Free full course live tracking for UK race organisers
See every runner, your lead car and your sweep vehicle moving on one live map. Continuous GPS positions rather than jumps between timing points, free with every event we time, with course management tools built for race directors who need to know where the back of the field is.
What full course tracking gives you
Tracking built on timing mats can only show where someone was when they last crossed one. Between points, spectators see nothing, and adding more points means more equipment and more cost on your quote.
Our tracking uses GPS instead. Participants move continuously along the route, so you and your spectators see actual positions rather than estimates between checkpoints. Your lead car and sweep vehicle appear on the same map, so you always know how spread out the race is and when each section of road can reopen.
Because it needs no extra hardware on the course, we include participant tracking free with every event we time, on any course length.
For race directors
Lead car position
Know exactly where the front of the race is, so finish line, water stations and marshals can be given accurate warning.
Sweep vehicle position
The back marker on the map at all times. Road closures can be lifted section by section as the sweep passes rather than waiting for the whole course to clear.
Field spread at a glance
See the gap between first and last, and how it changes through the race. Useful for cut-off decisions and for planning next year's timings.
Marshal and hotspot planning
Course positions are mapped against your route, so you can see which junctions are still live and which have cleared.
No extra timing points to pay for
Course coverage does not depend on how many mats and antennas you can afford. A 50 mile route tracks as fully as a 5K, at no extra cost.
For participants and spectators
Participants opt in before the start and carry their phone as normal. Friends and family then search by name or race number and watch them move along the course from anywhere in the world, with current pace and an estimated finish time so spectators know when to be at the line.
Spectators need nothing but a web browser. There is no charge to the participant or the spectator, on any event we time.
Events we track
Full course tracking suits any event where the field spreads out over a long route or where roads reopen in stages:
- Marathons and half marathons
- Ultra and long distance trail events
- Cycling sportives and gravel rides
- Long distance walks and challenge events
- Triathlons and duathlons
- Point to point and multi-stage courses
How it works on race day
-
We set your course
Send us your GPX file when you book. We build the tracking map before race week, so there is nothing to set up on the day.
-
Vehicles are fitted on the morning
The tracking app needs to be used by the drive of the vehicle. We will advise of the specific settings for lead and sweep vehicles.
-
Tracking goes live at the start
The map opens to spectators as the race starts. Your race control view opens at the same time with vehicle positions included.
-
Results follow straight on
As participants finish, tracking hands over to live results and finisher certificates without a gap.
Common questions
Does the participant need to carry a phone?
Yes, for their own position to appear on the map. Anyone running without a phone is still chip timed as normal and still appears in live results and finish times. Tracking is an addition to timing, not a replacement for it.
What about battery life on a long event?
Tracking is built to send position updates at intervals rather than running continuously, so it is far lighter on battery than a training app. We tell participants what to expect before the start.
What does it cost?
Participant tracking is free with every event we chip time, whatever the course length. Lead car and sweep vehicle tracking is quoted with the rest of your timing package.
Will it work on a rural course with poor signal?
Positions are buffered and sent when signal returns, so a dead spot delays an update rather than losing it.
Do you cover events outside Yorkshire?
Yes. We time and track events across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Add tracking to your event
Send us your date, location, route and expected numbers and we will come back with a full timing and tracking quote.
Free live race tracking & results from STS Timing — real-time splits and updates for runners, family, and fans.