Bib & Chip Etiquette

Whether you are a seasoned runner or new to the game we all need to know the correct etiquette to follow when it comes to race day. Two very important factors that play a big role at these events are race bibs and timing chips.

For any running novices participating in an upcoming race, my first suggestion is to attend the pre-race packet pickup event. This way you can get everything prepared plenty ahead of time to avoid any last minute race-day confusion (like I experienced with Emerald City ... oops!) The folks at these events are running veterans and representatives from the companies organizing the race so they are extra knowledgeable resources and more than helpful when it comes to answering questions.

In your pre-race packet you will receive your race bib, timing device, fliers for running related activities, plus free goodies like samples or tee-shirts.

Here are the best directions to follow when it comes to bibbing up on race day. A race bib serves many purposes. Mainly it works to identify you as a race participant (note: a legal race participant ... and not a bandit.) Many race bibs now also feature your name which is cool because it allows fans to support you by name (I love hearing "Go Carrie!") Race bibs are to be worn on the front and center of your clothing. This way you can receive directions while you are out on the race course. Often times there are multiple types of bibs for a single race (differentiable by color) to indicate which distance you will be running (for example: half marathon vs. full marathon.)

 Wearing a bib on your front will also allow race day photographers to be able to snap pictures and identify you based upon your bib number: later sending you photo proofs by e-mail. If you plan on wearing multiple layers on race day please keep your bib placement in mind: it needs to be visible at all times. Ensure you have four safety pins. Attach the race bib to yourself while standing up (I've made the mistake of pinning it on while sitting in the car ... didn't work so well.) Be sure to also fill out all of the medical and emergency contact information on the back of your race bib in case anything unexpected should occur during the race. One final note on race bibs - they will often have a separate gear check tag flap attached to the race bib. Please REMOVE the bag check flap before attaching the bib to yourself. Nothing screams amateur more.

Many times a race bib will also hold your timing chip. The directions below are for the most commonly used type of timer - I fondly refer to them as "D" timers because of the shape which they make. Remove BOTH strips of the timing chip and tear along the perforation to separate the two pieces. (The one piece features instructions - take a look and read them!) The portion with your bib number printed on it is meant to be looped through the laces and fitted to your shoe. Sometimes you will be given an actual chip instead of the foldable "D" tag. Make sure to follow instructions on race day because you might need to snip it off and return it to the race organizers after you cross the finish line - and you definitely don't want to spoil your race day celebration by getting charged because you accidentally forgot to return a timing chip! Remember that the chip's purpose is to record your time - so that you know how FAST you ran!

Now that the boring facts are out of the way ... let's talk some fun about bibs.

As mentioned in (many) of my previous posts I am a big nerd. I love math, numbers, etc. So oftentimes during races I will play a little game to keep my mind distracted and think about something other than running. I try to find other runners with the bib number closest to my own. This is best played on courses where you take an out and back route - that way you have other racers running directly past you. I will also try to find the lowest bib number (it can be super hard to find the highest ... especially in races with huge fields of runners) or try to find the craziest number combination (666 = bad luck!)

And on a very random note: I seem to always find myself assigned a very low bib number. And I have no idea why! My last name is near the beginning of the alphabet, but not by that much. And I do always register fairly early. But for some reason I was under the impression that the lowest numbers were reserved for the best runners. And judging by my races times this certainly is not true!

Happy bibbing and timing and racing and running!