, my chip worked when and fell at the finish line of a race and actually rolled over the mat!
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