Timer of the Month is recognition bestowed upon a Jaguar Timer at the beginning of each month. The timer is chosen because they have done exemplary work with their timing business and we at ITS would like to highlight their contributions and hard work.​
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Our Timer of the Month for October is Mary Agnes Zellmer with Chicago Race Management & Timing. Mary Agnes and her team provide unforgettable races like the Insane Candy Cane 5K and the OOH LALA Chocolate Run 5K & Half Marathon in the Greater Chicago Area.
October Timer of the Month
1. Why did you become a timer?
I became a timer after working with Jake Franklin, from Franklin Finish, an ITS timer. He encouraged me to get into timing since I was doing race management.
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2. Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?
My biggest inspiration is Craig Bixler, founder of the Fox Valley Marathon. This is the largest marathon in the suburbs of Chicago. Since I started my company Craig has always helped me in the early days to figure things out and promote my business. Even now, he continues to support my events and we share ideas on how to help each other grow our runner base.
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3. What event have you timed or hosted that has meant a lot to you?
The race that we are most proud of is our Transatlantic 5K. When the client first came to us we thought they wanted to have two races on a weekend, one Saturday in the U.S. and one on Sunday in Norway. Then, we could merge the results, but no, they wanted to time two races in two countries, at the same time and have it on a feed so each location could see the other. At first we said sure, but then we had to figure out all the logistics. The first year we weren't sure it would work, but we got everything done with the help of Jake Franklin, from Franklin Finish. He timed in the U.S. and we timed in Norway. We learned so much, it was a great race.
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4. What is your essential go-to ITS product?
The Platinum system. We love the accuracy of the product. We don't use anything else.
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5. Do you have any advice for other timers?
I would tell timers, grow your business, not only by adding customers, but increasing services to your existing customers. I strive to have every client hiring Chicago Race Management in 5 key areas:
1. Timing
2. Registration through ITS YOUR RACE
3. Deliverables (toilets, t-shirts, medals)
4. Client Services (volunteer management and orientation, route marking, PhotoVision, packet pickup, and registration management)
5. Equipment rental.
Add these 5 key services and you will grow your business without adding additional clients.
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Congratulations again to Mary Agnes Zellmer at Chicago Race Management & Timing. We at Innovative Timing Systems are proud to have you as a part of our Jaguar family.
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If you would like to learn more about Chicago Race Management & Timing or get in contact with them, you can find their website here.
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Upcoming Events
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October 5, 2019- Nami 5K
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October 5, 2019- Park Lawn Apple Cider 5K
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October 6, 2019- Stride Against Violence 5K
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October 19, 2019- Monster Mask 5K & Monster Mash Dask Kid's Run
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November 3, 2019- OOH LALA Chocolate Run 5K & Half Marathon
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December 8, 2019- Insane Candy Cane 5K
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About Innovative Timing Systems, LLC: Innovative Timing Systems, LLC is a privately-owned company, providing leading-edge sports timing solutions and race timing services through a network of over 500 locations around the world. ITS provides advanced chip technologies, race kiosks, large athlete displays, live web updates, automated race photos, social media integration and mobile apps. Founded in 2008, ITS is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and has sales, support, and engineering facilities in numerous locations around the world.
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About ITS YOUR RACE: ITS YOUR RACE is the leader in online event management. An all-inclusive endurance event platform, ITS YOUR RACE offers easy registration and results with custom features including sponsorships, advertising opportunities, GPS tracking, athlete photos, finisher certificates, fundraising, and more. Over 10,000 events have chosen ITS YOUR RACE.​