0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
My friends in the business have been saying participation has been gradually declining for the past three years. Wouldn't mind seeing more of a back to basics movement with less expensive race fees.
I think competitive running has burst, it’s more about participation more than anything.
More of a long deflation of competitive running. That's been ongoing for 30 years.
Yes yes yes yes yes. $40 for a 5k is criminal.
A lot of the races here have become expensive because of all the after-race crap. I don't want beer or vodka after a race. I want to be able to get some water, maybe a snack, get done with awards, and leave. I did a 10-mile race yesterday that was actually 10.2 and cost $65. I was there until after 11 just waiting around. I won, and I don't really like skipping out, but sakes alive, I don't have all day. They had all the age group winners congregate for a picture, so by the time they called OA, there wasn't even room for me (was called last), so I kicked the dirt and left. The same race had a 15-miler and the lead bike missed an almost 3-mile out-and-back. The most vocal about the screw up was a guy who had his bib comped. Not cool.
Back door bragWay to sneak that in
You won the race overall beating any and all males?
Fred!
Castille destroyed the masters field at the Tulsa 15 last month. He's super lean and slight and doesn't look older than an elite 35 year old runner. I give him the benefit of the doubt, and figure he'd probably been a 28 flat or so 10K runner at his peak. So what he's doing at 45 isn't too far off. But yeah, I gave Eddy the benefit of the doubt (maybe some more doubt) before he got busted.
Nice talking to you Wilson, and you are racing well.No Fred, he's kicking ass, actualizing his potential.
If the normal elites can dope and not get caught by testing, why give the 3.1 @ 4:33 get a pass? How often does he get tested by USADA?https://www.usada.org/testing/results/athlete-test-history/
Thanks, have had a good year and been able to put all the pieces together--consistency, nutrition, training system, and lifestyle (live high train low--and not 6 months of snow and ice on the ground). New AG next year and looking forward to that!Looks like 2014 for T&F. I'd like to see more testing at the masters level at major races and championships.
I feel like average times have dropped precipitously too. In the late 90s, it wasn't unusual for me to drop a 20 minute 5k and be in the bottom half of the field. Only the last few stragglers would be over 30 minutes. Now I can do 30 minutes and be in the top half. I mean if you have so many people who are willing to drop big bucks, not train, stop for selfies every mile and enjoy the hell out of it as long as the post race party is good, that's where you're going to invest.
I can't run fast. There's no appeal to me at all in racing, but sometimes I'll do a 5k with my friends if it's got a good race party. The party is the only part that makes it worth doing for me -- it's not exactly enjoyable being passed by everyone, but if we can all hang out afterward at least it's a social event. I'm basically the middle aged jogger lady you all mock at races. At least I don't do those ones where they throw paint and stuff at you.
Road racing is pretty inclusive and has been even in the early days (Bay to Breakers, Bolder Boulder etc.), where you can have national class to world class runners line up with 10 min/mile joggers and walkers of all ages going half that fast. The issues are expensive entry fees ($50 for a 5K?), sometimes excessive bling (which is why race fees have gone up), and some races (mostly half and full marathons) selling out in hours or day, sometimes 6 months or more in advance. I have a couple other pet peeves but some things are sacred cows (urp Boston Marathon), but it's generally not the breadth and diversity of participants.
Not this race, but I’ve done that more than once, so don’t sound so shocked. . I lost to one male.
I'm not shocked. Congrats to you.
... And yet, somehow, The Evil Rock & Roll Backwards Hosewater Slave Labor Marathon Empire continues to cash inhttp://www.runrocknroll.com/virtual-run/$30 per [includes a RnR medal], plus a bonus snow globe if you register for all three at once for $99.99