The ING Greater Hartford Marathon utilizes the ChampionChip as the method of scoring all races for all runners. The Chip must be worn on your shoe from the start to finish in order to be recognized in completing the race and receiving the official finish time. Prize money awards are based on official "gun" time, the time elapsed from the official start signal to your chip recording at the finish. Age group awards in the marathon and half marathon are based on “net" time. Your net time starts as you leave the start line and your ChampionChip is noted, so this time shows your actual time on the course. Marathon finishers can use this "net" time for qualifying for the 2009 and 2010 Boston Marathons.

Your Chip is part of your registration packet and can be retrieved at Registration/ Packet Pick-up. Race numbers are used for identification purposes and must be worn and clearly visible from the front of your body throughout the race.

ChampionChip REQUIREMENTS

DO NOT forget your chip on Race Day. NO CHIP. NO TIME. Chips are non-transferable and MUST be worn only by the participant to whom it is assigned.  The ChampionChip must be secured to your running shoes by the provided Velcro strip or Zip tie.  The Chip must be attached to your running shoe in order for the chip to be readable.  DO NOT attach any metal to the same shoe (i.e. car key).  DO NOT run with the chip in your hand or any place other than on your shoe.  Relay Teams: only the last leg runner wears the chip.  DO NOT cross the finish line with your chip attached to your shoe if you drop out of the race.  Remove the chip and hold it at chest height if you do have to cross the finish mats.

The Chip must be returned promptly at the finish line.  DO NOT leave the finish area with the chip still attached to your shoe.  DO NOT lose your chip; you will be assessed a $30 charge for any chip lost or not returned.

• If you drop out of the race or decide not to compete in the race, please return the chip to the Registration or Finish Line area. 
• If you will not be able to hand deliver it, please put chip in the postal mail using a well padded non-tear type envelope.
• If the chip is placed in a regular envelope and not well padded, it will go through the post office machinery and be destroyed - you will be assessed a $30 charge for any chip lost or not returned by the post office. 

CHIP OWNER INSTRUCTIONS

• If you own a ChampionChip and plan on using it for this event, please provide your personal chip number when you register online or complete the paper applicaiton form. 
• If you obtain your chip after you registered, please email the Hartford Marathon at registration@hartfordmarathon.com and provide your name, event and chip ID number no later than Monday, September 29, 2008.
• You will still receive a HMF assigned chip with a corresponding bib at Packet Pickup. 
• Check the bib label to make sure your personal chip number has been recorded then turn in the HMF assigned chip at the Registration Desk.
• You must wear your chip on your running shoe
  (do not put it in your pocket and do not attach it to your keys). 

CHIP SCANNING MATS ON COURSE

As an added benefit to marathon runners and to verify all marathon finish times, runners will cross ChampionChip scanning mats at the 10K, 10-mile and 20-mile marks. These split times will be posted with full results at hartfordmarathon.com. 

Why the Gun Time is Official?

 By Bob Teschek, Granite State Race Services, official timing service of the ING Greater Hartford Marathon:

The Marathon and Half Marathon use net times for order of finish and for divisional prizes and awards. Gun Time is used in awarding cash awards and finish order in the Marathon and Half Marathon. In the 5K, Gun time is used for order of finish and awards. 

The reason net times aren’t used for the top finishers is that the top runners need to know they are going head-to-head so there is no doubt as to the order of finish. It would be sad to see a winner crossing the line with arms upraised only to find that he or she was beaten by someone back behind them who started a
few seconds later. This would take a lot away from the sport. A runner who has a shot at a front position in the race or who may place well in an age division should still start near the front for this reason.

Prize money awards are based on official "gun" time, the time elapsed from the official start signal to your chip recording at the finish. Age group awards in the marathon and half marathon are based on “net" time. Your net time starts as you leave the start line and your ChampionChip is noted, so this time shows your actual time on the course. Marathon finishers can use this "net" time for qualifying for the 2009 and 2010 Boston Marathons.

---