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Rant about outrageous race prices.
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The problem with the 'well just enter the cheap races then' argument is you are basically saying 'Enter any race that doesnt include the words 'London' in the title.'
Why should runs in our capital city be locked out to runners because they are either too expensive or locked out by charities.
For instance, its all nice and good that the London Marathon raises so much for charidee ...... but lets say I wanted to host a Marathon in London over the same course but on a different day. How far do you think I would get in negotiations? Errr excuse me Boris, I know holding a marathon is quite disruptive, but do you mind if we do another one as well?
I would be turfed out of his office quick smart. So effectively the London marathon has a monopoly on the event, so the 'set up your own if you don't like it.' doesnt quite wash, and if it is a monopoly, it should be held to a higher standard as there is no opportunity for others to run a 'better' event so we are stuck with the whim of the organisers.
Ultra/adventure running forum. The L word is pretty much banned on here. I think this discussion was more trail based, comparing LDWA type events with the bigger, more expensive ones that are on the rise.
I agree totally that the L word has a lot to answer for, and I suppose the worry is that ultras go the same way. But I think we're safe, as rather ironically the hell that is great north/south runs and their ilk can occupy the masses, keeping the trails free.
If YOU believe it is too expensive to run then DONT run it.
Or if you can organise one for cheaper then do so.
We will keep our endless beautiful wooded or mountainous paths off the radar and stay where we are happy .
Hi Boris. I'd like to set up another London marathon please. Oh you cant shut down all of london for another? well i guess that shoots spen71's argument down in flames.
You've just explained why the London marathon is expensive. Pay up or find another marathon, of which there are plenty.
And this is an ultra running thread, not a road running thread.
I never noticed until you mentioned it.
🙂
if you think that your favourite trail race is too expensive ....just hold your own version.......
though with the price of petrol being what it is compared to 10 years ago just for the organisers to send people and water to checkpoints is no longer cheap
and lets be honest....unless its local the cost of petrol for you to get to the race is usually more than the entry fee
lol, chill spen
friends again?
Just to be pedantic, ultra is in referance to distance not terrain no? (those who've done comrades or badwater may get a little irked otherwise
)
Point taken, ultra/trail running as opposed to marathon/road racing.
The bottom line!
I'm not a member of the LDWA but wonder if the cakes and goodies provided at the checkpoints are bought along by people who are also participating?
There are also no marshalls out on the course. On the 28mile Southdowns marathon they had 3 checkpoints. The last one a guy in a car giving out orange squash and digestive biscuits.
"If you think 'x' race is too dear don't do it and either find one that isn't or set up your own.
I wish I lived in this simplistic world that most of you people seem to!!
Maybe we deserve high prices as punishment for the majority having no idea of the value of money, life in general is too easy for most of us!. I don't suppose it is any coincidence that ultras have got more expensive as they have become the new race for life as people have got bored with tri. Trouble is that attracts more people with higher disposable incomes who are happy to pay(I don't have a problem with that), which in turn bumps up prices because organisers(and they are only human) see a chance to make some more money.This in turn creates a demand for places in cheaper races which either go the same way or fill up so fast that your ordinary runner who hasn't got his ear glued to the proverbial smartphone ground with daily updates of what races are on, misses out on getting a space.
Just like anything else, all these things are interlinked and each has an imapact-positive or negative- on the other. So to say go elsewhere if you don't like it is at best naive and at worst just plain selfish in true 'I'm alright Jack' fashion.
TimR - they are paid for out of event funds, but (at least in part) purchased by event marshalls who reclaim the expense, which can give a variety of types of food available.
On the last one I did last week, one (early) checkpoint had sausages and sausage rolls and sandwiches normally associated with walkers , another fruit, rice pudding , malt loaf, and other things much more normally associated with ultra runners: so there is certainly a "personal touch" to what is offered.
On the pace of long ultras with steep walking climbs your body is more able to digest fatty foods than on shorter faster things like road marathons or less, where your digestion can partially shut down.
Tea, biscuits and or toast to start. All checkpoint food. Copious tea, a meal and other snacks at the end all included in the princely sum of £11 after: for an event whose front runners are between 3-4 hours, backmarkers more like 10.
Great atmostphere too. What I like most about LDWA is the social unpressured atmosphere. It is not in essence a race.
As a runner at all, you will not finish last, or get timed out, which is not true of long A class fell races, in which you cannot be "mid to back" of pack as an ordinary runner and hope to make A long cutoffs in time. I am a well sub 3 marathoner, yet unless I am fit I haved struggled to make some of the cutoffs even back then. It is far less a social experience, far more of a race..
The "ultra" scene, by and large (take events like Bullock Smithy) are much more tolerant of a range of standards.
AndrewSmith - You'll get lots of disagreement no doubt, but I get what youre saying and to a large part I agree.
I have jumped on here after somebody on the T184 thread said something about the price. Its horses for courses really. Yes 125£ to me is a hell of a lot of money and yes its quite expensive for a self supported race. But for me it might be a once in a life time expereience (I know th TP isn't quite the Sahara etc) but its a race that i can enter where I don't have to wait 2 years to get a place and its near enough on my doorstep. its my big race next year so 125 isn't too bad. I am also doing the TP100 which costs about 129£. Again expensive but Centurion seem like a good group to do my first 100 with so again not fussed and i am safe in the knowledge I will be looked after come what may. But a lot of the events I do will be LDWA (Sidmouth Saunter 7£) and local marathons at 25£ a pop. The way i look at it for 125£ I could easily buy a pair of trainers or a couple of pairs, once ran into the ground they will be forgotten about but 125£ to run with a couple of mates on, what for me, will be as good as an adventure as I am going to be able to afford and attend-the memories will last forever. i know many people may not think like that but every Ultra I have done I have taken away such good memories that the price to a point is irrelevant. So if you don't want to pay the money don't but usually an event will get under your skin and the price just doesn't matter. I am attending an event set up on Facebook (FatAss style) where a group of us are going to run part of the Cotswold Way in February.....could this be the way forward perhaps??
Certainly organising your own event is pretty easy. I'm organising a Yorkshire Three Peaks event next year. It'll be friends of friends only. A few people in cars at the road crossings for emergencies and water. All self sufficient. Solo, pairs or groups. Everyone will have to carry a certificate and photograph the certificate next to each trig point. People time themselves.
I've not worked out costs yet but will be based on reimbursing checkpoint car fuel only.
To understand how much you are being ripped off, you need to understand the costs. Take your local 10k/half marathon organised by your local club, which may attract a few hundred runners. Costs in the order of
Medical £100_£200
Winners trophies - £100_£200
Medals/T-shirts - £500_£1000 (500 runners)
Chip timing - £1000? (500 runners, but don't know costs)
Hire of sports centre/community hall - £200?
Numbers/pins/entry forms and other bits and pieces -£200
Road closures (possibly at start/finish, but not whole course) £1000
What did I miss? But let's say £3000 costs without sponsors donations.
So if the race attracts 250 runners paying £15 each that's £3750 income and most races don't have a road closure (he says) and not all have chip timing.
You can extrapolate from there for big city races.
Is tax not payable ? Signage, hire of race clock, race arch, marshals bibs, tannoy, race certificate. Do you have to pay British Athletics a portion of the entry ?
Also there are a lot of parks, open spaces, reservoirs etc that the owners will require permission from you to hold your event.
While CROW access allows you to run on open land, you are still not entitled to hold organised or commercial 'games'.
The thread is about 'lean' events, not mass participation road races.
Don't talk shit Cougie.
oh dear Pudge .......... (ps why arent teh edit and quote buttons working anymore?)
Cougie - no, not in a local road race in the countryside. Portaloos though. But you get the order of costs per runner.
We could report it Mr A - we might get an answer some time in the next six months if we're lucky
I wish the UK had a few more expensive but better supported 100 mile+ road races spaced throughout the year. I'm going to the US to run three times next year because they have better events on offer. Would gladly pay £200 for UK versions if it meant avoiding air fares and jetlag.