The Costs of Racing: What's a fair race fee?

For those who do a lot of racing, there is an important aspect of running that begins to be important as the races begin to stack up.  It's the financial question.  Typical race fees range from the ultra cheap $10 no-shirt-option 5k fundraiser that the campus ROTC puts on, to the midsized $80 marathon, to "prestige" races like Boston or NYC where you fork out $100-$300 to run 26 miles in the dust of the Kenyans and Ryan Hall.  And that's not counting travel costs, food, etc, since most races outside of the local fun-run variety involve some travel and nutritional planning.  In a given year, if you're running 3-4 marathon distance or greater races, plus a handful of local road races, you're easily talking about a $300+ investment, depending on how good your gas mileage is.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest supporter of free market capitalism out there, and I have no problem with a race director or a company putting on a race with the goal of making a little money.  In the world we live in, that's largely why people are motivated to provide services like putting on a race, and I have no problem with that basic concept.  I also have no problem paying race fees.  I'm not one of these guys that puts on airs and asks for "comped" entries just because I'm a sub-2:40 guy.  It does, however, lead us to ask "What is a fair race fee?"  

I suppose that any discussion of race fees must begin with determining what we as runners expect when we pay an entry fee.  My criterion for judging whether a race was worth the cost are pretty simple.  I'm not hard to please.  I don't need live bands along the course, a big expo with tons of vendors and race-related merchandise, huge prizes, a race bag filled with all sorts of goodies and freebies, or an elaborate shirt.  Here's what I value when I pull my credit card out for a race entry fee:

1. An accurate, well marked, and runnable course (with bonus points for scenery).  I don't think it's unreasonable for road races to be basically spot-on the distance.  Trail race distances are understood to be approximate, but should still be in the ballpark.  Markings should be fairly frequent and easy to see.  It is also helpful to have a good map at the start so I can know what to expect.  Courses should avoid unsafe or non-runnable places, such as construction zones, heavy traffic (unless adequate space is provided for the runners), and it's nice if there is a volunteer or two at potentially confusing turns.

2. Well-stocked aid stations with volunteers and/or medical personnel to assist distressed runners.  Obviously, this isn't very important in a 5k or maybe even a 10k, but it becomes more important as the race distance increases.  In a marathon, aid stations should be consistently spaced and special attention should be paid to making sure they are adequately supplied.  Same goes for trail races, except that it is understood that spacing is as consistent as access permits, and that the runner must carry some supplies to supplement the aid stations as needed.

3. Accurate timing, and prompt online results.  Pretty self explanatory.  Even for a low key event, it's not hard to set up a little blog or something and post the results or email them.  SLC marathon-2011-like fiascos are a big no-no.

4.  Food at the finish.  Nothing too complicated is necessary, but even in a 5k it's nice to have some bread/cookies/bagels and a banana or orange slice, washed down with water or Gatorade.  And you certainly won't see me complaining at the El Vaquero Loco 50k this year when they serve up some post-race burgers and homemade huckleberry soda. 

5. A small award for the top finishers.  It doesn't have to be a huge money prize, but a little something is nice, even if it's something quirky or homemade.  Bonus points for unique-ness.  A finishers medal or other token is nice too, for a bigger/longer/more challenging race, but for me it's not a necessity.

Considering these items, two recent races that I've run come to mind in comparison:  the Logan Peak Trail Run and the Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay.  Each race was lots of fun, unique, and quite challenging in its own way, and I was glad to run both.  However, when you compare them financially, there are some marked differences. 

Logan Peak costs $55 (Down from $60--when was the last time you saw a race get cheaper??), gives you 28 miles of running on one of the more beautiful courses around, well stocked and fully staffed aid stations, a nice spread of food at the end, great prizes for top finishers and participants, as well as a sweet raffle.  It's probably the best overall race experience I've had in my years of running.  Incidentally, I feel I should mention that due to the drastically reduced course, Logan Peak is actually refunding part of the entry fee to all participants, since expenses were lower than usual. 

On the other hand, the Wasatch Back costs $90 per runner, and also requires most teams to provide 3 volunteers for the race.  In return, you get about the equivalent of three 10k's (~18 miles), little to no aid or food available either on the course, at exchanges, or the finish (unless you want to pay through the nose or listen to a vendor's spill for a sample of something).  I don't mean to rag on Ragnar (pun intended), and I will give WBR some serious props for great organization, providing a great way for beginners to get their feet wet, a scenic and well marked course, and a cool finishers medal, but when you run a Ragnar relay, you get the feeling that it is first and foremost a money-making business scheme, and only secondarily a running event. 

Again, I don't mind capitalism, but I when I run a race I want it to feel like it is primarily for the benefit of the runners and the love of the sport, and I want to feel like I got my money's worth.  So, what is "my money's worth?"  A good friend and former training partner of mine, once wrote on his blog about a dollar-to-distance ratio which he uses to determine whether a particular race is "worth it" or not.  His personal limit is $3 per racing mile (for those of you still working out the math of my comparison of Logan Peak and WBR, Logan Peak comes out to $1.96/mile while WBR costs $5.00/mile or more, depending on which leg you're running).  Obviously, for very short races or very long races there would be some variance (higher for 5k's, lower for 100 milers), but I think it's a great ball-park figure.  All of the most satisfactory races I've run, with regard to my criteria mentioned before, have been $3 per mile or less.  It seems like a fair number which benefits both the runner and the race director.  Races like the St. George Marathon can make money, while still providing a great experience for the runner.  Races like Logan Peak where profit isn't particularly important to the RD can provide an even more satisfactory experience.   In order to preserve the integrity of distance running, we must avoid falling into the same trap as some other sports such as football, basketball, and baseball, where the appeal of participating for the love of the sport has been lost amid the dollar signs.  The camaraderie among runners which connects race directors and participants, the fact that anyone can participate in virtually any race, and the culture of maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health are all reasons why it is important that distance running not become a "money sport," and avoiding unnecessarily high race fees is an important step in maintaining the integrity of this lifetime pursuit.

Here are some other races I've run which stand out in my mind as being particularly good experiences and well worth the entry fee:

Sand Hollow Marathon
St. George Marathon
Top of Utah Marathon
Washington County (UT) Fair 5k Fun Run
Hurricane Peach Days 12k Fun Run (you guess your time, run with no watch, and the closest guess wins)
Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run 15k

One last note:  In an effort to avoid a completely negative and complaining post, I feel the need to submit the idea that runners should also volunteer at running events.  I would be remiss if I complained about a race requiring teams to provide volunteers while refusing to volunteer myself.  So go out every once in awhile and help with a local race if you have a free Saturday morning.  It's a lot of fun, and you'll get your feel-goods tickled if nothing else.  Last year I had a chance to volunteer for the Bear 100 ultramarathon as a pacer and race crew for my friend (mentioned above), and it was a great experience.  Life changing actually.  If you ever get the chance to volunteer for a 100, do it.  I will be volunteering again this year at one of the aid stations.