On Sunday I ran a little 5K, the Run for the Wildlife, which benefits the Piedmont Wildlife Center.  I was briefly annoyed when I saw that, although we all had chip timers on our shoes, there was no mat at the start line.  Having read Vanilla's rant about this, I was prepared to feel indignant.  

After today's race, I concluded that I disagree with him, at least for small races.  There were sixty people at the race on Sunday.  The difference between my chip time and my gun time would have been maybe three seconds.  I know we're all working hard, and I certainly would have been happier with a PR that was three seconds faster.  

However, there are other amenities that come with chip timing.  They are less labor intensive, and our results were posted immediately.  That didn't happen at the last race I ran without chips.  Automation means less volunteer time for the organization to find and manage.

For only sixty people, there just doesn't seem to be any justification for the extra expense, although I don't the price differential.  I would rather see more money go to the organization I'm supporting.  I can mentally deduct those three seconds (or not).  

I do think that it becomes less justifiable as races get larger.  In addition, it would probably be helpful if race brochures announced that although chips would be used, participants would receive gun times and not chip times.  

I admit that I may have been swayed by the fact that I WON MY AGE GROUP.  You should have seen my happy dance.  Clearly, following Laura's advice on how to win your age group paid off for me.  There were only six people in the 36-45 age group.  That's right.  I beat five whole people to win this honor.  I'm quite happy about it, though, since I got a PR at 27:38.  I'm slow, but I'm working on it.

If you want, you can take three seconds off of that time.  I've decided not to worry about it.