Expensive races

Good job..Bandit more

The NYRRC also screwed up distances on two downtown races.

I had drifted away from road racing the past 10 years to concentrate on cycling, but a friend cam to me and said that someone had dumped a 4 mile road race on him, and he asked me for help organizing it. We made it a RACE, gave awards and some swag, but kept it simple, the way I remember the good road races to be. Unbeliebably to me, we had 70 people show up to WALK!!! and they couldn't believe that there wasn't a walkers division. I almost fell over, but have since learned that this is the new trend around here. WHAT HAPPENED TO RACING WHILE I WAS AWAY??? Maybe we should have RUNS, and RACES. Let the gallywaggers do the runs, but save the races for racers.

Old Man By the Sea wrote:

I think it would help make a statement if Runners selected a race or a month that we bandit..All in protest over these outragous fees...

Not half the statement that would be made if you selected a race or two a month with low entry fee and minimal expectations of fast times. Get your quick running buddies and acquaintances to show up and race. Wouldn't it be more noticeable if 10th place in the Backwater 10km was faster than 3rd place in the Big City Big Race 10km where some undetermined number of people were popping on and off the course without numbers?

Yesterday, here in Morris County, NJ, was the Great Swamp 5K Run 5K & 15K. Granted, the 15K race is the more competitive of the two races, but in the 5K there were 414 finishers, with the first 207 at or "faster" than 29:43, and the other 207 slower than 29:43. 15 years ago, there MIGHT have been 20 or thirty, tops, finishers slower than 29:43...now, it's half the field. Scary.

skylon wrote:

And I KNOW, of course, that the NYRRC doesn't literally own CP...but they have pretty much carte blanche to do what they want, and are a true monopoly on the NYC running scene (name the last time a non-NYRRC race was held in Central Park or on NYC streets).

This statement is hardly true. To name just one, the Harlem 5-miler begins and ends on 136th Street and includes the northern loop through Central Park. I could name dozens of races in the outer boroughs put on by local clubs, which are generally cheaper, smaller, and less crowded than the NYRR productions.

I don't think there's any question that road "racing" has become a game of increased quantity and decreased quality. There was a time in my area when a 10K would attract 100-150 runners, and you'd have to break 32 to be in the top 10. Now, that same race will probably draw 400-500, and 34 minutes will win it.

Oh, and that race will now cost twice what it did.

Thanks, so much, Galloway, for hijacking our sport and twisting its true porpose.

Bump

They have these things called "Volksmarches" were a bunch of people get together for an organized walk to someplace cool. Perhaps Galloway and is lemmings could hijack those rather than road RACES. It's a better fit.

Perhaps the race directors should stop putting provisions in for walkers and super slow runners...If the cost of cops and stuff is so much wouldnt it be cheaper if you didnt keep the course open so long..??

prof v wrote:

They have these things called "Volksmarches" were a bunch of people get together for an organized walk to someplace cool. Perhaps Galloway and is lemmings could hijack those rather than road RACES. It's a better fit.

That's a pretty good idea. Let the Gallowalkers have their own events. Call them Gallowalks or Penguin Fests. If they were marketed as such, at least there would be truth in advertising. Nowadays, I go to a race and see so few people who are there to actually race. Instead, I see aerobic warm ups, baby strollers, and people in running in costumes. Remember when road racing used to be a competitive sport?

I respect your opinion, and you bring up great points. However, I would counter that what is being marketed to the masses isn't "the sport." It's just an event, a street party, a carnival. In fact, the mass participation, just finish because place doesn't matter thing that Galloway & Penguin market isn't a sport at all.

I too want the sport of running to gain appeal. The sport. Not a participatory, non-competitive street party.

Now THAT's a good response.

GP wrote:It's obvious that the more "stuff" you involve, the more it costs. What I'm saying is that the "stuff" isn't needed. You're right about certain people demanding t-shirts and all the other extreanious items. I'm saying that I appreciate the races that cut out the needless stuff and just focus on putting on a good race. That, after all, is what the sport is supposed to be about...racing.

What's obvious is you're dumb as a stump. That "stuff" you obhore is things like police, insurance, timing. Pretty hard to do a road race without it. Galloway has nothing to do with it.

If you think you know so much about doing road races, why don't you and the rest of your dickless Galloway bashing buddies go put one on. My guess is you couldn't even measure your own dick correctly, so maybe you should stick to something you and your buddies know something about, like goat roping.

scotth wrote:

don malen wrote:

I bandited a 10k yesterday that wanted $20 dollars ($25 late). I did not take any food afterward because I have the flu virus with secondary pleuritis. Actually, I feel like I am going to die. Also, the race course goes over a major expressway walk-overpass twice that has a swastika painted on it. The race director should have that removed.

If this is, in fact, don malen, please, please don't bandit any more races. If you don't like the fee, don't go. These events cost others time and money and you're an interloper, thief and potential insurance liability w/your actions. I'd be more than happy to discuss this further w/you. Write me directly or call.

Thanks for calling Don out on this, Scott. His frequency as a bandit in the Detroit area certainly hasn't won him many friends. Let me relay a story, and then offer my take on bandits. Don is no slouch as far as running ability goes. The story was relayed to me that Don was winning a race, but as is most often the case, did not have a number on. The second place guy, seeing this, and knowing Don's reputation, lets him go, knowing he has first place wrapped up. Just before the finish, Don pulls his race number out of his shorts, wins the race, and leaves second place feeling a little peeved.

Bandits steal from the race organizers and other participants. Their rationale that "the race costs too much" and "I'm not interfering with anything" is bogus. If I think that the ticket price for an NFL game is too high, can I just go watch the game anyways? I won't get in anyone's way, there is always an empty seat to sit in, and if it is free helmet day, I won't even take one. Anyways, the game will go on whether I am there or not, and I'm not bothering anyone! No- anyone who does this would get arrested. Same with a movie, play, etc. The only difference between them and a road race is that it is real easy to "sneak into" a race.

Scott (and others), do you know of any race directors who have or are willing to have the police remove someone from their race? Scott is absolutely correct- if you don't like the fee, don't go! But you don't have the inherent right to run a race! I agree that some race fees are too high- that is why I don't run them. Rather than a mass banditing of a high entry race, try a mass boycott! If successful, that will get the race director's attention and maybe lower their fees.

I never claimed to be smart. However, I'm not refering to the neccessities that you list. I'm talking about t-shirts, chip timing, bands, post race parties, ect.

Earlier this year, I helped out with a 15K race that had all the needed items you listed. What it didn't have was t-shirts, a pre-race aerobic warm-up, a band, clowns, a costume contest, or a post-race party. Race day entry fee was $8. It can be done. The $30 5K is unneccessary.

The rest of your post isn't worth replying to.

And Galloway still sucks.

I do believe you're the one demonstrating a lack of intellect, maturity, and experience in running, Keith.

Clearly the costs of races have increased faster than the pace of inflation. Would you agree with that, Keith? Do you think that the races of 10 years (or more) ago did not have the things you're referring to?

Maybe if you would have read the thread you would have seen that I (and others do put on races for $5). However, I would like to race more often, and I would like others to know that you can have a good time racing without all the extras. Many people do not know this, or are unwilling to run where there won't be a ton of walking people behind them. Anyway, I am aware that directing a race does take some time and money. But, please do not try to act as though there is not a lot of fluff in a majority of the events today.

Lastly, I figured that someone who shows a fondness towards measuring dicks would probably be in the 12-15 age bracket. Nothing against those guys, but the sensible ones would agree that there is a higher percentage in their age group that is immature. However, in finding out that you are 44 is somewhat surprising. Actually, pathetic.

So, are you a member of the Twin City TC?

http://www.twincitytc.org/about.asp

Sounds like a nice club. Waddle On, and never forget the best way to run a marathon is WITH walking breaks. If only Tergat would use them.... sub 2!

Bandits are theifs wrote:

Scott (and others), do you know of any race directors who have or are willing to have the police remove someone from their race? Scott is absolutely correct- if you don't like the fee, don't go! But you don't have the inherent right to run a race! I agree that some race fees are too high- that is why I don't run them. Rather than a mass banditing of a high entry race, try a mass boycott! If successful, that will get the race director's attention and maybe lower their fees.

No police, not worth the trouble unless they are an obvious liability. I did have police ask a biker to leave the course that was trying to bike along with his girlfriend, nearly hitting other runners in the process. We have a couple Marines that work our finish lines from time to time. They do an exceptional job of dressing down bandits in front of crowds. While bandits are dickless wonders anyway, a few minutes with those guys normally shrivels it up even farther. Better than getting the cops after them, since it points out to all involved what miserable low lives they really are.