Forums >General Running>What factors do you consider when running a race?
I'm race directing a 5K/10K run for a non-profit. There are three races in the area. Two of them are non-profit, the other one is the Grand Prix for the track club. My race is for autism. It's the most expensive, BUT...
1. It's the only 10K
2. We have a pre-race pasta party at Olive Garden
3. We are giving away tech shirts
4. If you form a team, you get a discount on your race entry
5. The post-race party includes free food and beer (the other two races do not)
6. The course is on USATF certified course
It's in 7 weeks, I have 3 people signed up, I'm nervous. Would you run it?
Jodi
PR:
Half: 1:48 (March 3rd, 2013)
Full: 4:05:40 (March 17th, 2013)
2013/2014 Goals:
Sub-4:00 hour Marathon
Sub- 125 poundsSub- 1:45 hour half.
Mmmmm...beer
I do like to support good causes when I race, so I try to take that into consideration, but sometimes a race just looks fun, or fits into my schedule/goals. This is my first year doing my club's grand prix series, so I'm doing all of those races that I can (looks like I'll hit 8 out of 12, need a minimum of 6 to qualify). All things being equal, I'll take a race with a better party/swag over a race without.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
1. I guess if I want a 10k then you're the only game in town
2. Don't care
3. Don't care
4. Don't care
5. For a 5k/10k? Don't care.
6. This would be important to me
Honestly, I'd only run it if I were looking specifically to race a 10k. Otherwise, no. If the other races are established races and yours is the new kid on the block, I'd suggest you picked the wrong weekend.
be curious; not judgmental
I don't think there's enough information there for me to say:
Your race is the most expensive, but how much more expensive is it than the other races?
Do the other races have tech shirts also or just yours?
To go along with your team discount, do you have team scoring and team awards?
Are the other races also USATF certified?
Here are the factors the decide what race I will run:
1: Is it a USATF Grand Prix race?
2: Does the distance and date fit my training schedule?
3: Is it close to where I live? And can I sleep in a little or is it a 7am start time?
4: What is the price?
5: Are my friends running it? Is there team scoring?
6: Is there prize money?
Here's what I'm willing to pay per distance for a race:
Track: $15
5k: $30
10k: $45
Half: $60
Full: $100 (Exceptions made if I qualify for Boston/NYC or decide to run any of the other Marathon Majors).
Proboscis Colossus
My race is for autism.
There's your problem, right there. Literally NO ONE I know likes autism, let alone would enter a race to support it. To raise money for research to treat/prevent it? Sure. To support the families of autistic children? Absolutely. But to support autism? Frankly, I don't understand how you or the three runners you have signed up can live with yourselves.
Kidding, of course! To answer your question, when I'm looking around at races, schedule, cost (including travel), and location are the primary factors, in that order. Though the cause the race supports is a factor, the importance of which varies according to my passion for that cause. Support for autism research/support for families would be up there, for me.
Matter of fact, there is a 5K/HM for that very cause right down the road from me on April 13. Unfortunately I'm likely out of town that weekend, and it's two weeks before my goal marathon - not really conducive to me running it. However, now that you got me thinking, if it does look like I'll be in town, I'll sure volunteer to help.
"God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people
Be careful about offering too many frills if it is a race for a charity. It makes me think very little of the money is going to the cause. From my standpoint I do not really need pre race and post race parties, I can find a restaurant afterwards and pay for my own lunch. If local just eat at home. A few snacks are good for after the race (bananas, bagels, cookies, etc..). My most important factors are
- does the distance fit my schedule
- is the location convenient or someplace I really want to go
- Does the course appeal to me (scenic or interesting, reasonably flat)
- Do I have every reason the race will be executed correctly (accurately timed with accurate mile or km markers), will the race committee and volunteers deliver on what is advertised (having the course certified is an indicator this will be true).
-Price would be a factor if it were charged too much. Especially with pre and post race parties I would I think I was paying for those and not the race.
- Good web sites are effective advertising tools that work on me.
- Don't get a bad rep, they are next to impossible to get rid of. Make sure you team is ready to go on race day.
That's just me.
I don't think there's enough information there for me to say: Your race is the most expensive, but how much more expensive is it than the other races? Do the other races have tech shirts also or just yours? To go along with your team discount, do you have team scoring and team awards? Are the other races also USATF certified? Here are the factors the decide what race I will run: 1: Is it a USATF Grand Prix race? 2: Does the distance and date fit my training schedule? 3: Is it close to where I live? And can I sleep in a little or is it a 7am start time? 4: What is the price? 5: Are my friends running it? Is there team scoring? 6: Is there prize money? Here's what I'm willing to pay per distance for a race: Track: $15 5k: $30 10k: $45 Half: $60 Full: $100 (Exceptions made if I qualify for Boston/NYC or decide to run any of the other Marathon Majors).
This is pretty much my criteria as well.
Runners run
Are we there, yet?
The fact that there's a 10K option on a certified course is the only drawing factor for me since 10Ks are rare in my area.
When you say there are three races in the area, I assume you mean the same day or same weekend. That's a problem because a lot of runners will stick with races they've run in previous years. If they do run a different race, they're more likely to choose one they know something about instead of an inaugural race.
How much your entry fee is may be the biggest problem. For a 5K/10K race I wouldn't consider anything over $40 and I'd be expecting something more in the range of $30-$35. The pre-race pasta party is not a draw for me and if that expense was added into the entry fee assuming most runners would attend, that might have put off a few. You may also get a huge influx of same day registrations if you are allowing that.
Another consideration is where and how you've been advertising. Have you hit all the local running stores and dropped off applications there? Have you contacted local running clubs to let them know about the race so they can add it to their race calendars? Are you posting signs around town? Have you asked RW and other on-line running sites to add it to their race calendars?
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
not bad for mile 25
What he said, and:
I like running new races in the area, unless it is the same weekend as one of the races I like to run. I like the 10k option, that would be a plus, so I might consider your race but the big concern is the fact that your race is the most expensive. I run races most weekends of the year and the cost has become a driving factor on which of the shorter races I will run. If the cost difference is only $5 then the difference in price wouldn't be a factor. If the difference is $20 then i wouldn't consider your race.
One other thing, most races I run now give out tech shirts and I have many of them. I only wear them for running and have all that I need. However I wear normal t-shirts most every day. I think a nice long sleeve cotton shirt would make the new race even more attractive.
For some reason 10K distance races are out of favor with the masses right now. Don't ask me why but they all want to run 1/2marathon and full marathons. It seems they'll stomach a 5K for charity. That might be why you only have 3 entrants.
I'd absolutely run your race if
it REALLY was 10K. If it's a USATF-certified course then advertise that prominently because most people that run 10K are usually kind of serious hobby joggers and they'll notice that. Make absolutely sure the course is marked accurately and layed out properly (ie follow the certification EXACTLY). Don't give up if turnout is not what you want, sometimes it takes a couple years to build the race. Personally, I wouldn't care about #'s 2 - 5 but realistically to attract people those types of things are a must-do.
Half Fanatic 12680
Same for me. I don't care about the food before or after and, like the other poster, I think that advertising a pre-race dinner (which for a 10K is totally not needed) seems like funds are being diverted away from the charity. If I was considering this race versus another, I would consider price, but I would also think about distance away from home, the course itself (flat is better and scenic is nice), and the AG awards -- prefer 3 deep in 5-year categories; I don't want to be competing in my AG against those spry 50-year-olds. The tech shirt is nice and might offset the price in my mind, but I'd prefer a lower price and no shirt.
My consideration factors are:
-FIRST.......AM I running well enough so that I don't embarrass myself on race day.......
.
-How many runners will there be --- I dont like to run in too small of a race or too big of a race....2,000 in a 5K is crazy but in a Half Marathon its just about right.......500 in a 10k is cool but in a Marathon its a little sparse (might get lonely out there)....
-How far from my house is the race.....the shorter the race the less distance I would go for the race...5K's 20 miles MAX, Half Marathon a 2 or 3 hours is OK.....
-Cost....$30 for a 5K, $60/75 for a Half
-Where the money goes.......if the money goes to a local charity like a school, food pantry, or to a local running club then I'll enter but if it goes to some for profit organization that keeps the money then I probably wont run those races....
-Distance......depending on how I'm running. Right now a 5k is the most I would run because my running SUX, but later in the fall if I have my choice between a 5K or 10K or a Half, I'll normally take the longer races (more of an event usually and more fun)
Don't care about the shirts because I usually end up using them for rags during spring cleaning or checking the oil in my car anyway...I like it to be USATF certified but don't care if they are......I do like a decent post race party of food and drink......
One last criteria - If I have a few friends running or know my running club is involved then I know there will be people I know at the race -- that always makes it a little more fin....
Champions are made when no one is watching
The factors vary based on the distance of a race. I'll support a good cause, but for a 10k, it needs to be local and inexpensive for me to want to race it and I'd like a certified course. I don't really care about the tech shirt, pasta party, or post-race stuff for such a short distance. I don't really care about it for the longer distances either, although I do like good snacks post-half and full marathon. Are the frills driving the entry fee for your race up?
Sadly (because I love a 10k), it seems like the 10k is dying out. The half marathon is now the "beginner's race." Offer a half and a medal and I'll bet more people will sign up.
What are the details of the other races? Same weekend? What distance and how long have they been around?
1. fun factor-different race, different location, more enjoyable course, etc.
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2. timing of race-basically based on how it fits into my training or personal schedule. includes distance of race as well. I tend to run more 5k's earlier on in year & expand distance as season goes along.
3.cost-seems there are more & more races with jacked up prices & less swag. I would rather participate in a lesser known race with shirt/no shirt option & less swag. there are a few good fun races nearby (up to 1 hr away) run by local running clubs that have low or very reasonable costs with no frill swag but with great food afterwards (club members bake cookies & stuff). I have enough shirts & recycling shopping bags. travel cost is a factor as well. The lower the cost the more events I can do! I signed up with early registration for a Sept. 15k that I signed up for last year but DNS due to medical condition. put on by local running club. $15 with shirt & I know they will have little swag but lots of post race goodies!! never disappointed by races put on by the 2 northern clubs. Great area/beautiful course!! as good as it gets in my opinion.
4.certified course & with at least outside chance of getting lucky & placing in AG. I really just compete with my own goals/race times but AG placings are nice every so often
5.. local cause-definitely would rather support a local cause. food bank, homeless shelter, local vets, etc.... there are a couple of local race series that are around $40 for a 5k with little swag & no mention of what it is supporting. money go into organizer's own pocket?? I ran one of these & very disappointed in overall experience, will avoid these completely in future.