Racewalkers unite in opposition to chips in insoles being mandated by IAAF that would determine it they are actually walking

No kidding. The chips would show that every walker is actually running, it just can't generally be seen by the naked eye.

The whole field would be DQed before they even left the stadium.

Every so often there is a discussion of race walking on these boards and I never comment because, frankly, I don't care about this event. I don't care about it's history. I don't care about whatever the "controversy" is. Much as I don't care about a lot of Olympic events, such as dressage, synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics and others, all despite their "Olympic history".

It probably also doesn't help that every time someone says "race walking", my mind flashes to the local mall walkers group wearing fanny packs and their Sony Walkman attached to their hip.

Take a look at this video. EVERY step has a float phase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Fg028K3FQ

So let me get this straight. Racewalkers are rebelling against having to prove they are walking , because their whole goal isn't truly walking; it's convincing people they're walking when they're technically running. The sport is in the charade.

Well, herein lies the key to making the sport media-friendly. Every time the shoe sensor detects an illegal float, their shoes light up, a siren goes off, and the athlete must perform a penalty action. I'd suggest a 5-meter moonwalk in the wrong direction.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

Every so often there is a discussion of race walking on these boards and I never comment because, frankly, I don't care about this event. I don't care about it's history. I don't care about whatever the "controversy" is. Much as I don't care about a lot of Olympic events, such as dressage, synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics and others, all despite their "Olympic history".

It probably also doesn't help that every time someone says "race walking", my mind flashes to the local mall walkers group wearing fanny packs and their Sony Walkman attached to their hip.

This totally worthless post shows that you should have probably just passed on by like you said you have always done.

For the chip, they would have to test it for years.

Make it mandatory to wear, but not be used for DQs until they can study the data over a period of time.

They may determine that constant contact is not required, and set a maximum time of no contact on each stride.

freestylesail wrote:

So let me get this straight. Racewalkers are rebelling against having to prove they are walking , because their whole goal isn't truly walking; it's convincing people they're walking when they're technically running. The sport is in the charade.

Well, herein lies the key to making the sport media-friendly. Every time the shoe sensor detects an illegal float, their shoes light up, a siren goes off, and the athlete must perform a penalty action. I'd suggest a 5-meter moonwalk in the wrong direction.

Did you read something I didn't see? I read that walkers are rebelling against changing the race distances but the AW piece says nothing about rebelling against the chips.

rojo wrote:

I didn't realize the IAAF had proposed some radical changes for the race walk.

1) They want to change the 20k and 50k to 10k and 30k.

2) They want to mandate that chips be put into the insoles of walkers to help the judges determine if they are walking.

. . .

I think #2 is a brilliant idea.

On #1, I'm going to agree with the race walkers here. Either ban the entire sport or keep it as is. There is no need to try to make the race walk "tv" or media friendly as lets be honest, it's never going to be a great TV watch. Part of the drama is the distance.

I agree that #2 sounds like a great idea. I also share your preference for the longer distances (assuming, of course, that walking events are retained, which is a different matter). I note, however, that if the distances are left unchanged, the events are likely to take even longer to complete. That's not merely a problem for television coverage. It also embarrasses the sport, since current race times are inevitably compared with those of the past.

Yes,

Reading the Save The Race Walking website linked in that AW piece ... They're not against the proposed insoles but just concerned that this technology is adequately tested first before being used in competition and then, if it is deemed a good solution, that it should be available for use at all races. They accuse the IAAF of being secretive about a lot of the detail and plans for implementation.

As a racewalk person, and someone on the inside of the sport, I am in total agreement with the chips.

Changing the event distances is not a good idea, in my opinion, but the chips are fine. I welcome them, in fact. There are a lot of walkers who just play the game of trying to get away with as much as possible. If you have quick turnover, and if you have short legs, it's much easier to cheat.

So please don't lump all walkers together on this. Many think it's a great idea. It's the current top athletes who will be against it mostly because many of them are actually walking illegally.

Rojo and Wejo, you guys are very against walking, and you're entitled to your opinions because this is your own personal website, but this is an issue that you should push. I hope you will do it respecting the fact that many people work very hard to be good at this event.

The chips should happen asap. Should've happened long ago.

Put similar chips in sprint spikes to help determine if someone has false started.

I am honestly impressed by these people. They can "run" fairly fast, looking like they have a stick planted very deeply...

So instead of a chip to force them to walk, why not an actual stick -- and then let them walk or run with whatever form they like. Walkers can get a time bonus for thicker or longer sticks. It would make the entire event maybe actually somewhat slightly entertaining.

HRE wrote:

Did you read something I didn't see? I read that walkers are rebelling against changing the race distances but the AW piece says nothing about rebelling against the chips.

Except for points 2 and 4 below:

“Instead, the action group suggests four ideas:

1 Keep current 20km/50km as the international race walking distances until after the 2024 Olympics.

2 Use this extended timeframe to properly test the new shoe insert technology.

3 Work to enhance the current 20km/50km events to make them more attractive to the general viewing public.

4. Visit this issue (if it still exists) again in 2024 once the shoe insert technology has been deemed to work (or not).”

You know what would make race walking more exciting? Do like NASCAR did and split the races up into shorter races within the race.

50k could have a 15k segment, another 15k segment and a final 20k segment.

Maybe an orange break in between the different segments. Maybe a "team mom" could provide Capri-Suns, too.

trotters and pacers wrote:

No kidding. The chips would show that every walker is actually running, it just can't generally be seen by the naked eye.

The whole field would be DQed before they even left the stadium.

Not true. Many would be DQ'd, but there are a lot of walkers who train hard to remain legal. I would guess that much of the middle of the pack on back would be fine (with the exception of the few at the back that are just horrible), and 3/4 of the front pack would be DQ'd. The majority would be ok.

It's the 75% of the better walkers making the noise (and their coaches) about this. And they are wrong. If you have rules, they should be followed, otherwise it's not right.

Angry Willy wrote:

Put similar chips in sprint spikes to help determine if someone has false started.

They have pressure sensors in the blocks, which do the same thing.

Slartibartfast wrote:

HRE wrote:

Did you read something I didn't see? I read that walkers are rebelling against changing the race distances but the AW piece says nothing about rebelling against the chips.

Except for points 2 and 4 below:

“Instead, the action group suggests four ideas:

1 Keep current 20km/50km as the international race walking distances until after the 2024 Olympics.

2 Use this extended timeframe to properly test the new shoe insert technology.

3 Work to enhance the current 20km/50km events to make them more attractive to the general viewing public.

4. Visit this issue (if it still exists) again in 2024 once the shoe insert technology has been deemed to work (or not).”

I read all of that and don't see any "rebellion" except the one against changing the distances. Wanting to make sure the technology works before it becomes determinant is not the same as rebelling against it.

I saw this on Let's Run and I agree 100% (I use it all the time):

Race Walking is like having a contest to see who can whisper the loudest.

Yes, it's hard- a lot of things are hard- construction work is hard, cutting wood is hard, but I just personally don't think there is any place in the sport for race walking.

I heard USATF is gonna make old runners use these chips at Nationals . They are gonna turn em on in reverse and if a runner has more than one foot on the ground they get DQd.