HOW MUCH? £46 for a half marathon ????

If they sell out the event regardless of the price then why wouldn't they charge this much!? Makes perfect sense to me and I don't see anything to complain about.

dhale750 wrote (see)

If they sell out the event regardless of the price then why wouldn't they charge this much!? Makes perfect sense to me and I don't see anything to complain about.

The problem with this is it puts money above everything else .........  there was a piece in the Telegraph recently where one of Prince Harry's chums was commending the Prince for raising so much money for charity. Well its pretty easy to do so when you are born into the circle he is ......... but a lay person raising a grand is doing a harder job than Prince Harry. My point being is that for some £46 is nothing and they can afford to throw it away on the 'nicer' events if you like. For others who might like to do it, they cant afford such money. So you are in danger of just creating certain events for the elite.

And why shouldnt everyone have a shot?

(by the way, Im not even talking about myself. I can easily afford the £46, but there is a principle here)

46 would be too much for me to justify, i paid 35 each to do L2B cycle in june for me and the mr, but we go with friends, nice day out , scenic, huge event, great fun

and very well marshalled /organised etc, anyway, nearly 50 quid to run around is out my price league

the wrap up and run 10k is 16, thats okay, 

i like helping charities and like a challenge, but that cost does alienate less affluent to joining in

love park runs 

Did the Blackmore Vale Half yesterday - £10 for affiliated runners. 511 finishers, times ranging from 1:10 to 2:53. For me the perfect type of event (apart from the killer hill to the finish).

you guys should go to the states, this would be a cheap run, 

Last year the SF marathon was $180 and the half was $100, if i'd have paid for it i'd have been bitter too since whilst its a great race, the organisation and support is actually pretty average compared to uk races,  

The Great North Run is £49  definitely think the smaller events are the way to go!

People are essentially paying for the chance to be seen on TV and to mention an event people may have heard of. If you tell them, 'Oh I ran in the Swindon Half' on the weekend they probably thought you meant you ran to the pub. But say 'the Great North Run' and they are like 'oooh that sounds hard.'

Royal Parks is one of my favourite courses, it is very expensive but I enjoy the course and the organisation is superb. I wouldn't run it every year though.

I've been trying to save money on race entry fees recently, so have been searching for the local club run events. I was amazed that you can enter a 10km for £9 and get a medal and slice of cake at the end  

I also like entering races abroad and building a holiday around the race and would be more likely to enter a big race. I'd feel a bit safer in rocking up thousands of miles from home to run in a huge race than a local running club one.

David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

People are essentially paying for the chance to be seen on TV and to mention an event people may have heard of. If you tell them, 'Oh I ran in the Swindon Half' on the weekend they probably thought you meant you ran to the pub. But say 'the Great North Run' and they are like 'oooh that sounds hard.'

 

Non-runners probably won't have heard of any running event apart from VLM or maybe Race for Life   

I think "safe" is the wrong word. Let's say I'd feel happier entering a big-name event abroad than the local running club one. (I am only talking about races abroad, not in the UK)

1. I want to visit countries where the primary language isn't English. There's a bigger chance of an official translation being on the website of a big event, some instructions being in English. Means less chances for me to make stupid mistakes with my dictionary and entering the wrong race, turning up at the wrong place, thinking something is provided on course and finding that it isn't.

2. I'd feel happier that the event would go ahead. Not saying that the big races never get cancelled (just look at the NY Marathon this year) but personally I wouldn't travel thousands of miles for a small race. Find a race to run if I'd already planned a trip? Fine. But I wouldn't base a holiday around a small indie race.

3. Compensation in case it did get cancelled. NY marathon runners got guaranteed entry into next year's event ... not sure that a small club could afford to do that in similar circumstances.

4. Overall experience. Road closures, well organised water stations, the race bling. I'm not going to travel to a different country specifically to run the equivalent of my running club's annual 20 miler, which is great but pretty informal, but I would to run a big name event.

None of this matters in the UK, because I don't have language-barrier, I can muddle along even if gel/water isn't provided on course, and at most I've lost the cost of a night's B&B if a race is unexpectedly cancelled.