RaceDay Tech for Marathons

Webinar Overview

This Timer Tip Tuesday webinar focuses on preparing RaceDay technology for marathon and half marathon season. It provides timers with practical best practices and checklists for RaceDay Scoring, the RaceDay CheckIn App, RaceDay Mobile and photo-based timing, RaceJoy, and results and reporting. The overall emphasis is on planning, testing, and documenting race-day technology before the event to avoid surprises during larger, more complex races.

Splits & RaceDay Scoring

Splits are especially valuable for marathons and half marathons because they do more than provide participant times. They can confirm that runners completed the correct course, improve spectator tracking, support participant safety, help race operations understand where runners are on the course, and create sponsorship opportunities.

When planning splits, timers should choose meaningful distances, consider turnaround or course-validation points, and make sure both marathon and half marathon participants have adequate coverage. Photo-based timing can also provide additional split points when traditional timing equipment is limited.

RaceDay Scoring Data Checks are another important tool for longer races. Timers can use them to identify missing starts or splits, suspicious times, participants who may have completed the wrong course, or other race-specific issues. Custom checks should be created and tested before race day whenever possible.

RaceDay CheckIn

Packet pickup is one of the first in-person experiences participants have with a race, so timers should make sure CheckIn devices, configurations, connectivity, bib assignment, and volunteer procedures are ready in advance.

Best practices include having spare devices, using separate configurations for administrators and volunteers, enabling bib validation, preventing duplicate bib assignments when needed, charging and updating devices, and preloading participant data when connectivity may be unreliable.

Timers should also confirm the check-in password and date range, since incorrect settings are a common reason a race does not appear in the CheckIn App.

RaceDay Mobile & Photo-Based Timing

RaceDay Mobile can support manual backup timing, announcing, race photos, and photo-based timing. When connected to RaceDay Scoring on the same network, it can send backup reads directly and provide announcer information on phones or tablets.

Photo-based timing allows photos captured through RaceDay Mobile to be uploaded, tagged by bib number, and returned to RaceDay Scoring as timing reads. This can be particularly useful for remote splits or locations where traditional timing hardware is unavailable.

However, photo-based timing is intended to be supplemental rather than a replacement for RFID timing, especially at the finish. Timers can use Data Checks and the associated photos to investigate missing chip reads and verify participants.

RaceJoy & Participant Tracking

RaceJoy can combine GPS tracking with bib tracking and predictive pace, allowing spectators to follow participants even when runners are not carrying their phones.

For predictive pace, the webinar recommends at least two intermediate timing points for a half marathon and three for a marathon or longer race. Photo-based timing can help add enough tracking points without requiring traditional timing hardware everywhere.

Timers should also make RaceJoy part of the overall race experience by configuring logos, banner ads, geo-based cheers, notifications, and points of interest—and making sure the race actively tells participants that tracking is available.

Results & Reporting

Large races often require specialized reports for organizers, medical teams, photographers, USATF, the Boston Athletic Association, and other stakeholders. Timers should determine what reports are needed, who receives them, when they are delivered, and what information they are authorized to contain.

Reports, filters, age groups, awards, autosaves, and public results should all be tested before race day. Clear naming conventions and report schedules can also make larger events easier to manage.

Key Takeaways

For marathon and half marathon timing, preparation is just as important as the technology itself. Timers should plan and test splits, Data Checks, CheckIn devices, RaceDay Mobile, RaceJoy, reports, connectivity, and backup equipment before race day.

The webinar especially emphasizes the value of splits. Good split coverage helps validate course completion, improves participant and spectator tracking, supports race operations, and gives timers another valuable service to offer race organizers.