Found something interesting in 2010 results for January half

[Erin_Akey]

As you all know, I am the one OBSESSED with making sure I do not get swept during the half in January.

I know a lady who did the race last year and was looking up her times online and noticed something interesting. The results page showed the last finisher coming in with a chip time of 4:16:36 and an actual clock time of almost 4:45 or something close to that.

Am I crazy or does this mean I can relax a bit and assume if I keep pretty close to a 16:00, even with restroom stops and maybe a photo op or two that I should be okay? It sounds as if there is some wiggle room ehre. Or am i reading this wrong?
Thanks
Erin

 

[WishIwasThere]

That seems aweful high for a 1/2 marathon results. :shrug: At a 16 min pace that would be 209 minutes (almost 210) which is 3 hours and almost 30 minutes. Four hours would be a 18.3 min pace. :veryconfu

I wouldn't worry about being swept. You are putting in the miles and actually training so you will be golden. Its the non trained or injured that get swept.

I see that you are now up over seven mile runs now and with 90 days to go...you are looking A-OK since most 1/2 marathon training plans are 10-12 weeks and start you off from scratch.

Just keep running...

 

[Midnight Garden]

Here’s something weird about the results page. I know who the very last person that crossed the finish line for the 2010 Half is – she’s an online friend of mine. She was escorted in by the sweepers who kept pace with her in EPCOT. She was the last person that day to receive a medal. The sweepers were with her when she crossed and she saw no one behind her. Her chip time was 3:53:07 which gave her an avg pace of 17:46 … but she’s listed 20 above the final person on the results page. How? I have no idea. If the sweepers came in with her, and everyone at the Finish Line was cheering her in as the last person – which they were – it’s really weird to see 20 more people listed with a finishing time after hers.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I've read that once you get past the final sweep point (wherever that is), you can take as much time as you need to finish.

 

[Erin_Akey]

All very interesting indeed.

 

[dreamfinder]

Here’s something weird about the results page. I know who the very last person that crossed the finish line for the 2010 Half is – she’s an online friend of mine. She was escorted in by the sweepers who kept pace with her in EPCOT. She was the last person that day to receive a medal. The sweepers were with her when she crossed and she saw no one behind her. Her chip time was 3:53:07 which gave her an avg pace of 17:46 … but she’s listed 20 above the final person on the results page. How? I have no idea. If the sweepers came in with her, and everyone at the Finish Line was cheering her in as the last person – which they were – it’s really weird to see 20 more people listed with a finishing time after hers.

Its entirely possible for this to happen. Difficult, but possible. Since the times mentioned are chip times, it is possible for the person listed last for their chip time, to have crossed the finish line before your friend. All that they would need to have done is started earlier.
So say someone who was predicted to run a 2:00 1/2 crossed the start line at 6:15. A second runner was predicted to run a 3:30 1/2 and they crossed the start line at 6:31. (Shouldn't be that far apart, but this is theory) Say our 2:00 runner cramps up, and ends up having to walk half the course, and finished with a time of 3:30, so they cross the finish at 9:45. Now the second runner ends up training really hard, and ends up finishing in 3:15. That would mean that they crossed the finish at 9:46. So the second runner could be the last person across the finish line, but still end up not being the last person listed in the results. Make sense? That is where the difference between chip time and clock time comes into play. The first runner would have a faster clock time, but a slower chip time.

Also, those other 20 people may very well have been TnT coaches. By my understanding, the TnT coaches tend to wait in the corral area to cheer on the last runner and cross the finish after them as a pack so that no runner is last across the finish line. So they may not appear to be runners, but their times could end up having them finish afterwards. They could very definitely also have much larger chip times since many will start with their groups but then slow down to help out other groups.

 

[dreamfinder]

Am I crazy or does this mean I can relax a bit and assume if I keep pretty close to a 16:00, even with restroom stops and maybe a photo op or two that I should be okay? It sounds as if there is some wiggle room ehre. Or am i reading this wrong?
Thanks
Erin

Erin, as said before, you should be fine. A 16 minute mile is really just a brisk walk for most people. So if you have been jogging or running, then you should be able to do much better than that. From everything I have read on your other posts, I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up surprising yourself with a great finish time!

I've read that once you get past the final sweep point (wherever that is), you can take as much time as you need to finish.

You can. Once you get past the last sweep point, they will let you finish. However, there is a chance you may not get a medal or a finishers certificate. I believe they state those are for people who finish within the pace, but it all depends.

 

[Midnight Garden]

Its entirely possible for this to happen. Difficult, but possible. Since the times mentioned are chip times, it is possible for the person listed last for their chip time, to have crossed the finish line before your friend. All that they would need to have done is started earlier.
So say someone who was predicted to run a 2:00 1/2 crossed the start line at 6:15. A second runner was predicted to run a 3:30 1/2 and they crossed the start line at 6:31. (Shouldn't be that far apart, but this is theory) Say our 2:00 runner cramps up, and ends up having to walk half the course, and finished with a time of 3:30, so they cross the finish at 9:45. Now the second runner ends up training really hard, and ends up finishing in 3:15. That would mean that they crossed the finish at 9:46. So the second runner could be the last person across the finish line, but still end up not being the last person listed in the results. Make sense? That is where the difference between chip time and clock time comes into play. The first runner would have a faster clock time, but a slower chip time.

Also, those other 20 people may very well have been TnT coaches. By my understanding, the TnT coaches tend to wait in the corral area to cheer on the last runner and cross the finish after them as a pack so that no runner is last across the finish line. So they may not appear to be runners, but their times could end up having them finish afterwards. They could very definitely also have much larger chip times since many will start with their groups but then slow down to help out other groups.

That makes sense. Thank you.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

Erin, as said before, you should be fine. A 16 minute mile is really just a brisk walk for most people. So if you have been jogging or running, then you should be able to do much better than that. From everything I have read on your other posts, I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up surprising yourself with a great finish time!

I'm not going to lie, I've noticed Erin's posts before and was just thinking the same thing.

Erin - I hope I don't come across as a jerk or a know it all, but I really think you are worrying too much about this race, especially about getting "swept up". I'm sure, and hope, you're probably joking, but you have several threads on here about your concerns which makes me bring this up. Again, not trying to be a jerk but I'm just stating the obvious.

If you have been training you're going to be fine, trust me. The very first half-marathon I ran was Disney in Jan 06 . . . the longest I ever ran at one time training for it was 6 miles. I would only knock out two or three miles the majority of the time. Believe me I was worried too, but being at Disney, running through the parks, people cheering, gave me this extra adrenaline boost and I finished in 2:10. You're going to do a lot better than you think . . . and you're giving yourself credit for. Keep training and stop worrying!!!! :hammer:

 

[Erin_Akey]

I don't think you are a jerk at all. And yes you are right, I am probably over worried, but it is just that this race and finishing it is so so important to me.

I do not mean to ask five zillion questions about pacing, or seem obsessed, but i am really new to all of this- only been running since about april, and completing this first half in my second home is just something i could only have dreamed about a year ago, so I am trying to make sure I am both as prepared as possible, but also as realistic about my chances as possible.

Sorry to seem paranoid to you guys. I think I am just nervous that with less than three months to go I can only run about four miles without a walk break and my paces are usuall in the 15.5-15.9 range for long distances. Tuesday night my 7.01 miles was 15.7 pace.

That just scares me due to the fact that I KNOW i will need several bathroom stops as water goes right through me. My friends say i have the bladder of a gnat, which medically is partially true! So that is my fear- adding in the stops and making it under time.

Sorry if i sound like a pain- i am just very passionate about doing this!

 

[mraphael]

You will be fine. I was nervous with my first half Ithe 2010 Disney half, in the COLD) about being swept, etc, but I did perfectly fine.

Keep up the training and you'll do great. I read in another thread you were curious about the walk breaks. TRY them on your next long run and see how things go. You will notice a difference I'm sure....

 

[lukacseven]

Not sure if Disney uses this mehtod or not, but I know some races use a check-point system. If you don't reach vertain mile markers or landmarks in a given time, then you are swept. But, if you clear the final check point in the allotted time, then you theoretically could finish outside the pacing requirements. I would think for Disney, you would need to reach at least the Epcot parking lot for the half and at least the Tower of Terror for the marathon.

 

[dreamfinder]

Not sure if Disney uses this mehtod or not, but I know some races use a check-point system. If you don't reach vertain mile markers or landmarks in a given time, then you are swept. But, if you clear the final check point in the allotted time, then you theoretically could finish outside the pacing requirements. I would think for Disney, you would need to reach at least the Epcot parking lot for the half and at least the Tower of Terror for the marathon.

Pretty much yes. They do have several checkpoints on the course, and as long as you reach that point before the guy on the bike you will be allowed to keep going. If you clear the last one, then they will let you finish.

 

[lukacseven]

Remember the sweeper goes out based on the last person to cross the start line, so it is possible to finish with a slower clock time, but a faster chip time if you started further back. With that said, you actually gain somewhat of an advantage against the clock the further forward you start. Since Disney started employing the wave start, there is about 10 minutes between waves and several waves, so you can pick-up a lot of time against the clock just by starting ahead a wave. There's about 45 minutes between the first and last waves.