Cash or Merchandise?

Use your head kid. Register as "Kris Kringle". People will think it's funny and nothing will be tied to your name. I ran D1 and road racing was my summer job. Fake name. Hat. Sunglasses. People didn't have cellphones back then though so it might be harder now.

use ya head wrote:

Use your head kid. Register as "Kris Kringle". People will think it's funny and nothing will be tied to your name. I ran D1 and road racing was my summer job. Fake name. Hat. Sunglasses. People didn't have cellphones back then though so it might be harder now.

There aren't that many sub 15:30 5k runners in my area, and many people in the running scene already no me, also our states rules say "Also, an athlete violates this rule if he/she

plays in any contest (school or nonschool) under a name other than his/her own"

I'm guessing some college guys will be home and beat me anyway, but I don't even know if I dare take an age group prize.

Poorly worded rule!

Money = Cash, coins, checks

Gift Certificate and Gift Cards only become merchandise when exchanged for such.

Gray area until them...again, another reason your rule should have different language.

Why don't you just run the races and not accept the prize, whatever it may be? I mean, does the win feel any less satisfying to you if you don't leave with a gift card for some meaningless store?

Are you sure that this doesn't just apply to in season sanctioned meets? In my state, you can do whatever you want unless it is actually cross country or track season...

lollerama wrote:

Why don't you just run the races and not accept the prize, whatever it may be? I mean, does the win feel any less satisfying to you if you don't leave with a gift card for some meaningless store?

Don't pay the entry fee if you plan on taking this dude's advice!

use ya head wrote:

Use your head kid. Register as "Kris Kringle". People will think it's funny and nothing will be tied to your name. I ran D1 and road racing was my summer job. Fake name. Hat. Sunglasses. People didn't have cellphones back then though so it might be harder now.

I ran my local 5k in a Winnie the Pooh costume and everybody still knew it was me. Might work if I went out of town.

Although it's not technically cash it is closer to cash than merchandise. The IRS would consider gift cards taxable compensation if the value exceeds $25 or so.

Get your state to clean up their language!