Also protesting.
Also protesting.
21 posts above mine in this thread, nobody with anything positive to say about this price/event. Guess what, this race is still going to sell out at whatever cap Competitor Group says. Competitor Group does not care that the 21 people above me aren't going to enter. The only way to hurt this race is to organize a race in the area on the same day that beats Competitor on price and quality and gives runners a better experience than the RnR races do. That will draw entrants away from them.
What do Ironmans cost these days - $500 or something like that? And yet they sell out immediately. I know triathletes and runners are a somewhat different demographic, but the point is race pricing doesn't seem to matter that much in terms of selling out an event.
I decided long ago that I'd never enter a RnR event (not race). So I'm ok with Competitor raping the penguins in purple.
I'd say the point of the 21 people above you is that Competitor takes from the sport and gives comparatively nothing back. It is the epitome of corporate leeches looking to make a short-term buck off the sport with no concern for the sport's long-term health.
Just run that shizzle sans number. Then as you approach the finish line scream "in yo face Penguin!" at the top of your lungs, and proceed to laugh maniacally. That'll show em.
yes and all wall street and oil companies donate any excessive profits they make to the bill gates foundation, TOMS or the dana faber institute.
I really dont hope i have to explain this
If you refuse to pay more than $10 for a race....you may be a Real Runner.
Philadelphia FULL Marathon only $85...for a big city, East Coast Marathon. I don't know what Chicago is thinking.
billruns13 wrote:
I live in Chicago, and I was planning to do the rock and roll half until I saw the price $110.00!! Last year, it was $85.00, and I thought that was pricey. So, I'm officially protesting the 2010 Rock and roll Half marathon on August 1st. $110.00 for a HALF marathon! That's twice the price of most half marathons!
Actually, it was $85 again this year, too. You just registered too late. I'm registered, got it for $85. Still a bit pricey, yes. I'm doing the Chicago Marathon, but don't want a half marathon a month out like most. I want one about 9 weeks out, just before my specific phase. Since I live in Chicago, this race was the best option.
and Philly is a big city, east coast marathon? perhaps you have not read the threads about how poorly this is organized each and every year....
The Penguin can shove the 85 bucks up his ass too.
That race and the versions before it lost me due to cost and terrible management.
2 years ago the Penguins other company ran the race and the assholes measured the course wrong.
There a good chance it will be hot and humid too.
60 bucks is my limit for a half
This race is such a joke. Anyone in metro Chicago can run most of this course, since most of it is on the lakefront path, which is 100% free. I logged 16 miles out there last night and didn't pay a cent.
Yes, RNR is decently well-run, but it's a true rip-off unless you value being able to run on closed-off streets in the Chicago loop in the morning. But guess what, run in the loop on a Saturday or Sunday morning most weekends and you can do that for free too.
I'm getting genuinely scared at the monopoly they are building by buying out large marathons or half-marathons in major cities. The number of big races that offer value is starting to shrink.
P.S. - And who wants to race a half-marathon in Chicago in August? Last year was cool, breezy and in the low 60's, but I've been running in Chicago for 7 years and most August mornings are in the high 70's with raging humidity, before getting progressively worse.
I wonder what the prize money is and if it is correspondingly high?
There is no way I would pay that much to watch myself run!
I notice the times are not that good either:
The north shore half got bought out by RAM, which unfortunately has made it much worse.
Is someone forcing you to run this race?
Echo your comments Pre- and here's another thought. Magellan 1/2 marathon takes place May 16 - on the same course, on the same lakefront, pre-entry $55, race day $60. No bands on course, but a high end food service after the race.
Look, more and more races in Chicago do not care about the competitive runner. The Hank Zemola races (Chicago Event Management) have been mismarked for years, and now if you sign up on race day you will not get a timing chip. The Running Away group no longer gives awards on race day - and only for the winner of the age group. And where is CARA? Issuing plauditudes for itself and focusing on their marathon training groups.
And guess what? ALL of those races are selling out/increasing numbers.
So I'm focusing on the races which actually want fast runners. Steamboat in Peoria. Oak Park. Elmhurst on July 4. 1 or 2 in Naperville. A number in Indiana on the Calumet Striders Gold Cup Series. Downtown races are becoming a joke.
I don't know from the RNR series in other areas, but those folks who ran Country Music last year were not returning due to sourse/crowding concerns. As one poster earlier said, the RNR series does not care about the few people on this board - and that sadly appears true.
Red Glare wrote:
I decided long ago that I'd never enter a RnR event (not race). So I'm ok with Competitor raping the penguins in purple.
I'd say the point of the 21 people above you is that Competitor takes from the sport and gives comparatively nothing back. It is the epitome of corporate leeches looking to make a short-term buck off the sport with no concern for the sport's long-term health.
Wrong on all accounts.
1) The days of a $10 entry fee are over IF you want a competative event. meb, Hall, Goucher, etc.. aint showin' up to run your $15 neighborhood 5k and get a free popsicle.
2) Competitor does provide a way for a few elites to make a buck and get exposure. That's good for the sport.
3) If there are so many people running that corporations are seeking them out, that's good for the sport.
Please tell me how Competitor's races are hurting the sport??? More people, more exposure, prize money, speaking engagments, a website, AND you have cities WANTING them to bring an event to their city.
These are all good things.
Agree with you on points 1 and 2.
But this hurts the sport for the same reasons as MLB, NBA, etc. ticket price hikes and the effects on their sports. As these events, leagues, games, etc. become more corporate, they lose their purity and sense of self. Like professional sports, the cost is incrementally higher, but the underlying value hasn't kept pace. Much has been written about how much it costs to take a family of 4 to a professional sporting event these days. With RNR events like this, the same is becoming true for running.
I fully concede that large-scale marathons aren't cheap and organizers are entitled to a profit. However, sky-high prices take away from other races in the area. For the same price, runners in the Chicago area could be running 3-4 races of varying distance for the same cost. Instead of the running community growing stronger by participating in more races, some people are bound to be putting their racing eggs in one basket due to cost. Instead of the grassroots quality races in the area that don't exist for corporate profit, people are giving their money to a company who only cares about their city for a couple days a year. It's Wal-Mart vs. Mom & Pop Shops, running style.
Unfortunately, people are right...these things continue to sell out. We on this site may be the most passionate about running, but we aren't the majority...average people are. If we want to stop this, we need to use our influence as local running afficionados. The next time a friend or someone in the office asks you for your thoughts on running, speak up.
Hey shithead, where did I say "$10 entry fee"? As for the rest, you offer nothing but unsubstantiated claims or have basically nothing to do with advancing the sport which amounts to a pile of crap.
aquafina wrote:
Red Glare wrote:I decided long ago that I'd never enter a RnR event (not race). So I'm ok with Competitor raping the penguins in purple.
I'd say the point of the 21 people above you is that Competitor takes from the sport and gives comparatively nothing back. It is the epitome of corporate leeches looking to make a short-term buck off the sport with no concern for the sport's long-term health.
Wrong on all accounts.
1) The days of a $10 entry fee are over IF you want a competative event. meb, Hall, Goucher, etc.. aint showin' up to run your $15 neighborhood 5k and get a free popsicle.
2) Competitor does provide a way for a few elites to make a buck and get exposure. That's good for the sport.
3) If there are so many people running that corporations are seeking them out, that's good for the sport.
Please tell me how Competitor's races are hurting the sport??? More people, more exposure, prize money, speaking engagments, a website, AND you have cities WANTING them to bring an event to their city.
These are all good things.
cheap-o wrote:
Vern's No Frills 5k. North of Austin, TX at a regional park. Marked course, water at the finish and no prizes. Same course once per month.
$1.
Nice - heaven really does exist!
Maybe Rod Blagojevich is handling the budget for this race;)