I suppose it was in the woods somewhere, out at one of the ultras, but I no longer have the love or respect for NYRR. Oh, I admire that they put on one of the greatest marathons - my favourite marathon indeed! - but where is the love of everything?
When I went to pick up my number for admittedly, a MUCH smaller race, Cajun Coyote 100 Miler, the RD joked around with me while wearing a stuffed alligator hat. Volunteers gave me Mardi-Gras beads, joked about the cherry vodka-blue-marshmallow drinks they'd be serving later. It was fun.
When I went to pick up my number for a recent 15k in Central Park, I got SCREAMED at my NYRR volunteers when in the registration room. Screamed. I was putting on my Dtag while waiting in line - apparently, I could wait there doing nothing, but not put on my Dtag. I left the room. I did not want to deal with this.
NYRR raised the price of the NYC Half-Marathon to $117. Assuming I don't have to travel for work, I plan on running a 50 miler the following week for $69. Pay almost twice to run nearly a quarter of the distance? Yes, the course is fast. Yes, they have to shut streets down. Yes, they have to pay cops and security, and yes, don't forget appearance fees for top runners. But really? Do I really want to?
Honestly - I've gone back and forth a bunch of times in my head. I don't have to travel. (Though I generally don't fly for anything less than 50miles.) It's close. It's easy. Lots of friends will come. Probably not my parents. But still. My whole running club! But the principle...and $117.
I have a few hours left. I probably won't sign up, but NYRR, when did you start being so expensive and stop being so much fun?
Maybe it's that I discovered another world, ultrarunning, with its casual laid-back atmosphere and cheaper fees (I've paid less for 100milers than I have for the NYC Marathon and I get a lot more out of a 100miler - tons of food, gear, fun, and a helluva lot more pain!).
But maybe, really maybe, things have changed...
4 comments:
very very true. While running the NYC marathon this year, my girlfriend and I vowed to lessen our road marathons let alone, big name ones. Hence my start of bring more Ultras to Long Island!!!
Hey, I found your blog from the ultra list. I've been lurking for a few weeks but I had to chime in here. I moved from primarily road races to focused on ultras this year and the cost was a big factor. Originally I wanted to do the Philly HALF marathon but for the same price I ran the Stone Cat 50. And I had a much more fun time doing so I'm sure, with the hospitatilty and welcoming of the race staff and the other crews and runners. I'll still run some road races but it's hard to justify when things seem to keep getting more and more corporate and less about the actual run
Hey, I found your blog from the ultra list. I've been lurking for a few weeks but I had to chime in here. I moved from primarily road races to focused on ultras this year and the cost was a big factor. Originally I wanted to do the Philly HALF marathon but for the same price I ran the Stone Cat 50. And I had a much more fun time doing so I'm sure, with the hospitatilty and welcoming of the race staff and the other crews and runners. I'll still run some road races but it's hard to justify when things seem to keep getting more and more corporate and less about the actual run
Marathons are suits, ultras are the punks. I had to quit road running because the whole thing was so gross. So much excessively fancy gear and litter and stupid competition. It all made me crazy. That said, of course, everyone should do what they love and people doing what they love makes me happy. Unless, of course, it's throwing garbage around everywhere and acting like a jerk that you love. That would make me unhappy.
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