FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marathon to Offer Results Feeds for Facebook, Twitter and Text-Messaging
First-ever program allows Honda LA Marathoners to
broadcast their personal results
LOS ANGELES, March 7, 2011 – Marathoners are never alone, even in the
middle of their 26.2-mile challenge. Family members, friends and co-workers
are anxious to keep up with their progress and new technologies being
offered at the Honda LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss on March 20 will
allow runners to broadcast their results by text messages, via Twitter and
on Facebook.
The system, provided by the Xact Company of Southfield, Michigan, will
allow registered Marathon participants to specify which mediums their
results will be sent through, in real time, during the race.
"We've designed this program to be easy and quick," said David O. Simms of
Xact, which has provided timing services for the Marathon since 1988.
"Beginning on March 15, registered runners can set up their account using
the Runner Tracking Form at www.LAmarathon.com.
"Once they sign in, they then select themselves as the runner they want to
track, and have a choice of any or all of four ways to send out their
results: by text message, by entering the mobile phone numbers they want
messages sent to; by e-mail to any e-mail address they enter; via Twitter
by logging in to their account on the screen, or by Facebook, also by
logging on. In fact, if their Facebook and Twitter accounts are already
open when they access the Runner Tracking Form, they'll be signed up
automatically."
Simms noted that messages will be sent, with times, every 10 km during the
race, and at the finish. The system has been tested in smaller races, but
never at a marathon, and Simms expects more than 200,000 messages to be
sent during the race and at the finish.
"The messages should be almost instantaneous, but even in the middle of the
race, updates will be available to friends and family within 60 seconds of
a runner passing the 10, 20, 30, 40 km or finish lines," said Simms.
This first-ever live race tracking via social media is made possible in
cooperation with Time Warner Cable, the Official Technology Partner of the
Honda LA Marathon.
"This is a great way for family and friends to be able to track runners
during the race," said LA MARATHON LLC chief operating officer Nick Curl.
"We appreciate Dave Simms' innovative use of technology and the support
from Time Warner Cable that makes it possible for us to offer this on March
20."
About LA MARATHON LLC:
We inspire athletes and connect communities. With thousands of volunteers,
tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators,
the Honda Los Angeles Marathon presented by K-Swiss is one of the largest
organized road races in the country. For more information, visit
www.lamarathon.com.
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