Paying to run?

OK, so... I run. I've done a bunch of half marathons and a full marathon. That takes the "something to prove" off the table. I paid for those races so I get it when you do have something to prove or you need to qualify for a full marathon with a performance from a half.

I have a GPS watch and can time myself whenever I want.

I have friends who pay a somewhat large sum of money to run every couple weeks and try to drag me with them. "It will be fun!" Sure. It would be the same amount of fun to run around a lake or to a pub. Running a half marathon for $85 when there is 13.1 miles of road in every direction from my house for free seems retarded if you know you can run that far in a certain amount of time already.

It's not like racing a car, or skiing, or even working out at a gym where you need equipment and special places to host it. You just go outside and run. Why do people pay good money to do the same thing over and over that they could do for free any time, any place, with anyone they want?

Because you literally get a participation medal when you run a half/marathon

Because no one has ever lost money underestimating the stupidity of the American public.

Sounds like the crossfit guys. Sure, they could go work on a farm and get paid to do the same thing, but it won't look as good on faceplace if they aren't paying $100 a session to lift big tires and move big ropes.

Because there is beer at the end of a marathon and you can show how crossfit you are to other people. Plus if you go running by yourself and drink by yourself then there is nothing to post to social media.

Organization fees and assistance.

Shutting down a section of city and having medical staff on hand isn't free.

Runners World had an article about people that would jump in just after the start line and get off just before the finish a few years ago. They laid out the costs for hosting an event like a marathon and it was surprisingly expensive.

In reply to Huckleberry:

We stopped competing a few years ago. Better just to run for fitness and tourism.

But I bet one big reason people still race is motivation. If you have money laid out for a race, then you are much more likely to go out and keep running. Just like joining a gym- if you have to pay for it, you probably will use it.

I would still pay for some really cool races, but none of the ones around us.

There's a big social aspect to it as well. I used to try to run an event every weekend when I was younger. It was a great way to meet super fit college girls who didn't tend to eat a lot if you were able to take them out to dinner, thereby keeping the costs down. Plus, I needed the t-shirts.

I haven't run for fun in a long time, but used to do 10K's and the like in central Texas - the Capitol 10K and the Stroh's Run for Liberty, etc.

There's something to be said for running a scenic area on a road where vehicle traffic isn't a problem.

And as much as I dislike crowds, the mobile scenery can be nice, as well.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

I post beer pictures from home all the time. Usually when I'm alone.

Why do amateur athletes compete period? I race mtn bikes. Do I win? Most of the time, no, but I have on occasion (OK - only once). The last race I crashed and finished DFL. When I won, I got a $3 medal and a bicycle tire (that I sold for $20).

At the end of the day - you're competing with yourself.

I don't do half marathons, my exercise routine is 80% lifting, 20% cardio, but I do one or two 5k per year. Why? Because they're fun. Of course I can run around the block alone. But just like wheel to wheel racing, there's a thrill in the competition of a 5k. It's fun to push yourself and pass that person 4 strides ahead of you, or see how high in your age group you can finish. Yeah, you get a participation trophy (usually a t-shirt), and that's cool. The vendor fair is usually nice...you get free food and drinks.

We did a "glow run" last fall. It was at 9pm. Everyone wore glow sticks, which was neat. My wife ran, as did all 3 of my kids (ages 12, 9, 9). We had a blast. I finished something like 9th out of 70 people in my age group. Not bad for a guy with a bad hip, two bad knees who focuses most of his workouts on lifting. That's something I wouldn't have been able to do just running around the street alone. My kids were super excited to do it too.

Each to their own, but I think they're fun. Don't want to do more than 2 or 3 a year, but I enjoy them. Goal for 2017 is to do a mild tough mudder. Not interested in the extreme ones, but just something that gets me muddy and makes me do some obstacles. My body is breaking down, I want to do one before I can't.

Because running in a group is a totally different experience than running by yourself. You've run halfs and full marathons, so you already know this. It's social. Being in a pack of hundreds or thousands is different than running with a couple of friends. Plus you're also more likely to post a PR because you've got bogies to chase down.

I've done a few halfs, my wife likes to sign up for halfs and the occasional full. They're almost never local. It's an excuse for us to go interesting places, and we usually tack a vacation on to it. Last year was Yosemite, the year before that was Zion, this year it's Ottawa (again). Sure, we could just go on vacation, but now we've got a pin in the calendar and a different sort of connection than just being tourists. We've interacted with the place. She also likes her training to have a reason, the races give her a goal that's more concrete than just trying to hit a number on her watch.

You can also do courses in a race you couldn't do otherwise. We've run down the Vegas strip at night. She's run through the Rim Rock Road in the Colorado Monument, which doesn't have sidewalks. She's going to run across the Golden Gate Bridge in a few months. In Yosemite, we ran through trails we never would have found otherwise.

If you just want to move your legs, feel free to run solo. Heck, run on a treadmill. But don't call people who like the social aspect stupid, vain or foolish.

I don't understand it either. If I pay to run, it'll be paying someone else to run for me

Woody wrote: There's a big social aspect to it as well. I used to try to run an event every weekend when I was younger. It was a great way to meet super fit college girls who didn't tend to eat a lot if you were able to take them out to dinner, thereby keeping the costs down. Plus, I needed the t-shirts.

And there's nothing wrong with watching fit women run for miles and miles. Just sayin'...

I started a running club at my work. We run on Tuesdays and Thursdays and our shortest runs are 3 miles and change. One of the girls who runs with us announced to the group that she signed up for a 5k in the Spring.

Why pay to run 3.1 miles in a couple of months when she can run the same or more with her coworkers 2 days a week for free? Motivation, something to train for, maybe her non-work friends are doing it too, who knows? In the meanwhile she has gotten really serious about her running, eating and other training. Who can say that is a bad thing?

Klayfish wrote:

Woody wrote: There's a big social aspect to it as well. I used to try to run an event every weekend when I was younger. It was a great way to meet super fit college girls who didn't tend to eat a lot if you were able to take them out to dinner, thereby keeping the costs down. Plus, I needed the t-shirts.

And there's nothing wrong with watching fit women run for miles and miles. Just sayin'...

there comes a time where you can't keep up with them anymore, and you are suddenly surrounded by people who look like you. Which tells me that I need to get far more fit as I age.

Keith Tanner wrote: But don't call people who like the social aspect stupid, vain or foolish.

I didn't use any of those words. I said "retarded"

For something special I can see signing up - like the Vegas Strip or Broad St in Philly... something you can't do with friends without getting squashed.

I guess I just don't get the every other weekend 5K or half at $50+ when it's not a challenge. I often run with a group in a social effort - just not with organized sanction or whatever. I posted this because a friend was just badgering me to drop $300 on three races in march that are basically the same loop with 3 different orgs. I got the "What happened? You used to like to run with us" line. I still do... but $300 is $300. WE can run around the lake and spend that dough on other foolishness afterward. My case fell on deaf ears.

alfadriver wrote: there comes a time where you can't keep up with them anymore, and you are suddenly surrounded by people who look like you. Which tells me that I need to get far more fit as I age.

LOL. Truth.

It depends. My wife and I run (and swim..and bike..) a lot these days and have a few bigger 13.1/26.2 events that we do each year--let's say 4-5. They give us benchmarks as they're typically on the same course, or they are at destinations that we enjoy. Or--if they are certified, good for a BQ. I wouldn't pay for anything short of that.....as I have routes around here that I do as trials for training.

unless....

Now my son is getting into running and likes to do 5ks. So, what hell, if my 8 year old wants to run 3 miles with one of us about once a month, I'm not going to say no.

As the saying goes, I've spent more on stupider E36 M3.

Huckleberry wrote: For something special I can see signing up - like the Vegas Strip or Broad St in Philly... something you can't do with friends without getting squashed. I guess I just don't get the every other weekend 5K or half at $50+ when it's not a challenge. I often run with a group in a social effort - just not with organized sanction or whatever. I posted this because a friend was just badgering me to drop $300 on three races in march that are basically the same loop with 3 different orgs.

Have you done the Broad Street run? I wanted to, but the two times we entered the drawing, we didn't get picked. I've seen it in person several times, when I used to live there. Dude, talk about getting squashed...it's a rat race. Tons and tons of people. But I do wish I had gotten to do it.

I'm with you that I wouldn't drop that kind of money to run 3 races in a month, especially that are the same course. I'm quite content doing just a couple of 5k per year. But at the same time, if someone is into that sort of thing, good for them. I get looks from people who find out that I pay money to go drive a "$500 car" around a race track with 100 other hoopties.

Nobody has mentioned this yet but aren't nearly all races done as charity events? You get to socialize a bit, you get a bit fit, you get a "free" t-shirt, and you donate money to some sort of worthy cause.

"Step for Pets", "Stamp out ALS", things like that.

Klayfish wrote:

Huckleberry wrote: For something special I can see signing up - like the Vegas Strip or Broad St in Philly... something you can't do with friends without getting squashed. I guess I just don't get the every other weekend 5K or half at $50+ when it's not a challenge. I often run with a group in a social effort - just not with organized sanction or whatever. I posted this because a friend was just badgering me to drop $300 on three races in march that are basically the same loop with 3 different orgs.

Have you done the Broad Street run? I wanted to, but the two times we entered the drawing, we didn't get picked. I've seen it in person several times, when I used to live there. Dude, talk about getting squashed...it's a rat race. Tons and tons of people. I'm with you that I wouldn't drop that kind of money to run 3 races in a month, especially that are the same course. I'm quite content doing just a couple of 5k per year. But at the same time, if someone is into that sort of thing, good for them. I get looks from people who find out that I pay money to go drive a "$500 car" around a race track with 100 other hoopties.

I did Broad Street years ago and it was fun. It's 100% flat so it's easy and it's a big party atmosphere.

I didn't try to enter the lottery since that first time even though we talked about doing it just about every year since then.

We went down and did the Rock and Roll Half though... that was madness. 21k people on the start grid - temps in the low 80s with 80% humidity. It smelled exactly like you imagine a whole bunch of sweaty people crammed into cattle chutes wearing all polyester clothing, standing 50' from a line of 250 porta-potties might. It was still a great party afterward though. There is a certain draw to drinking in public covered in your own salt flakes wearing stinky short shorts.

Per keeps shaming me with his speed. He's approached running in his usual competitive way and he's quick. He qualified for Boston last year. We're both right about the same age and build, and he's kicking my ass.

I find the charity part of runs amusing, it's a way for people to justify what they're doing. But really, if you wanted to support a charity, you'd just send them the money.

As for how often is too often, that's obviously up to the individual. I wouldn't want to run a race every week, or pay for that. But maybe my "few times a year" isn't as much fun to someone as "once a month". That's just a matter of preferred frequency.

As for the fit girl aspect - while we were in San Francisco for the Nike Women's Marathon last year, my wife wanted to stop in at the Lululemon store just around the corner from the race expo. That was a highly satisfying visit.

I like where this thread went.

My youngest is a really good soccer player and likes to run - but I can't keep up with him. He does school events but we have not entered a race together except a mid-winter 1 mi sprint last year. I tend to be a long distance guy and not so speedy anymore but maybe a family 5K would be a fun Saturday AM thing to do. I don't think he has any interest in a 13.1 or 26.2 but the 16 min it takes him to destroy me in a 5k is right up his alley ;)

Since we are talking about racing and tourism...

Our first "tourist" race was Paris-Versailles. Start from under the Eiffel Tower, run to just down the street of the Palace. That was really cool.

Next really was the Detroit Marathon (half for me)- as we ran over the bridge into Canada and back through the tunnel. One of the very few international races out there.

Others- a race in the hills north of Fairbanks- That was really pretty, but tough. A turkey trot in Santa Fe- which was tougher, since it was higher. A 10k in Puerto Rico- but that was tough due to heat, but I think we still want to to the race that runs across a bridge in San Juan, as it looks cool.

But for this forum- the best race you would ever want to run- the Mezza di Monza. Which is a half marathon that starts and finishes on the Monza start-finish line. The race is mostly around the track, and then into the park surrounding the track, and then returns to finish up Parabolica. Honestly, being such a race fan (and seeing the F1 race the week prior) it was a trip to see those corners that close up. And I will admit to pushing WAY TO HARD at the start- but I was on the freaking race track! What do you expect?

That should be on the bucket list of runners here.http://www.followyourpassion.it/mezzadimonza.html

Keith Tanner wrote: for the fit girl aspect - while we were in San Francisco for the Nike Women's Marathon last year, my wife wanted to stop in at the Lululemon store just around the corner from the race expo. That was a highly expensive visit.

FYP.

My wife loves their stuff, too. Too much.