The Boston Marathon is one of the most widely covered sporting events in America, with media audiences second only to the Super Bowl. While television viewers have long been able to follow the progress of individual runners along the 26.2 mile on race day, spectators lining the route knew little about the pace and whereabouts of their runners until they crossed the finish line. Friends and family had to wait until their runner passed through the finish line chutes, where volunteers with stop watches announced their time and manually recorded results by scanning bar codes torn from runners' bib numbers.

Compaq, the official technology sponsor of the Boston Marathon, has changed all that. In partnership with the Boston Athletic Association, Compaq has provided new technology for the B.A.A. Athlete Tracking Network. Introduced at the 2001 Marathon, the BAA Athlete Tracking Network allows individuals to follow athletes throughout the Hopkinton-to-Boston course through the use of Compaq’s iPAQ wireless hand-held devices. Throughout the recent race, Compaq equipment transmitted information gathered at seven checkpoints to the Internet, reading data stored on the digital chips attached to runners’ shoes. The information was immediately accessible via personal computers, hand-held computer devices or via digital cellular phones. Compaq volunteers were stationed along the course with iPAQs to provide information for spectators.

With plans for the 106th Marathon well underway, Compaq hopes to expand its use of the iPAQ pocket PCs to provide fans with instant updates throughout the 2002 race on April 15. Marathon information is available before, during and after the race on the B.A.A. web site, which is powered by Compaq technology.

Compaq technology also will also play a key role at the Chicago and Houston marathons this year.

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