Why Do Some Races Cost So Much (Read 2463 times)

So, turning the question around, what is a race worth to you? What is a 5k worth? What about a marathon? A race that you have focused your life towards for some six months ...

Ideally, I like to keep the cost at $2/mile or less, if possible. Special races are worth making an exception, and I'd rather spend more money on a small local "homegrown" race than a huge corporate race. For example, Leadville wound up costing $2.15/mile this year, but that's still a good deal considering everything that goes into putting on a race that lasts that long. Trent's marathon is barely making ends meet at $60 a person and I'd be more than happy to pay that. I love to support the small race directors. I get more irritated with gigantic for-profit races that charge super high fees. For example, the Bolder Boulder 10k here where I live is a good case of the latter category. The race has 50,000 runners and the entry fee is $40 for a cotton t-shirt, $50 for a tech tee, and up to $85 for some other stuff (a pair or crocs, I think). The race brings in $10 million to our local economy every year, so I'd be willing to bet the city donates all or some of the police and traffic control. If everyone paid the $40, they would bring in $2,000,000 in revenue, before expenses. I'd love to see the balance sheet for that race, because I can't image closing 6.2 miles of roads and buying 50k cotton t-shirts could cost that much. They have enormous corporate sponsorship too... so I'd be willing to bet a good portion of the expenses (food, water, drinks, shirts, etc) are donated. They heavily recruit for aid station volunteers, so most of that labor is also free. - Chris Edit/PS: I can't fault the Bolder Boulder organizers for putting this race on and doing it for-profit... I fully support capitalism and the public is obviously willing to pay to run this race so more power to them. There's obviously a market for it. I just personally wouldn't pay to run this one again (I did it once).

If you want a cheap race close to where you live, consider making your own.

If time is money, this is about the most expensive way to go.

There was a marathon here on the Seacoast of NH a few months ago that cost something like $45 to enter.. or $65 to enter... I pay $65 to run in the Vermont 50.. why the hell would I pay that much to run 26.2? Some of the marathons and shorter races are just down right ridiculous. We put on a snowshoe marathon last month... entry was $45 for a few months before it raised to $65. For finishing you got a framing hammer, we offered FREE SNOWSHOE RENTALS.. AND... you got a ticket to the Lobster and Shrimp feast post race. Some people try to "justify" why a race is so expensive.. there really is no need for it in mho.

Hitchcock Woods 50k last year, good support, good food during and after (hot pizza). $10! No shirt included, that was extra. I don't know how she (RD) did it.

Thanks, Drew. I originally was thinking about making a different shirt for me (OK, I'll admit it, a Beard Runner shirt), but a day or two after your post one of our VTU entrants spontaneously submitted some cool T-shirt graphics that we could use for our race, so your idea is helping us figure out a way to use the artwork. Thanks again!

$125.00

More than that. from Marathonguide.com: New York City Marathon Opens 2008 Registration and Lottery - Holy Cow: $166* USA Fee; $221* International Fee *including lottery "processing fee" Registration open from 2/25 to 5/1 for guaranteed and international participants and through 6/1 for general lottery participants - plus, our annual pet peeve moment... Acceptance into the ING New York City Marathon is one of the most difficult annual feats for runners. Each year, runners can gain guaranteed entry to the November marathon through one of four methods: 1) NYRR members may finish nine NYRR races throughout the year to achieve a guaranteed slot, 2) any runner may best certain qualifying standards (age-dependent), 3) foreign registrants may register through an official foreign travel partner (agency), or 4) runners may participate through certain designated charities. For the rest of the world, registration is by lottery registration by June 1st with the results announced in mid-June. By certain estimates, approximately 50,000 lottery participants will likely be turned away. Almost like the annual ceremony of watching the Super Bowl or the Oscars, the running industry watches the pricing of the NYC Marathon to see where running futures might be headed... The fees for 2008 represent an across-the-board increase of $25 in fees from the 2007 registration - although the 2008 fees include bus travel to start, something that the marathon charged $20 for in past years. We will, as we do annually, continue to remark on our pet peeve of the charge of a $11 ($10 in 2007 and $7 in 2006 and prior) processing fee to enter the New York City Marathon lottery, which is unprecedented in the industry - especially when assessed against those who are not selected. As we'll always note, that's approximately half a million dollars from runners who are denied entry to the race - that's something we've still never seen in other USA running events and is equivalent to the entire runner registration budget for many races.

The prices of some races have gone up disproportionally to simply account for inflation. The Chicago Marathon is now about 3X what it was 10 years ago.

Do you think races 10 years ago were underpriced? Again, what are you willing to pay for a race you have trained 6 months or more to run? My wife and I could go out for a dinner at a regular restaurant and by time we have paid for dinner, movie and a babysitter, it comes to about the same as a big city marathon. It also takes me about the same amount of time, and the date doesn't even come with a tee shirt.

It also takes me about the same amount of time, and the date doesn't even come with a tee shirt.

You should suggest your wife come up with themed dates that include t-shirts or at least an embroidered hat.