Within two months of the date of your race you'll want to start the chip/tag ordering process. Please read this page carefully as it explains the entire process for ordering timing tags for your race.
This form is for ordering your chips. You need to order your bib numbers separately from your own vendor. Unless other arrangements have been made, GSRS does NOT order your bib numbers for you. But we can assist you with the process if needed, so just let us know. If you believe that we do order bib numbers for your race, please remind us with the details so that we can be sure to order what you need in a timely manner.
Most races use chips/tags on the backs of your bib numbers. We call these B-tags. If your event is a triathlon you will be using Tri-tags that usually are worn on a strap that goes around the participant's ankle. One other type of chip/tag is the D-tag that is attached to a shoe's laces. These are primarily used for stair climb runs. If you need to order Tri-Tags for a triathlon, please contact us at racetime [at] gsrs [dot] com (racetime[at]gsrs[dot]com). If you will be using standard bib numbers with B-tags, please continue reading below.
A note about relay teams. If your event has relay teams we recommend ordering multiple copies of the same bib so that there is one bib for each runner, plus one additional bib that will get chipped. Then purchase some 'bib belts' (available online in many places) that will hold the one chipped bib, which runners will pass from one team member to another at each relay transition point.
In order to get the process going we need to have the questions below answered. Please answer all questions completely and click the Submit button at the bottom of the screen.
When you decide how many bibs you want to have tagged with the timing tags, have the bibs shipped to:
MPI Label Systems
Attn: ChronoTrack
1421 West Main St
Alliance, OH 44601
Please ask your bib company to put a note in the box as to what race the bibs are for. MPI receives shipments of bibs from all over the country and without some identifying information in the package it is sometimes hard to know what race the bibs are for.
Note: Please do not call MPI. You place your tag order with us and we place the order with MPI. They do not take tag orders from events directly. When deciding how many bibs will have B tags applied, keep these ideas in mind. If you over-order, you may be able to use the excess for the following year's race. It is important to assign the numbers in order so that you have a distinct group of leftover bibs with tags at the end of the number range. You can't take bits and pieces of bib sequences in amongst the whole number run and reuse them, so start with 1 and issue them going up, for instance. If you were to order 1000 runner bibs and only issue 900, you'd have the last 100 to hold for the next year and you could just order 1-900 next year. Of course if the date is printed on them you may not want to use these bibs for the next year. Just note that if you do use tags from a previous year, we need to know that before we can score the race. Each year has a different code in them and our filters need to be set for any and all tag ranges you might be using in a given year.
Note that your bibs need to be at least 5 and 1/2 inches tall (the 5” tags fit vertically on the back) and 7 inches wide. A 7.5” x 7.5” bib (with tear tag) works great.
Another option would be to have a certain number tagged initially, but to have MPI hold the rest of the bibs until you could get a better sense of how many more might be needed. Then, with 10 days to go to the race, you could have more tagged if needed. The time line on this is tricky as MPI will need at least 7 days from the receipt of the "additions" order (you contact us and we place the order) to get the bibs to you. Or, you could have MPI tag a certain number of your bibs and send you extra tags on a roll so you could apply the last few yourself, as needed. Any left over in this case would still be on backing sheets so they could be used easily the following year. Example: You have them tag 1-800 but order tags 1-1000. After they apply the first 800 tags, they ship all the bibs and the extra 200 tags to you to apply as needed. Any not used would be available the next year.
And finally, we bring to our tag races some "emergency" bibs with tags on them which you can use if you run out of your own bibs with tags. These are numbers with no writing on them except bib numbers and these are high numbers that won't overlap with your range. These bibs and tags cost 20 cents more than regular tags since they include the bibs too, but used as an emergency number, they allow you to collect an entry fee and get a runner timed, so provide a nice backup plan. And it means you don't have to over-order these tags and spend the extra money for tags that might not even be needed.
Thanks! And if you have any further questions please contact us at racetime [at] gsrs [dot] com (racetime[at]gsrs[dot]com)
(Please do not fill out this form more than two months before your race unless we ask you to do so sooner.)