How has the road racing scene changed since 1993?

Biggest change is that now everything is timed electronically. There is a sensor in the bib. No more tearing off the bottom of the bib and handing it to someone.

Register online now as well.

I think times have gotten slower as well, with more fitness runners participating

A big changes is fast people only race at fast races.

The small local races will rarely have anyone decent, because fast people want to race other fast people.

For exmple in a 10k. Some races will have around $1k prize money or more, and will have some sub 29 minute 10k runners show up trying to win it. The 30 minute 10k runners want to run fast, and good competition helps you run fast, so those 30 minute 10k guys will show up as well. Same for 31 minute 10k guys. Only when you get further down the line where people don't care as much as running really fast will they start to show up at the small local races. Thus making winning times at a small 10k around 34 minutes or slower.

Medals for a lot of shorter distance races. Tech Ts for all registrants at a lot of races. A lot more women participating. Slower median times. Slower winning times at smaller races. Fewer races with prize money. Better production values at some smaller races. Really terrible production values at some other smaller races that keep going because they have a strong tie-in with a non-running-related cause.

Registration is more expensive. Banditing is often not tolerated. There's often both a 5K and 10K, or 10K/HM/marathon, so the fields are diluted. There might only be 3-5 men and women seriously trying to win any given race. Races tend to have more of their courses off city streets and in parks or on bike paths. Many people have GPS watches or apps that give them their pace and approximate distance covered.

The front of the starting line is still dominated by 11-year olds, and people still go out too fast.

No chips.

No finisher medals.

The back of the pack in a 5k was 28-30 minutes.

Fast people go to fast races wrote:

A big changes is fast people only race at fast races.

The small local races will rarely have anyone decent, because fast people want to race other fast people.

For exmple in a 10k. Some races will have around $1k prize money or more, and will have some sub 29 minute 10k runners show up trying to win it. The 30 minute 10k runners want to run fast, and good competition helps you run fast, so those 30 minute 10k guys will show up as well. Same for 31 minute 10k guys. Only when you get further down the line where people don't care as much as running really fast will they start to show up at the small local races. Thus making winning times at a small 10k around 34 minutes or slower.

Remember running an 8k road race where the world record was broken in 1993 by Mutai and he won a whopping 1k.

In early 90's you had to find the races no one knew about to win a little money as everybit helped.

Biggest change: entry fees!

$30 for a local 5k? Yup. "It's going to this cause or that charity." So it's justified?

Also:2/3 of the field will be obese hobby joggers, mostly women, not racing just happy to finish, most likely walking.

For starters races cost a fortune.

Prize money is basically non-existent.

Races are almost always espousing some non running cause with very few serious competitors.

Gramps wrote:

Biggest change: entry fees!

$30 for a local 5k? Yup. "It's going to this cause or that charity." So it's justified?

Also:2/3 of the field will be obese hobby joggers, mostly women, not racing just happy to finish, most likely walking.

An elite 5k was changed to more charity focused and they were asking $240. I kid you not. Even then only $100 went to charity directly.

So I found a $30 10k and had a blast.

Back in the 1970's 5k's were 4 miles long and courses were out and back uphill both ways.

runn wrote:

Back in the 1970's 5k's were 4 miles long and courses were out and back uphill both ways.

And we ran 440s, not those euro skinny-jean 400s.

RD's are getting rich. Throw a charity into the race description, increase the cost and promise "portions of the proceeds to benefit the charity". That "portion" is calculated after the RD taking his share, race cost etc. Not uncommon to give 1% to a charity while RD takes 50-65%. Its all a scam. I should know, I direct many 5k charity runs and not uncommon to write me a check for $5K and give $250.00 to the charity, I direct about 65 races a year, my courses are short, my swag bag is nonexistent and finish line food is minimal. See you next Saturday, bring $40 and $4.95 online registration fee.

sickofit wrote:

RD's are getting rich. Throw a charity into the race description, increase the cost and promise "portions of the proceeds to benefit the charity". That "portion" is calculated after the RD taking his share, race cost etc. Not uncommon to give 1% to a charity while RD takes 50-65%. Its all a scam. I should know, I direct many 5k charity runs and not uncommon to write me a check for $5K and give $250.00 to the charity, I direct about 65 races a year, my courses are short, my swag bag is nonexistent and finish line food is minimal. See you next Saturday, bring $40 and $4.95 online registration fee.

Sounds about right.

Common sense here wrote:

sickofit wrote:

RD's are getting rich. Throw a charity into the race description, increase the cost and promise "portions of the proceeds to benefit the charity". That "portion" is calculated after the RD taking his share, race cost etc. Not uncommon to give 1% to a charity while RD takes 50-65%. Its all a scam. I should know, I direct many 5k charity runs and not uncommon to write me a check for $5K and give $250.00 to the charity, I direct about 65 races a year, my courses are short, my swag bag is nonexistent and finish line food is minimal. See you next Saturday, bring $40 and $4.95 online registration fee.

Sounds about right.

Unfortunately this sounds all to familiar. Another reason I choose not to run road races anymore.

Tedfy Mitchell is no longer out there asking if anybody had seen b@lls like his.

Let me paint a picture. A sea of

fatties in yoga pants, most wearing head phones, dudes in basketball shorts over tights, and water bottles belts that can get one through the Sahara.

Unless you’re fast enough to win prize money it’s a complete waste of time and money. The crowds of wobblers and insane price are not worth it.

Better to time trial with your gps watch or explore a new trail instead.