Sun Trail Running & Nonstop Race Management

Maximizing Value Through Chip Timing Technology

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When I started Nonstop Race Management in April 2024, Josh Sun was the very first race director that I reached out to. Josh is the founder of Sun Trail Running (STR), a grassroots trail running organization that puts on several trail and ultra events across the Quad Cities and Dubuque areas. Kasey and I had run multiple STR races dating back to 2018, and they are always top-notch events. From the swag items to the post-race party and everything in between, the entire race experience is always first class. It’s no surprise that STR events have developed a reputation for selling out extremely quickly.

Josh has always been very mindful of race registration fees and works tirelessly to make sure runners get the most value for their money. Because of that focus on keeping costs reasonable, Josh historically relied on volunteers to hand-time participants at his races. To Josh and all of the volunteers’ credit, they always did an excellent job at hand-timing, but it was a large undertaking that added significant race day stress and used up valuable human resources. There are also natural limitations to what you can do with live results and tracking when everything is recorded manually.

After we connected in the Spring of 2024, Josh decided to give chip timing a try, and the very first race that Nonstop timed as a company was the 2024 Sunderbruch B&B Trail Races. It was a meaningful milestone for us as a new timing company, and also the first time an STR race used chip timing technology.

One of the biggest advantages of outsourcing timing operations that Josh noticed right away was that it eliminated a significant burden from his race-day workload. By having a dedicated team handle the timing operations, Josh and his volunteers were able to spend more time focusing on other aspects of the event—like managing aid stations, cheering on runners, and creating the welcoming atmosphere that STR races are known for.

"Timing at a race is obviously one of the most critical components of the day with very little room for error. Our volunteer timing teams have been second to none over the years, but being able to completely off-load those duties to the incredibly capable Nonstop team has been an absolute game-changer for us." -Josh Sun, Sun Trail Running

Chip timing has also made live results and tracking possible for STR races. Today’s runners have become used to seeing their results posted online immediately after finishing. Nonstop posts live results online (including remote split locations), and runners can even sign up to receive their results by text message or email within seconds of crossing the finish line. For longer trail and ultra races, the technology becomes even more powerful through live tracking. STR’s premiere race, the Mines of Spain 100, consists of five 20-mile loops at the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area in Dubuque. In 2025, Nonstop deployed six split timing locations on each loop (30 split points in total), allowing friends and family to follow runners’ progress throughout the entire race. Over the course of the event, we sent 25,429 text messages and 18,358 emails, for a total of 43,787 live notifications updating spectators and supporters as runners progressed through the course.

What’s been especially rewarding for us is seeing how this technology fits into the experience Josh has built with Sun Trail Running. STR races were already excellent events long before chip timing was introduced, and our goal was to simply enhance the participant experience that Josh and his team have worked so hard to cultivate.

Since that first race together in 2024, the partnership between Nonstop Race Management and Sun Trail Running has continued to grow. In 2026, Nonstop will be providing timing services for all six STR events throughout the year!

To learn more about Sun Trail Running and their races, visit their website at suntrailrunning.com.

Photos courtesy of A. Roe Photography and Mile 90 Photography