UKC

Looking to do an organised run.... maybe a 1/2 marathon?

Doing a bit of research I'm left with a generally negative feeling about it.

Firstly it's hard not to notice the price... the Reading half mentioned recently costs £36 plus travel costs. I've made inquiries as to what a "goody bag" contains and am told things like a tech t-shirt, sports drink/bar, money off vouchers etc so nothing that would really offset some of the entry fee costs.

My biggest fear is the start, where it takes ages to get a cross the start line and for the first mile or 2 your being jostled by the sheer number of other runners and so unable to run at your pace.

Speaking to a running friend he says its all because running is now seen as trendy and lots of people have a running challenge on their 'bucket list'

Anyone want to allay my fears or suggest a way of having a more fun experience. I guess that smaller events may be the way to go.
Thanks

In reply to Antigua:

Check out Endurance Life website. Good events and not too busy (they limit mumbers)

Coastal trails...good fun

http://www.endurancelife.com/

In reply to Antigua:

I have done a few events mainly off road, my last one was the Scafel trail marathon run by High Terrain events, excellent event well organised and a nice amount of people. They had a selection of distances including half marathon and smaller. Well worth doing one of their events.

In reply to Antigua:

Most local running clubs organise open-entry events which are far cheaper and very friendly.

In reply to Antigua:

If you're bothered by crowds at the start, go for smaller events. Big city races are often very expensive and very crowded, whereas smaller events are cheaper and less crowded. I prefer smaller events, partly for the reason you suggest, that it's easier to run at your own pace.

Smaller events are often organised by running clubs, whereas the big city events are usually run by commercial organisations. There are pros and cons to each, but in my experience, running clubs do a great job of organising their races - years of experience in many cases - and I would usually opt for a race run by a club over a commercially organised race. There are exceptions of course, but the worst races I've done have been organised either by a commercial events organisation or a local council.

Have a look on EntryCentral - it's a race entry website and it will give you an idea of the numbers of runners in races. We use it for our club races - Crieff 10k trail race and the Strathearn marathon.

If you like running, races can be a terrific experience. I love them, even when I don't do very well. There's often a great sense of community and mutual support, and running with other people will always make you perform better.

In reply to Antigua:

Scarborough 10k - organised by the local running club, very cheap and you get a good quality flouro t-shirt in your goody bag. No problem running at your own pace throughout and a good course for a PB.

And you even get a hug from the race organiser at the end, though possibly only if you know her !

In reply to Antigua:

It depends..

Boston Marathon $160 felt like a bargain. Superb organisation stress free racing.

Philly Half.. $100 not enough toilets, so stressful start.

UTMB 160 euro.. felt value for money

Alamo half Texas, $120.. not enough toilets, poorly marked course, no prizes. Terrible rip off race.

Get faster.. start in the better pens, then you get a more enjoyable experience. I like big city races, but only occassionally, they can get a bit OTT.. too hyped..

In reply to Antigua:

Check out www.ukresults.net for a range of races. The site includes myriad options and ones more cost effective than Reading, for example.

However, don't simply assume the £36 covers the cost of what's in your goody bag. It doesn't. Events cost money to put on.

In reply to Antigua:

We had a long discussion at my club committee on Monday night about if we could justify putting the price if two of our races (both 6 milers) from £4 to £5.

Both my local XC leagues put the prices up this year, £5 for 4 races, a crazy expensive £1.25 a race.

Generally speaking the bigger the race, the more expensive. Paid organisers, bigger prize funds and closed roads. I don't like big races, I don't like paying silly money Great Manchester 10k is £40+, I don't like queuing for an hour to use the toilet before a race, but most of all I like to run and not get obstructed for the first few miles. Thankfully there are thousands of smaller events.

You could always do park run, organised and free.

In reply to IainRUK:

I did the Leeds Abbey Dash late last year. I was given the entry and wanted to run it as a tempo. Despite starting in the fastest pen, it took me several minutes to cross the line and I was overtaking people walking at 1 mile. I recon I was impeded for 5 of the 6.2 miles. I overtook 1500 people according to the chip information. If would have been very miffed if I had a) paid or b) been gunning for a fast time.

In reply to The New NickB:

Wow.. even Boston I started in corral 2.. so 1000 runners back but they go in waves and was barely held up.. maybe the first mile I pushed too hard.. but then was fine.

I've never had congestion in any race but the UTMB when I have always started at the back..

In reply to The New NickB:

Thanks to this thread I've just started rummaging for some smaller races to enter and have found several that look interesting round the eastern Dales - the entry prices seem to be around £10, which is palatable. I'm also not a fan of the idea of big crowds, so smaller events seem much more appealing. I'm just a bit wary of them being more likely to be full of 'proper' runners than beginners like me.

Mr TC grumbles about what's happened to triathlon entry prices in recent years - his brother's doing the Blenheim sprint tri which is - yes - £87 per person. I know triathlons need a lot of organisation, but even so.

In reply to IainRUK:

Not enough pens and the course is too narrow, it is out and back so for large sections you only run on half the road. Just not enough room for 12,000 runners.

In reply to Tall Clare:
Don't worry too much about the standard of runners in smaller club organised races. I tend to find that club runners represent all abilities.

Also - I ran my first ever fell race on New Years Day (Nine Standards), it cost £6 and the lady at the sign-up desk was apologising about it being £1 more than last year. Loved it.

In reply to Tall Clare:


It really shouldn't be a problem. There are usually all standards, even 'proper' runners are not always fast, you will probably beat a few club runners.

We have Ron Hill running regularly is events around here, Ron has won the Boston Marathon, Commonwealth Marathon, held the marathon world record and still holds at least one British record, he is a proper runner and he runs 5k at about the same pace you do these days.

In reply to Antigua:
Use this.

www.runningdiary.co.uk/


I like both city and smaller races. Adds to the interest. i guess at the end of the day, you dont really need to enter any race, just map a run from your door and off you go at your own pace.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:


I disagree, racing is very different to just running and they provide very different pleasures. That said, racing isn't compulsory, I don't do fell races anymore, I love the hills and found racing tarnished my personal enjoyment of them.

In reply to Tall Clare:

Cost me a few quid more than that for the blenheim palace spirit...!

In reply to Antigua:

I've done a few big city races. Yes they do seem pricey but, in my experience they have been well marshalled, well signed, lots of facilities at the start and finish and lots of official (and unofficial) support along the way. I'm sure this isn't the case for all but when I have done them I can certainly see where the money is spent.

All the ones I have done have made the start line significantly more narrow than the first section of the course, so runners thin out before they cross the line and I have never been held up in the first few miles. As for not crossing the start line until a few minutes after the gun has gone, it's not an issue with the larger races as you have a timing chip on your shoe which means your time does not begin until you cross the start line.

I love large events, I get a real buzz from being a part of something like that and it's a great way to see a city from a different perspective (apart from the last couple of miles of the London Marathon where the cheering crowds were so large and I was so knackered that I didn't see a lot!).

For that kind of support and organisation, I don't see it as a huge amount of money but it all depends upon what you want to get out of it, what you enjoy and of course, where you are!

Happy running!

In reply to Antigua:

Definitely do a trail run if you are happy with off-road. Generally much cheaper prices and lovely communities. Relatively small entries and therefore the field spaces out very quickly.

The Wye Valley Night Owl 10k and daytime marathon/half-marathon is a lovely event. Cheap entry, great fun and easily fit in as part of a climbing weekend trip!
http://www.209events.com/uk-running-events/wye-valley-marathon-forest-of-de...

There are also some amazingly cool things out there like Beat the Bore (racing the Severn Bore for 7miles) http://iamoutdoors.co.uk/cotswold-allrunners-events/beatthebore/ which are organised by a lovely community of runners and generally include good food and company at the end in the price, instead of usual race pack tat.

And I'd definitely second the recommendation for Endurance Life Coastal Trail Series.

In reply to Antigua:

Yes I've entered Reading. Only because I got into London on the ballot and want to see what it's like running with thousands of people.

In Feb I'm running a half marathon in Baldock, less than 10miles from where I live. Free parking, £16 and a tshirt.

In December I ran a 10mile race, similar price.

There are loads around. Avoid the big ones, pay £20 max.

In reply to Just Tintin:
.

£22 for the half-marathon - still too expensive !

how about Offa's Orror 20k at £10.75 ?

https://sites.google.com/site/chepstowharriersrunningclub/offa-s-orror

In reply to Antigua:
There's something for everyone though. Parkruns free and low key, cross country free for clubbies (and a proper spread of standards), fell races usually less than a fiver (pubs often involved), club organised races say 5 to 15 quid, commercially run events 25 and up, Big City high profile events with lots of buzz and lots of people that might only do 1 event a year.

Our club Half was just on this weekend and something about that size (2000-ish) is a good size for having people around you to pace yourself against but without being too crowded. Ours is 20/22 quid but we give most of that away after costs.

There's no law that says you have to race but worth giving a few a go to see if its for you