Sonoma Elementary All Aboard Express Run

Free T-Shirts While supplies last

• All those who sign up with a paid entry before @ 11:59 April 1st will receive a free event shirt. Additional shirts and other items may be on sale thru end of registration. For race day pick up, be sure to print out and bring your receipt.

Participant Medals- while supplies last

• All finishers receive a custom train engine race medal

Event winner awards -TBA

We will be using a RFID chip timing system with camera backup (ask us how to purchase a photo of your finish) to capture your race time. All participants will be assigned a bib number with RFID chip attached to the back. For us to properly time your race, our staff and video camera needs to be able to read your bib number as you cross the finish line. Race bibs must be worn on the outside of your clothing on the front of your jersey/shirt (as shown in the picture to the left). Please do not, crimple or fold the bib as this will damage the RFID chip. If you do not wear the bib as requested, your chip may not be read properly, and no time will be recorded in the results.

You may keep both your bib and chip following the race. It does not need to be returned.

DID YOU KNOW? Timing systems have a very difficult job. They must read hundreds, or perhaps thousands of timing chips as they cross a start, split, or finish line. This can be especially challenging in wet or harsh conditions. All our systems operate at an ultra-high frequency and therefore are less susceptible to interference, but not impossible. Each of our chips contains a tiny microprocessor and transmitter, as well as two antennas. The antennas send the chip number to the receiving antennas connected to the timing system. The chips have no internal battery. So how do they transmit a signal? When the chip comes in range of an antenna, it receives a wakeup signal from the timing system. That signal is strong enough that the chip can harness the energy within the signal to power itself on for less than a tenth of a second. During that short time, the chip transmits its number to the antenna. In fact, the chip may do this several times. Proper placement of the chip is extremely important. For running events, the chip is placed horizontally on the back of the bib. For best results, the bib should be pinned on the chest with safety pins using the top two holes.