Sure clubs used to put on races every month. It’s not races that have gotten out of control, it’s runners expectations from the organizers that have gotten out of control.
Back when we started in the 70’s, it was just a bunch of long haired guys that wanted to run. We drew a line with chalk across the road and off we went.
Now, if every road race doesn’t have two huge tv monitors just feet beyond the finish with immediate results, the organizers get skewered online and in the paper…. Mostly by complainers who wouldn’t think to organize or put on a race.
In what alternate reality are you living in? Road races are not mentioned in the paper nor is there any online discussion about local road races.
You pretty much know what happened. Road races were once put on to give runners places to compete with an eye towards developing the runners. When I was in the DC/Baltimore area in the 70s most races by far were put on the the DC Roadrunners. The courses were usually at the far end of the city on roads that were lightly travelled sparing the need for hiring cops for traffic control. Often they started and finished at a high school and you'd change in the locker before the race then shower and change back after. The Roadrunners Club itself had a blanket kind of liability insurance that covered events that the Club had sanctioned so the individual race did not have to buy its own insurance.
But I think the biggest thing that happened is that races then were for racing and helping people get faster. As long as costs were covered everyone was fine. Race directors had other jobs and weren't making their livings from the race. They weren't trying to raise thousands of dollars for charities.They weren't looking for fields with thousands of entrants to maximize income so they didn't choose race distances that drew the maximum number of entrants for the revenue they'd bring. Then it was usually a labor of love. Now it's mostly a business.
And preceding you, in the early 60s, the DC Roadrunners Club put on a regular schedule ... A race every weekend and one every Holiday other than Christmas. In the summer, there was a mid-week series, in addition.
When coupled with the DC Recreation people, there was also a summer schedule of track races.
You could run 70 races a year with an entry fee of 25 cents.
You pretty much know what happened. Road races were once put on to give runners places to compete with an eye towards developing the runners. When I was in the DC/Baltimore area in the 70s most races by far were put on the the DC Roadrunners. The courses were usually at the far end of the city on roads that were lightly travelled sparing the need for hiring cops for traffic control. Often they started and finished at a high school and you'd change in the locker before the race then shower and change back after. The Roadrunners Club itself had a blanket kind of liability insurance that covered events that the Club had sanctioned so the individual race did not have to buy its own insurance.
But I think the biggest thing that happened is that races then were for racing and helping people get faster. As long as costs were covered everyone was fine. Race directors had other jobs and weren't making their livings from the race. They weren't trying to raise thousands of dollars for charities.They weren't looking for fields with thousands of entrants to maximize income so they didn't choose race distances that drew the maximum number of entrants for the revenue they'd bring. Then it was usually a labor of love. Now it's mostly a business.
And preceding you, in the early 60s, the DC Roadrunners Club put on a regular schedule ... A race every weekend and one every Holiday other than Christmas. In the summer, there was a mid-week series, in addition.
When coupled with the DC Recreation people, there was also a summer schedule of track races.
You could run 70 races a year with an entry fee of 25 cents.
There were two very active clubs.
Yup. There was the Snowball Series every winter that was supposed to get people ready for the Washington's Birthday Marathon. There was a 20k at Haines Point, a 25km at American U, a 20 mile in Reston. I know there was a 30km in March but there might have been one in the Snowball Series as well. It would be tremendously helpful for people getting ready for a marathon to have races at those distances in their lead up. The 20 mile in Reston was very useful for me in terms of knowing what I should expect in a marathon. And yeah, I decided to join the DC Roadrunners when I was in college to get my fifty cent entry fees down to a quarter.
Road races have gotten completely out of control. I know this sound general, but current example. Don't always know my monthly schudule. Don't work the normal M-F 9-5. Get scedule and find close 5k. First, its a few weeks out. The cost is $75. Second, when I go to sign up, it shows "registration closed." What? So I reach out in e-mail to so called race director to see if and when it might reopen or maybe there is race day registration? No reply...nothing. Nowhere can I find on the website if there is a limit to entries. No information about the race really. This does not seem to be an isolated case. Races are not about the runners. We need more Park Runs. More races like back in the day when you paid $5 and didn't get a t-shirt because you didn't care for one. It's just too bad.
When I used to run road races in the 90s, they'd cost around $15 on race day, cash only. Timing was done by hand (my parents used to run a 5K, so I saw this firsthand), you got a cotton non-technical T, and no medal. Proceeds such as they were supported a charitable cause or a school or something like that.
In Seattle, the most popular 5Ks are run by for-profit groups. There are two local for-profit groups that put on a lot of races locally, and a few national races (eg Hot Chocolate run). These races all comes with medals, even 5Ks. Sometimes a technical T. Chip timed, cashless. Most of them are mostly in parks or on trails so there are minimal or no road closures. Proceeds go to the professional running outfit. Typical cost is $60 or more closet to raceday - just checked out Orca Running's My Better Half 5K, and it's $68 to register near raceday. Absurd. I almost never do these events.
So what to do? If you're lucky, Parkrun. Seriously. Run. Volunteer. Be the change you want to see in the world. Free race. Welcoming of all runners, fast and slow. If there's not enough competition for you, get your fast friends to come with you. Walkers welcome. Timing accurate. If Parkrun hasn't come to your area, start your own race. https://www.parkrun.us/
Seriously. I cannot overstate how awesome Parkrun is for people who don't care about medals and just want to run fast. In the US, some races can be a little sparse. My local Parkrun typically as about 120 runners. But it can grow and be very competitive. Help make that happen.
Full breakfast awaited the finishing runners. Eggs, sausage, muffins, bagels, fruit, etc. A spread of food that I have never experienced in a race until today. My entry fee: $35.
Beautiful course. I lost time looking out at the open ocean off Gloucester while I ran.
and here comes the worthless baltimore marathon. they have 6 different races and none will have winners running a fast time. half the field will start out walking. they should have ozempic as a sponsor. All they want is the finishers medal and shirt. no awards ceremony, no food after, just stands to buy more overpriced crap. Over 200$ to enter.
This is it. This is the major expense for races. Overtime for cops is ridiculous. Races in my city that take place entirely in the parks are at least half the cost of other races.
That said, running has gotten popular. You have to sign up months in advance where I live. Even the low key races my club puts on, now sell out weeks in advance. There are no more same day sign-ups, and these races are akin to Parkruns. I've given up on my city's local competitive race series.
Road races have gotten completely out of control. I know this sound general, but current example. Don't always know my monthly schudule. Don't work the normal M-F 9-5. Get scedule and find close 5k. First, its a few weeks out. The cost is $75. Second, when I go to sign up, it shows "registration closed." What? So I reach out in e-mail to so called race director to see if and when it might reopen or maybe there is race day registration? No reply...nothing. Nowhere can I find on the website if there is a limit to entries. No information about the race really. This does not seem to be an isolated case. Races are not about the runners. We need more Park Runs. More races like back in the day when you paid $5 and didn't get a t-shirt because you didn't care for one. It's just too bad.
Cool, you found one badly organized race that the organizer advertised despite it essentially being a closed contest for him and his buddies. I don't know what that proves, especially without any links so we can learn more about whoever did it, but okay.
Do you live in a place that doesn't have a lot of races? That might be the bigger problem. Given a big enough community, there should usually be enough nearby races going on that this isn't really an issue.
A few cities have tried running their own, but Parkrun's not really a thing in the US. There's all sorts of reasons why, not the least of which is that running isn't the ubiquitous pastime for communities that it is in Europe. They can put up a Parkrun in much of Europe and draw a crowd without trying. Here, you can advertise aggressively in most big cities and still not get more than a few occasional participants, and certainly no real sponsorship to speak of.
You could also organize your own races. Good luck with that. It takes a lot of heavy lifting because you're not going to get any real help or initiative from people even if they sound like they want to help. You're going to throw a lot of enegry down a hole with little return, whether or not people participate. And that might speak to why you don't see more races where you live.
This post was edited 59 seconds after it was posted.
Full breakfast awaited the finishing runners. Eggs, sausage, muffins, bagels, fruit, etc. A spread of food that I have never experienced in a race until today. My entry fee: $35.
Beautiful course. I lost time looking out at the open ocean off Gloucester while I ran.
The Greater Boston road scene is fun because we still have a lot of these old school races. $30-40, no frills, super competitive, prize money.
Closer to the city not so much, it's mostly the $80 8k with a beer garden and no prize money. From what I understand, part of the problem is that cities started clamping down on number of events allowed (I know this happened in Cambridge). People complained too much about road closures, even if it was one easily avoided road on a Sunday morning...
The goodwill lost around the neighborhoods road races are run have become a factor over the last few years. There are so many road races, put on for so many reasons that people living in those areas got fed up with all the traffic and road closures
My favorite 10k was taken to court by a particular organized street, won and that race is now run in little loops around a local park.
and here comes the worthless baltimore marathon. they have 6 different races and none will have winners running a fast time. half the field will start out walking. they should have ozempic as a sponsor. All they want is the finishers medal and shirt. no awards ceremony, no food after, just stands to buy more overpriced crap. Over 200$ to enter.
I've run 3 different local road 5k's in the last three months. $20, free, $21. I've got no complaints.
Where do you live? I legitimately am curious. In Seattle you cannot find a 5K that will allow you to register on raceday for under $40, and the majority are $60 plus.
Cool, you found one badly organized race that the organizer advertised despite it essentially being a closed contest for him and his buddies. I don't know what that proves, especially without any links so we can learn more about whoever did it, but okay.
Do you live in a place that doesn't have a lot of races? That might be the bigger problem. Given a big enough community, there should usually be enough nearby races going on that this isn't really an issue.
A few cities have tried running their own, but Parkrun's not really a thing in the US. There's all sorts of reasons why, not the least of which is that running isn't the ubiquitous pastime for communities that it is in Europe. They can put up a Parkrun in much of Europe and draw a crowd without trying. Here, you can advertise aggressively in most big cities and still not get more than a few occasional participants, and certainly no real sponsorship to speak of.
You could also organize your own races. Good luck with that. It takes a lot of heavy lifting because you're not going to get any real help or initiative from people even if they sound like they want to help. You're going to throw a lot of enegry down a hole with little return, whether or not people participate. And that might speak to why you don't see more races where you live.
"Parkrun's not really a thing in the US."
This is changing. Really. There are now 75 Parkrun locations in the US and participation is growing. Not everyone wants to fork over $50 to run a 5K, and I love the camaraderie of Parkrun. Come try it out and see. There are now five in the greater Seattle area.
Don't organize your own 5K - instead come out and be a race director at your local Parkrun. It's actually pretty easy.
Last but not least, if you do run an affordable race that's well done, write an e-mail to the race director thanking them for their effort. And if it's not well run, and the group is not charging much and not one of the big outfits overcharging for races, maybe thank them anyway for trying.
Road races have gotten completely out of control. I know this sound general, but current example. Don't always know my monthly schudule. Don't work the normal M-F 9-5. Get scedule and find close 5k. First, its a few weeks out. The cost is $75. Second, when I go to sign up, it shows "registration closed." What? So I reach out in e-mail to so called race director to see if and when it might reopen or maybe there is race day registration? No reply...nothing. Nowhere can I find on the website if there is a limit to entries. No information about the race really. This does not seem to be an isolated case. Races are not about the runners. We need more Park Runs. More races like back in the day when you paid $5 and didn't get a t-shirt because you didn't care for one. It's just too bad.
So you have an unpredictable schedule and you want the race director to give you a special accommodation? You sound entitled.
Road races have gotten completely out of control. I know this sound general, but current example. Don't always know my monthly schudule. Don't work the normal M-F 9-5. Get scedule and find close 5k. First, its a few weeks out. The cost is $75. Second, when I go to sign up, it shows "registration closed." What? So I reach out in e-mail to so called race director to see if and when it might reopen or maybe there is race day registration? No reply...nothing. Nowhere can I find on the website if there is a limit to entries. No information about the race really. This does not seem to be an isolated case. Races are not about the runners. We need more Park Runs. More races like back in the day when you paid $5 and didn't get a t-shirt because you didn't care for one. It's just too bad.
In Europe, it is not hard to find races for 10-15 euro that come with a t-shirt.
I've run 3 different local road 5k's in the last three months. $20, free, $21. I've got no complaints.
Where do you live? I legitimately am curious. In Seattle you cannot find a 5K that will allow you to register on raceday for under $40, and the majority are $60 plus.
I live in a small city in the poorest part of California, and entry fees for 5K races in my area, if entered a few weeks before the race, currently range from $40 to $70.