Forums >Racing>How far are you prepared to travel for a Race?
Only purpose is link.
Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine and back for the Portland/Portland Coast to Coast Marathons in 2010.
Marathon Maniac #991 Half Fanatic #58 Double Agent #22 It's a perfect day and I feel great!
I have done only 3 races - all local.
HM is the longest race I did and since I am not fast enough to win races, I do not get excited about paying $$ to participate in the races.
Time Warp!
I have 40+ weekends available to race a variety of distances within 2 hours of my house. 30+ within 30 minutes. I regulary drive 5-10 hours for 1-2 races and fly 1-2 times a year from to WI to somewhere in the USA. I would consider flying to Europe or similar distance for the right race.
I would think between 5ks - ultras on roads, fell races and trail races of any distance you would have more than 4 within 2 hours of your, but that is a guess with no knowledge behind it.
I have 30+ marathons and 20+ ultras in WI alone. Likely another 500+ races of shorted variety.
If you do not like the availabilty - Do something about it and organize a few races.
Just been reading how many races you guys run in a year. How do you fit so many in. I might manage 4 this year! I would have to travel all over Ireland to fit in 20 races. How far do you travel?
I am fuller bodied than Dopplebock
Richmond Marathon was as far as I have gone. About 9 hours.
Blue Ridge Relay. The end of the race is 30 miles away but the start is 250 miles.
Charlotte Marathon 2 hour drive.
All my other races are only 30 miles away.
4000 miles once for NYC, 1500 for club XC nats last fall. But usually less than 25 miles.
Mmmmm...beer
Since we're bringing it back from the dead, the farthest I've traveled for a race is 30 miles. I can race every weekend of the year and stay right at home. My marathon in Nov will be my new race travel record, it's 3 hours away.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!
I flew to Canada from the UK, once.
The furthest I've gone is Seattle (across the country from my then home of Rhode Island). But in Rhode Island, there is such a rich vibrant race scene within 1-2 hours drive (including Boston Marathon), one wouldn't have to travel very far at all to race twice a weekend if you wanted (I know guys who do).
Here in Atlanta, there are races every week within the same driving time, though not as ample as New England.
I would like someday to run a race in a foreign country.
I live in Vancouver. I have raced in Charlottetown (other side of Canada), NYC, Oakland. This year, I will race in Chicago. Next year, I will race in Thailand.
I don't travel *to* race, though. I travel for whatever reason (family, business, leisure, etc) and then find a race that fits my itinerary. I get to explore the city I'm in and there's usually a souvenir (shirt, beer mug, etc) that I can take home with. I actually don't race locally all that often because I can rarely justify paying to run routes I would otherwise run for free (I generally do local races that are small and cheap, or those where I want to support the cause).
I have given up the sport, this is a financial windfall
In the past
5,000 miles = 10 pair of shoes $500, 10 pair of socks $50, 10 spandex shorts $150 and 6 race ready shorts $150 per year. Between s-caps, gels, heed, endurox etc = $600 in nutrition directly + the extra calories I have to consume?
Race fees 10 x $80 per race (Ultra and marathon) = $800
Travel to trails to train $500
Car Travel to races $500
Plane / rental car / hotel $1,500 + 750 (Take wife along) = $2,250
$5,500
Of course there are plenty of races within driving distance that I could avoid the $2,250 and only have been spending $3,250
I could cut out many nutriceuticals and race less, train on road only and get it down to $2,000-$2,500 per year.
Running or no running, people still buy shoes, shorts, socks. And without a regular exercise regime, you may spend money on those "extra calories" but derived from a different food source.
I figure the registration fees I pay would've gone towards an entrance fee to a museum or fancier restaurant. So, no difference to me.
not bad for mile 25
I have given up the sport, this is a financial windfall In the past 5,000 miles = 10 pair of shoes $500, 10 pair of socks $50, 10 spandex shorts $150 and 6 race ready shorts $150 per year. Between s-caps, gels, heed, endurox etc = $600 in nutrition directly + the extra calories I have to consume? Race fees 10 x $80 per race (Ultra and marathon) = $800 Travel to trails to train $500 Car Travel to races $500 Plane / rental car / hotel $1,500 + 750 (Take wife along) = $2,250 $5,500 Of course there are plenty of races within driving distance that I could avoid the $2,250 and only have been spending $3,250 I could cut out many nutriceuticals and race less, train on road only and get it down to $2,000-$2,500 per year.
I don't want to know.
I agree that more we run, more it cost. But I love running and am not giving it up.
Only things I do differently(I think) are:
I do not run races. I do not run far enough that I need aid station support. I hope, it will change one day and I would able to run longer.
I eat chocolates instead of gels on long runs.