Comments

  • You can do the Ultra for ??60 - much better value per mile image .
  • I know a marathon or two thats cheaper than that

  • It's not a race. It's a charity and challenge carnival. Which is fine for those who like such things but it's not for me.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Ultra for 60 quid? Per mile you mean? The race is 200 quid if you entered without promising to rise money for charity. I did I last year and wasn't impressed and won't do it again.
  • I looked at this yesterday as well and was rather shocked.  I'll stick with £18 for races like the Fleet and Wokingham halfs.

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    The charities seem to be taking over the sport.
  • Maybe it is about time people started to boycott races like this - but while people pay the entires they will continue to exploit - I entered the Braintree 5 last week me and my nephew - cost £17.50 for both of us, I'll continue to do those types of races rather than the rip off ones. I think that is why the parkruns are so popular turn up and run!!!  thats all we really need!!!

  • Yes it is a rip off, I just wouldn't pay that to run in a half marathon, but  lots of  people who may only do one or two races in a year, or even in their lifetime, see events like this like a  big music gig or other hard to get into event. You often see people on here referring to "tickets" for races.

     

     

  • I suppose if you make a family weekend away of it, whist still expensive it could be a great event. Plus the tag 'Royal' bumps the price up of anything.
  • Its balloted to get in so I guess the demand is there at that price.

  • It's all getting chugged!
  • Kind of suggests that there is someone out there who thinks that anyone who does running has go to be mad and it is definitely worth a try. There are runners out here who looks at this and thinks 'I hope no-one encourages them in this belief'

  • StiltsStilts ✭✭✭
    I did it last year, my first hm and quite enjoyed it especially the first half through central London and a particularly nice stretch down the Mall towards Buck Palace but the second half meandering around Hyde Pk was a bit tedious tbh but then I do live inLondon so the novelty/tourist value is not so great for me.



    I have entered the ballot again but if I get in prob won't accept the place because of the cost. Seriously - why so expensive especially compared to say VLM?



    For recreational non-club runners like me there is a certain comfort in running mass participation events like this rather than small local events where there is the entirely irrational fear of being left miles behind by 'serious' runners ...



    *runs away and hides*
  • Emmy - true, you do have to raise money for the 60 quid place, but the 100 and 200 quid places have all sold out, unbelievably. Wouldn't do it myself, it's essentially a race around all my long run routes, so it wouldn't be much of a novelty.
  • Stilts wrote (see)

    For recreational non-club runners like me there is a certain comfort in running mass participation events like this rather than small local events where there is the entirely irrational fear of being left miles behind by 'serious' runners ...

    *runs away and hides*

    Actually though, I do like small events, but this happened to some friends of mine. They entered a small, local 10k as their first race, trained for it a bit, thought it'd be friendlier and less intimidating than a big race, then turned up and practically everyone was in a club vest looking all 'serious' and zoomed off leaving them behind. Anyway, they struggled through it, having trained but perhaps not quite enough, probably started off too quickly because everyone else was (my speculation), didn't enjoy themselves much, and never did one again. They'd probably have had a better time in a bigger race with more people at their pace.

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    Mr Puffy wrote (see)

    Yes it is a rip off, I just wouldn't pay that to run in a half marathon, but  lots of  people who may only do one or two races in a year, or even in their lifetime, see events like this like a  big music gig or other hard to get into event. You often see people on here referring to "tickets" for races.

     

     

    Yes, you see the reference to tickets more and more.  I do try to advise them of their error  image

    Stilts, most of the races I do are small, local ones.  And yes, you do get lots of club runners at the pointy end, but there are also LOADS of people like me, much, much further back. 

    If you are interested in doing a smaller race, look at the previous year's results and see how many people finished in the sort of time it would take you. 

  • I did it last year. WOuldn't do it again as I found the bits round Hyde park a bit tedious (but this could have been cos I was having a bit of a bad day as I was undertrained!)

    Anyway I did think it was a bit pricey but as it was a ballot I didn't really expect to get in when I entered!

  • If they sell out the event regardless of the price then why wouldn't they charge this much!? Makes perfect sense to me and I don't see anything to complain about.

  • 46 would be too much for me to justify, i paid 35 each to do L2B cycle in june for me and the mr, but we go with friends, nice day out , scenic, huge event, great fun

    and very well marshalled /organised etc, anyway, nearly 50 quid to run around is out my price league

    the wrap up and run 10k is 16, thats okay, 

    i like helping charities and like a challenge, but that cost does alienate less affluent to joining in

    love park runs 

  • Did the Blackmore Vale Half yesterday - £10 for affiliated runners. 511 finishers, times ranging from 1:10 to 2:53. For me the perfect type of event (apart from the killer hill to the finish).

  • you guys should go to the states, this would be a cheap run, 

    Last year the SF marathon was $180 and the half was $100, if i'd have paid for it i'd have been bitter too since whilst its a great race, the organisation and support is actually pretty average compared to uk races,  

  • The Great North Run is £49 image definitely think the smaller events are the way to go!

  • Royal Parks is one of my favourite courses, it is very expensive but I enjoy the course and the organisation is superb. I wouldn't run it every year though.

    I've been trying to save money on race entry fees recently, so have been searching for the local club run events. I was amazed that you can enter a 10km for £9 and get a medal and slice of cake at the end image 

    I also like entering races abroad and building a holiday around the race and would be more likely to enter a big race. I'd feel a bit safer in rocking up thousands of miles from home to run in a huge race than a local running club one.

  • David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

    People are essentially paying for the chance to be seen on TV and to mention an event people may have heard of. If you tell them, 'Oh I ran in the Swindon Half' on the weekend they probably thought you meant you ran to the pub. But say 'the Great North Run' and they are like 'oooh that sounds hard.'

     

    Non-runners probably won't have heard of any running event apart from VLM or maybe Race for Life image  

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Why wouldn't you feel safe in a run organised by a local club?
  • I think "safe" is the wrong word. Let's say I'd feel happier entering a big-name event abroad than the local running club one. (I am only talking about races abroad, not in the UK)

    1. I want to visit countries where the primary language isn't English. There's a bigger chance of an official translation being on the website of a big event, some instructions being in English. Means less chances for me to make stupid mistakes with my dictionary and entering the wrong race, turning up at the wrong place, thinking something is provided on course and finding that it isn't.

    2. I'd feel happier that the event would go ahead. Not saying that the big races never get cancelled (just look at the NY Marathon this year) but personally I wouldn't travel thousands of miles for a small race. Find a race to run if I'd already planned a trip? Fine. But I wouldn't base a holiday around a small indie race.

    3. Compensation in case it did get cancelled. NY marathon runners got guaranteed entry into next year's event ... not sure that a small club could afford to do that in similar circumstances.

    4. Overall experience. Road closures, well organised water stations, the race bling. I'm not going to travel to a different country specifically to run the equivalent of my running club's annual 20 miler, which is great but pretty informal, but I would to run a big name event.

    None of this matters in the UK, because I don't have language-barrier, I can muddle along even if gel/water isn't provided on course, and at most I've lost the cost of a night's B&B if a race is unexpectedly cancelled. 

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