Video Results

Matthew Smeltzer of Competitive Timing in Montana gave us a great idea!  Tie YouTube videos to your results.

For example, upload a video of the finish line to YouTube. After you have uploaded results to RunSignUp, simply edit video settings of which YouTube video, the first person’s time in the video and the offset from the beginning of the video.

Abracadabra! Each finisher has a link from their results to the approximate spot in the video where they are visible.

Here are the details of setting this up. This assumes you have uploaded results to RunSignUp.

Getting videos is increasingly inexpensive and high quality.  GoPro cameras are now under $200 with extraordinary capabilities to get video to YouTube quickly.

Setting one up at the finish line is simple and the times will align nicely.  You can also set up cameras at split points if you have timing equipment there. One trick you can do is set up your camera before the finish line when runners are looking fierce rather than exhausted after they cross the line! You can set an offset in RunSignUp to adjust for the time difference.

Once you have your YouTube video uploaded, go to RunSignUp and enter the following information:

The YouTube ID is that little code after the “?v=”.

The 5 Seconds is the time point before the runner is expected.

The clock time is the time when you see the first runner – this is what is used to sync with the times in the Results. Remember to use the “Gun” or “Clock” Time, since chip times will all have a different offset.

The Start Time Video Offset is the amount of time into the video that the time you just entered appears.

The common example is the winner ran 22:09 and she appeared 17 seconds after the start of the video. So when she goes to look at the video, it will automatically snap 12 seconds into the video (17 seconds less the 5 seconds before she is expected across the finish line.

Click Save and you are all set. A Video link will appear next to each finisher in the Results Table, and on their Finisher page.

And, you can set up splits as well. Splits are only available for splits that were uploaded from a timer’s The Race Director or RunScore system that is properly integrated with RunSignUp, and can not be uploaded via CSV.

Since this is new, let us know if you have other ideas to improve upon this!