Corsair wrote:
Yes, there is much more to racing than the thrill of competition for the older and slower folks. Many of them care a great deal about the cause the road race is supporting and care little about the guy who ran 16:10.
If you cared a great deal about the cause you would NOT enter the road race and send 100% of your registration money DIRECTLY to the cause.
Charity is about the worse reason ever to enter a race.