SI e-punching report

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Okay, I had my first experience with epunching at the Highlander yesterday. In some respects, it was like Charlie DeWeese's reaction when I gave him his first-ever Pop-Tart: "Yeah, that was about like I expected it to be". (Charlie hasn't had a Pop-Tart since.) From the point of view of a competitor, I certainly have no *objection* to epunching. I guess it was a little faster, but it's not like punching takes much time anyway. And I got a printout of my splits, which isn't much different than what I get from my watch (although on my watch, I also record things like how much time I spent hanging around at the aid stations). There is a minor issue that you don't really have much choice as to how you're going to carry the thing, though the finger strap thing isn't too bad. (I did find that it was getting a little annoying at one point, but I don't expect I'll often be wearing it for 4.5 hours at a time like I did yesterday.) As for my control descriptions, I put clear tape on them front and back, and taped them to my watchband so that they lay against my forearm. This was basically fine, although there were 29 controls on the sheet, so it was quite a bit bigger than I'd typically expect to have, and did flop around a little. It wasn't bad to refer to, though when I have a control card, I write the code in big numbers in each box, and this is an easier reference. Not an issue at the Highlander, where there are no extraneous controls, but I will note that I found myself not checking codes a lot of the time, since scanning down the sheet for tiny letters was a hassle.

One of my main objections to epunching, the need for stands, was taken care of at this meet very nicely. The punching stations were all attached to tree trunks or logs (leaned against boulders or whatever) with wire. This makes it not too much worse than hanging punches, save for the need to put them out very shortly before the race and to retrieve then promptly, due to the risk of having these $60 items disappear.

Finally, I'll note that for me, at least, this stuff about being able to punch on the run is a lot of baloney. Granted, it was a long race, and I was tired for a good bit of it, but there's no way I could get my finger thing into that little hole without stopping. In fact, after the finish line, when I when to the download station, I held it in there for several seconds before realizing I had missed the hole completely.

J-J

-- J-J (jjcote@juno.com), October 09, 2000

Answers

Yes, but is the little stick thingy sharp enough that you can poke someone's eye out with it?

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), October 10, 2000.


No, it's quite blunt, but if you wear it on your middle finger (common practice) and hold out your fist, it looks like you're flipping the bird.

-- J-J (jjcote@juno.com), October 11, 2000.

Can we buy e-punch thingies from vendors at the NA's? I did not rent one because I figured I could buy one, but am not so sure now. If you have any facts, please let me know.

-- Snorkel (danielmeenehan@aol.com), October 20, 2000.

Could be a problem, Snorkel. The issue is that they have to have the serial numbers of the little thingies in the database, and for the most part that will be happening in advance. I suspect you will be able to buy these gizmos on-site, though I don't know for sure. If you want to find out, try getting a hold of Gale Teschendorf, since he's perhaps the most likely vendor. In any case, you may have to do some running around to get your serial number registered. You might want to contact the registrar (Ralf Becker) about this, though you should be aware that he hasn't been getting much sleep lately.

-- J-J (jjcote@juno.com), October 20, 2000.

I used the e-punch for the first time at the US Champs. I liked it. It was easier to fit the "dipstick" (our choice of name for the thing you wear on your finger) into the hole than I thought. I expected that it had to be placed in a certain orientation to precisely fit the hole. Not true; the dipstick is oblong; the hole is perfectly round. You can stick the dipstick in any way ou want.

I had one problem, however. I'm used to seeing my course and start time written on my control card. Without a control card, you have to rely on your memory. On day one, I started to get nervous that I had forgotten my start time. I hung around the start area more than usual, in case they called my name sooner than I expected. The next day, I wrote my start time and course on my clue sheet.

Another possible problem: losing the dipstick. Mike temporarily lost his after he took a fall. He looked for 30 seconds before he found it. On day two, I passed someone searching the leaves for their dipstick. They had already finished their course, but had come back out to try to find it.

Any suggestions on how to carry the dipstick comfortably, and still guard against losing it?

-- Mary (maprunner@juno.com), November 13, 2000.



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