The Price of Competition

[GTF]

http://petemagill.blogspot.com/2009/06/morning-read-price-of-competition.html

Another great piece by Magill (makes me glad to not live in such a large metro area/population) that reminds me of how things were even just 20 years ago when I took up running as well as a decade prior when I would tag along with my father to road races.

[USC FAN]

Thanks for the link! Interesting reading.

[Ryan]

Interesting read. I definitely agree that it would be nice to have some events that focus on the core (accurate course, timing and results, start on time, get the runners through the course with no confusion or incident) and leave the more expensive "frills" out. Fortunately, there are a few around here that are kind of like that but I'd love to see more, even a series like some of the commenters mentioned.

One thing that post did make me remember. When I was in high school and college, we had a series of 4 Monday evening track meets in late July and early August. Toss in a quarter and you could run all the events you wanted (100, 800, 1600, predicted mile, 3 mile c-c as I remember). I've always thought that would be something neat to start around here. At one point, I did see that something similar was started at the Waukesha South track I believe on Wednesday evenings. I'm still thinking it would be a neat thing to do at one of the schools near my new home. I may have to ask around about the possibility of doing that at some point.

[rehammes]

South Shore Half Marathon, one of the BEST values in racing.  Ryan, don't the Striders have weekly track meets during the summer for a couple bucks?  As far as his editorial is concerned, I think the runner can ultimately make a difference.  I avoid the overpriced 'parades' like Bay to Breakers because there is little chance of me enjoying the race.  For that example, I don't think the RD misses my entrance fee, but as more and more runners grow disappointed with the cost/benefit of many races, I think RDs will take notice.  More and more, I think there is a growing market for the no frills, low cost races.  Lakefront Marathon, California Int'l Marathon, the aforementioned South Shore Half are all quality events that cost well below market rates. 

[Andrew A.]

I had a first-hand experience in what has come to be as a result of commoditization of racing as a for-profit service.  I went down to run a race this evening, one of a series of three middle distance (2K, 3K, 1 mile) road races (one per month through the summer) in the 'downtown' area of town.  This series has existed, in one form or another, for a decade or so now.  The series had been owned by a civic business association which would stage the races in prime business districts to draw more people down there on Thursday evenings during the summer.  During their ownership, the races would be staged (organization, timing, course control) by local runners -- I knew the race director from training with him.  A few years ago the race series was bought by a local triathlon event company (which was recently bought by the group (WTC) that owns the Ironman races).  Now I have had some involvement with the races in the series - as a competitor, a volunteer, or simply a fan and observer - most of the years that I have lived here.  Each race is a bit of a summer scene for the local running community.  Even the corporate Japanese team runners who are training locally have been known to show up for a race or two many years.  At any rate, it has seemed to me that the quality of the races themselves has suffered in recent years.  This may be a result of the takeover of the organization by a group that are not runners first, but it may be that the races were already declining prior to the sale, which is why they were sold.  Either way, they have not improved, that I can tell, with the new ownership.

So getting back to today, I had decided to do race day registration because of the forecast for p.m. thunderstorms for today (which are finally blowing in as I type).  I wound up leaving work a bit late and so got to the race staging area later than I had anticipated.  I knew that the entry form stated 5:45 as the cut-off time and I got there right around 6.  This particular race has four waves, the first one starting at six though the one I would choose would have been either the following (second) wave or the final wave -- I would have taken either.  The race officials (employees?) were breaking down the race day entry table and I was told, "too late."  Fully my fault, I should just have entered earlier in the week and dealt with whatever the weather brought or made a better effort to get away from work on time.  Not a victim, not at all, at least not of anything other than my own poor planning.  However, I have this sense that if it were a runner, especially a local I had met in my many years living here, that an exception would more likely have been made and I could have sneaked my entry in really quickly.  It just seemed like the attitude was not one of putting on races to serve a community of runners but rather one of running an efficient, businesslike organization.  I guess the sense of connection to the running community just is not there.  Again, I have no problem with the outcome and should have expected to be turned away (though I was hopeful that they would be gracious in light of my error(s), if not just the $20 bill I was prepared to give them).  I just get the sneaking suspicion that it would have been less likely to happen that way were it a fellow runner manning that table and not someone just doing a job.

[Ryan]

Rob, South Shore is a great deal (for some reason I've only run it once - I should change that - of course I've actually run very few half marathons at all) and is an example of the no frills, inexpensive race I think there should be more of that I hold up often. The Striders also have some other good deals on their calendar and I believe there is a summer track series but it's at an inconvenient time and location for many of us (though it is probably the most convenient location for most runners so I don't fault them one bit for holding it where they do). I just think some low key, low frills, low cost track meets could be held at more widespread locations. For example, for those who know the Milwaukee area, the Striders events are held at Hart Park in Tosa. I believe Waukesha also still has these events going on at South High. What about something for the north siders at West Allis, something for the north shore communities at Grafton or Port Washington, and likewise on the south side, maybe around Hales Corners and Racine? The meets I remember from my school days were well attended while only serving an area with a population base probably around 20 thousand. Similar events could be more localized around here, making them more convenient for runners, while still having a much greater population base to draw in enough runners to make them work.

Andrew, that's an interesting experience you had. I understand fully where you were coming from. While you did arrive after the registration window, at many races around here, that wouldn't have prevented you from registering. Heck, I've seen races around here where registration is advertised to close 30 minutes before the gun but people register right up until the gun goes off. As long as they can get your information into the scoring system in time, depending on what kind of scoring system they may be using, it's surprising that they wouldn't be willing to take your money and let you run.

[Ed]

From an RD's perspective event day registration is a hassle and a headache - but well worth the effort.

It is difficult to get registration information to the scorer a couple of minutes before the event and frustrates the scorer as well.  This is especially the case with point ot point events.

[Andrew A.]

FYI, it would have been 30+ minutes before the start of the final wave.  The other possible issue is that the new ownership added chip timing (with giant chips that one straps to one's leg) to the races in the series whereas it had always been volunteers pulling bib tags previously.  No doubt a business decision.  Again, would not expect it and it should be no surprise given that the races are run as a business, first, rather than as community competitions.  On the other hand, would not have been surprised to see an exception made if it were run by fellow runners and familiar faces in the community.  Not a big deal, in the end, and it turned out that I got greater fitness benefit out of going and doing a longer hilly run rather than a hilly 2K and that $20 will find better value elsewhere. 

[r-at-work]

at least one running club in our area has 'cheap' races... fondly know as 'club races' and on most weekends there may be anything from a 3K to a 10 miler at different venues... there is no pre-registration, just a table with about four clipboards with the pages that have the 'hold harmless' statement and then a bunch of lines where you put your name, age/sex, address and email (on one line)... by signing that one line and paying $5 ($4 for club members) your are in and handed a small number, a box of pins are on the table also... as you cross the finish line you are told to go back to the table and write your name, age/sex and time on the back and hand it to the timers (one for men, one for women)... they are low key, usually on a bike trail and not closed to the public... afterwards there can be a minimal amount of food, water & gatorade (liquids in large containers, take one cup and re-use it if you want a second drink)... they are not trying to feed you for a week, they have 'fun' prizes, flats of flowers in the spring, in the fall you might win a pumpkin pie... one 4th of July I went home with a water bottle with a red, white & blue holder... I have a tech shirt and a running hat that were prizes also...

oh, and if you get there late, you can still sign a clip board and just run the course and if you pass people you can still win prizes... once I even asked to start a half hour early (and not be counted in the competition) as I had to take my kid to a later event but I wanted to get my run in and my schedule called for the 10K they were offering that day... so low cost races do exist but I'm sure there are people who would find something to comlpain about at these races also
-Rita

[Ryan]

but I'm sure there are people who would find something to comlpain about at these races also

I guarantee it. Of course, they have plenty of events to choose from already. They could be politely told that this event isn't designed for what they want and another event might be better for them. On the flip side, I think there is a market for these low frills, low cost events, especially given the current economy. At least around here, I get the impression the market may be a bit underserved, though there are some options available.

[rehammes]

Ryan, I feel like a bit of a hypocrit for saying there should be more low cost races when I too have only run South Shore once.  It's funny because, when I lived in Milwaukee, I intended to every year and then the weekend would come and go.  Perhaps, it's the nature of the beast.  To keep costs low, you forego things like advertising.  Hence, less people know about the race, or in my case just forget to enter.  Yet every year,  I hear of a good turnout and relatively few complaints considering the nature of the course (out and back on a bike trail)  I think there is definately a market for the Strider track meets or the 'Club Races' that Rita mentioned from good runners that need a time trial to keep them sharp and on track, but don't necessarily want to invest an entire Saturday to accomplish this.  If the Livermore Valley or Tri-Valley did that out here, I'd be there every week.  Of course, I'm hypocritical again as I never went to a Strider meet in Milwaukee.  I'll chalk it up to being at a different place in my training now than I was way back then (two years ago  )

[Ryan]

Rob, I know the feeling. Likewise, if I really mean what I say, why am I not getting to those track meets or South Shore a little more often? Like you, it just never seems to fit. Also, I used to live virtually across the street from South Shore's direct competition so, if I was looking for a half, that won out. As for the track meets, I think it's convenience of location, which is why I think a metro like Milwaukee could support 5 or even more of those events spread out through the area. Then, everyone could have one relatively close to them.

I'm seriously thinking that, when things settle down and I might have the time to do so, I should put out some feelers at the local high schools to see if they would be willing to give me some track time to get something like this going.

[rehammes]

I'm sure the high school track and CC coaches would be in favor of an event that encouraged running at their track that was not affiliated in any way to their school so as not to attract the attention of the WIAA!  Completely voluntary speedwork to keep your runners sharp before the season, I would support that.

[Ryan]

That's what I'm thinking. Most HS coaches would love it, especially if their athletes are showing up and they can legally see how their athletes are progressing over the summer.