FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cleveland Marathon First in Midwest to Use New
Hi-Tech Disposable Timing System
Real-time tracking to be available on new race website
CLEVELAND (April 30, 2008) – The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half Marathon
& 10K will be the first major marathon in the Midwest to use a new,
disposable road racing timing system created by ChronoTrack Systems.
Participants in the 31st annual event on Sunday, May 18, will no longer
have to register their timing chip at the Expo, or have it removed at the
finish line. The new system, based on Impinj UHF Gen 2 radio frequency
identification (RFID) technology, allows race organizers to print an
integrated bib and tag for each participant, encoding the runner's bib
number into the tag's RFID chip at the time of printing. The peel-off,
disposable portion of the bib becomes a tag that runners attach to their
shoes.
"Most importantly to runners, ChronoTrack's timing tag is disposable," said
Ralph Staph, race director of the Cleveland Marathon. "After the race,
tired participants can avoid waiting to return their chips. The system has
worked very well in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and at Pat's Run in Arizona.
We're looking forward to being on the forefront of this technology."
The company's website, www.chronotrack.com, features an instructional video
as well as a video showing the system's weather-resistance testing. The
system will provide Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
participants with finish line results and split timing data at the 10K,
one-half marathon and 30K points.
This information will also be available to runners and their families and
friends in real-time on the marathon's newly updated website,
www.clevelandmarathon.com. The timing data will be reported live to the
marathon's results section of the website so family or friends who cannot
attend the event can still track their runner in real-time.
Friends and family interested in receiving live updates on their runner on
race morning via email or text message may sign up prior to race day for
this free services as well. The homepage of the marathon website features
a link that allows persons to register to receive live updates on a
specific race participant.
The marathon's updated website also includes detailed information needed by
runners, spectators, volunteers, sponsors and charities interested in
participating in the events taking place during marathon weekend, May 16 –
May 18.
The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon offers the following opportunities for
people to participate in the event: full marathon, half marathon, 10K, full
marathon walking division, half marathon walking division, 10K walking
division, full marathon wheelchair division, 10K wheelchair division, Kids'
Run and Corporate teams. Volunteers are needed for a number of pre-race and
race day responsibilities.
For details on the race, or to register for the 31st Rite Aid Cleveland
Marathon, call 800-467-3826 or visit www.clevelandmarathon.com.
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