Today, more than 26,000 entrants from 90 countries and 50 states are competing for an $806,000 prize purse in the 115th Boston Marathon.
While the prize pot and the class of athletes is impressive, what’s even more notable is the real-time radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips runners will wear in their race bibs for the first time in race history.
From 1996 through 2010, the runners were required to wear the timing device on their footwear, according to Michiana Timing’s blog, a timing and event services company. The new bib clips are used to accurately alert judges and family and friends of a runner’s progress.
The following video gives an in-depth look (from 2010) at the technology behind the Boston Athletic Association’s preparation for this massive race.
[field name=iframe]
Again this year, fans of the race can receive text alerts when a runner passes the 10K, half-marathon and 30K marks and the finish line. Visit this link to register for text updates. You can also track runners online at www.baa.org.
Alerting friends and family is just one of the advantages the bib clips provides. It also gives judges more accurate, real-time analytics, when even a two second advantage can mean the difference between a gold or silver medal and the amount of a prize purse.
The Two-Second Advantage in Financial Analytics
Speaking of financial advantage and real-time data analytics, Spotfire’s recent webcast shows financial professionals how in-memory processing can give financial professionals a two-second advantage in capturing the right information, at the right time to act on it preemptively for a competitive advantage.
In the financial marathon, this advantage gives the finance department the ability to pinpoint the root causes driving change in the business course, without depending on a team Excel experts or calling IT.
If you’d like to see how your finance department can benefit from real-time data analytics, we invite you to view our on-demand webcast featuring Twyman Keene, TIBCO Software’s senior director of financial planning and analysis. Participants will learn how to:
- Better understand the rules of the compliance road with key regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley
- Gain insight instant into your own FP&A data
- Minimize the time & money you spend preparing for audits
- Gain increased visibility into your Procurement spending track
- Minimize the variabilities of your currency hedging positions
Amanda Brandon
Spotfire Blogging Team
