On the Day entries

[Deleted User]

Just out of interest, what do race organisers think of people who enter on the day?

The reason I'm asking is I know there is generally an extra £1/£2 fee for entering on the day and was wondering what this money was for - is it some legal insurance related payment or does it go add to the club coffers? If it is to add to the club's funds, then at least my late payments have been going to a good cause so I don't mind paying that little extra.

Anyway, do organisers see such late entrants as being an extra burden to organise on the day, or are they happy with the extra funds they generate?

[Deleted User]

WD - the money goes to the club.

It also reflects the fact these people have saved money on 2 x stamps and envelopes.

Realistically you want as few people entering on the day as possible, as many of them turn up at the last minute as well.

Personally I was happy with the extra funds when 150+ people entered our 10k on the day but happy I was marshalling the car park, rather than on entry duty!

Blisters

As a late entry user I view it as the perfectly valid optional price for flexibility. If it was run by Stelios Haj-Ianou it would be £90 extra on the day.

I can also understand why races grow out of the desire to handle the extra aggravation. Try processing 100 people on the day, that seems bad enough, but when life conspires against you? When it's hissing it down and the pub is full of anglers & walkers and geriatrics and you have only got a tiny corner by the door.

£2 extra? Bargain.

Blisters

Re-reading that post, I would like to defend my actions! If I turn up late, I expect to be told to bog off, as the book is shut and the race limit is reached. Or the limit of patience of the registrar!

So I would only ever do it on tinpot local class C events.

[Deleted User]

I only run races that I can enter on the day.

[Deleted User]

Hi most of my races are on the day because the last few years injurys have made me wait till on the day just to see if i can run.If injured and you have entered a race and hope to be ok on the day only makes you over do it trying to get fit for the race and set you back even more.I take my hat off to the ones that put the races on and do all the work you dont see and the marshalls out on the race route standing in rain,hail,and snow thanks to you all.

Gobi

I enter my main races in advance and then float around choosing many others that I can enter on the day. But, I am always very early :¬)

[Deleted User]

Of the 250 entrants for our wednesday 5-miler last year, we had nearly 100 enter on the day. I can't remember if we charged extra, but we should have: it was me that had to type in all the details. Man that job is hectic! Any inducement to enter in advance and reduce the amount of work beforehand is worth it.

I usually just get the details in before the first runner crosses the line and I have to start entering the results. I then have the race director trying to do the prizes while I'm still typing away trying to work out who the over-60 ladies winner is.

Blisters

Surely there's a simple spreadsheet or database that can be used?

Press button and sort into order, and bingo!

[Deleted User]

Great blisters - we use a spreadsheet, but ours isn't the sort where you just show it the entry forms and results forms and it automatically sucks in the details. My computer has a keyboard, and I think that's what you have to use to type in the details.


At least the spreadsheet does tell me who the winners are once I've entered the race numbers and times. If you have a spreadsheet that doesn't involve typing, then please let me know!

;-)

Jose.

Entries on the day are very usefull if you cannot commit yourself in advance. Pitty that not all the events allow you to do so.

I see the extra-charge being perfectly reasonable as it is not only time consuming but also you have to use club members for those duties instead of being ready to marshall the event.

I've never complain about the extra charge and I understant that you cannot allow more runners after the limit is reached.

[Deleted User]

People who turn up and enter on the day should expect to have to pay a bit extra.

By then, they know what the weather will be like, and they know for certain they will be able to run that day. They have convenience and certainty on their side.

They don't face the various unknowns and unforeseeables that the person entering well in advance faced when he sent off his money.

[Deleted User]

I can understand entries on the day for anything less that a 15 miler (i.e half and below). Anything more than that and the entrant *must* have at least thought about entering before the day. Most medium-key races the postal closing date is only a week before the event, so most people will know if they are going to be fit enough to race by then.

Even so a club will usually have had to fork out for all the 'per runner' stuff by then anyway, so they have to guess on the numbers.

As Susie says it is a lot of stress for late entries to be processed even with wizzy race computers and software (like Race Master).

Its horrible to have to turn people down, but it really isn't nice when people get ansty about it when you say the race is full or whatever... Believe me, it happens.

I'll never organise a 'medium-key event' again with entries on the day. I'd do it for a low-key only entries on the day event for fewer than 100 people - but then I'd organise the results etc very different.

For high-key events there is no choice - you can't have entries on the day.

I have no objection to on-the day entries being £2 for a 10K or £5 for half, though it would actually make more sense to have £5 for the 10K as you have much less time to get all the details in. You want to put people off doing that late entry as much as you can...

How many Tri's have entry on the day? Virtually none!