Forums >Racing>$25 VIP fee for race day packet pickup?!
Not dead. Yet.
Has anyone else ever seen this? Is it a ploy to get people to go to the expo? It's really annoying for me as I will have to drive 40+ miles the day before the race just to pick up my packet.
They are pretty clear that you will forfeit the race if you don't pick up your packet the day before, but do you think they will bend the rules for people who don't follow it? It's not like they are just going to say tough luck...right?
How can we know our limits if we don't test them?
flashlight and sidewalk
Is it a big race? Chances are they will not be shy about saying tough luck. Maybe have someone pick up your packet for you? I wouldn't chance it...$25 or 40 miles driving...tough call.
**Ask me about streaking**
If they have race day pickup for a fee, and you don't pay it, then no... don't expect your packet to be there on race day. Either drive the day before or pay the $25.
be curious; not judgmental
It sucks, but it's not uncommon. The majority of the races around here don't have race day packet pickup. Some will mail the packet to you for 20 bucks before the race, but otherwise you have to pick up your packet in the days before. The only ones that do have race day pickup are small local 5ks and 10ks.
Yeah it sucks, but I can see why the bigger races do it. When you have a race with 5,000 people or more it can really be a pain logistically if everyone is trying to pick up their packet on race day.
Prince of Fatness
Is it a ploy to get people to go to the expo?
I do not think that this is the primary reason. I know of a race local to me that used to give you the option of picking your packet up at the expo or on race morning. A couple of years ago they changed it as you describe in your post.
I always picked my packet up at the expo since it was not a bad drive. I did not notice a significant change in the amount of people at the expo after the change in policy. My guess is that it helps the RD organize the volunteers both at the expo and on race day. I would think that there would be less pickup race morning and therefore less volunteers needed for handing the packets out.
Not at it at all.
delicate flower
$25 "VIP fee"...sounds like an oxymoron.
<3
I'm not sure what is considered big...it was almost 5000 people last year. I didn't pay the fee just out of principle at first, but now I'm regretting it. It pisses me off, but I guess I have to drive it now.
I want to believe they are doing it for the money, but I guess I can see the problem of volunteers being better used elsewhere.
This fee may make since if the race is actually paying staff extra for same day pickup but these events are mainly staffed by volunteers hence there is no(or very small) cost for same day pickup. sounds like they are just trying to squeeze a few extra $s out of runners,
My guess is that it helps the RD organize the volunteers both at the expo and on race day. I would think that there would be less pickup race morning and therefore less volunteers needed for handing the packets out.
+1 We used to help out with a local race (~400 runners). Even so, there was enough craziness the morning of the race that if we could have done registration/packet pickup the day before, it would have been a huge help. I can't even imaging trying to do that with 5,000+ runners.
That said, I hate it when races don't let you have a friend pick up the packet for you.