Forums >Racing>Why Do Some Races Cost So Much
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buzz
I know for some ultramarathons, it can get very pricy with getting rights to cross somebody's land or town permits and such. You also need to pay for a larger police/fire/emergency presence. The more towns that a race goes through, the higher the costs from a lot of duplicate fees. Depending upon sponsorships, the race may also need to pay for food, beverages, massage therapists, entertainment, renting out a hall for expo or finish ceremonies, etc. They may also be trying to raise extra money for their supporting charity, or line the race director or organizations pockets.
why are ultramarathons cheaper and have alot more to offer
Pick up that blood!
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx
Rob
Javelina costs $225. DAMN.
Also: "Fifty bucks the Smails kid picks his nose."
Good Bad & The Monkey
The Who?
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Owls, man.
Javelina costs $225. DAMN. Also: "Fifty bucks the Smails kid picks his nose."
Don't do it kid...
Imminent Catastrophe
But its a well-known fact that you can't count to 100, so why do you care?
"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"
"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain
"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.
√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015
Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016
Western States 100 June 2016
Because I have lots of friends going and several friends who would like to go, but got smacked by the price.
Free 100-Milers
Speed my steps along your path, according to your will.
But it's really a big Halloween party, plus you get a cool buckle!
I *am* complaining! Over the past couple of years the average cost for a local 5k in my area has gone from $10 pre-registration to $25-30. The races are all fundraisers for some worthy cause now and they all want to raise as much money as possible. In my humble opinion I think many of them have gotten a bit greedy. The
I'm a race director so I do understand the other side, but while costs have gone up for my race, they have not gone up nearly as steeply as the entry fees have. One of the biggest jumps in cost was the price of shirts - I started offering a two tier registration fee - cheaper registration with no shirt, more expensive one with a shirt - to keep things affordable for people and I really, really wish more races would do this. It hasn't been anymore work for me than the old way was, and the feedback I received when I made the change was overwhelmingly positive.
As a 5'1" runner build sort of person, the shirts never, ever fit me anyways!
As far as what I will pay - $15-20 for a 5k because I don't have a choice, there's nothing cheaper locally, but I run FAR fewer races than I did when they cost less. ~$30 for a 5mi/10k. Longer races I run far less frequently and am less cost aware, it's the huge price increase in the shorter stuff that I find so very frustrating. A 5mi trail race held on the organizations' own trails with a cotton t-shirt that won't fit, hand timing, and water and apples as refreshments afterwards simply does not warrant a $35 entry.
Part of it may be supply and demand. Many races sell out well in advance. That gives the organizers an opportunity to charge more the following year.
But if you shop around, I think you can find cheaper alternatives. That may involve travel/lodging, which may cancel out your savings :-)