The Running Thread - 2018

[kleph]

I believe it's kind of ridiculous to argue that the cost of running is becoming prohibitive when running does not require that you sign up for a race in a specific destination, be it Disney or your neighborhood.

i believe this is correct. there is a real distinction between a 'regular' race and a 'destination' race which is being blurred in this article. a lot of people will shell out a premium for a destination race like WDW but that's not necessarily their regular spending pattern. for example: if you want to run your first (and possibly only) marathon, putting that much of an investment in it can be reasonable since it's a single expense. even if you run marathons more often, it doesn't make sense pay a premium for every single race. if you are like me when I ran them regularly, you don't want to deal with thousands of runners each event you enter.

all of that's a lot different than entering local races that are priced much more reasonably, occur at all times of the year and will likely make up the bulk of one's racing (and, by extension, one's race-related expense).

 

[KSellers88]

Find a more expensive brand and show him those first. This is the inoculation.

Then a few days later (after his immunity is built up), show him the real, less expensive shoes, that you really want.

Go out to eat to celebrate the money you just saved.

Genius!

 

[Dis5150]

@Dis5150 i love my dansko professional. It's not the prettiest or cheapest (psssst - you can get them for a better price on 6pm) but it's the only thing I wear at work. They last forever - I've gone through 2 pairs in over 10 years and only because a pint of detergent got inside 1 during a move. I highly suggest going to a shoe store to try them on.

Tieks are my favorite flats. But I get blisters if I walk in them all day all week.

I totally forgot about 6pm! I have bought shoes from them before and they have great prices. Thanks!!

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: You are allowed to only run one race that you have already participated in for the rest of your life and that race only, which one are you going to run?

I'd have to go Flying Pig. Love that race and it is close enough that I could do it every year but far enough that it is a travel race.

Interesting article

Are races worth the money?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/get-healthy-orlando/os-runners-pay-for-races-20180216-story.html

I know many of us would say yes but it’s something to ponder for sure.

I like to race and I like to travel. I combine the two. I don't really consider the travel costs as a race cost, they are vacation costs and I'm doing a race while there. Do I think some races charge more than they are worth? Yes, and that includes Disney which is why I am doing my first one in over 7 years. In the end those races will start to see declines in attendance as runners find better value for money. This isn't a bad thing. Every herd needs culled from time to time.

 

[kleph]

this report is a year old but relevant to the current discussion. i expect Running USA will be posting the 2018 trend report any day now

2017 U.S. Road Race Trends

Road race finisher total experiences slight year-over-year decline in 2016

WICHITA, Kan. - (March 23, 2017) – For the third straight year, the number of road race finishers declined in the United States, as 16,957,100 runners crossed a finish line in 2016, a one percent decrease from the 17,114,800 finishers in 2015.

http://www.runningusa.org/2017-us-road-race-trends​

 

[Jules76126]

I have to say all this Tieks talk has me really want to buy a new pair.

I am lucky as there are a ton of local races in New England and we have family in 5 out of the 6 states so there is always somewhere to stay. If I wanted to run a race farther away, I would just make a vacation out of it.

 

[Ariel484]

I have to say all this Tieks talk has me really want to buy a new pair.

I am lucky as there are a ton of local races in New England and we have family in 5 out of the 6 states so there is always somewhere to stay. If I wanted to run a race farther away, I would just make a vacation out of it.

I just want to let you know...I saw your post yesterday and went to the Tieks website. Remembered I had looked at them awhile back and thought they were too pricey. Also remembered that I have a birthday coming up.....so yeah, my first pair will be at my house tomorrow. Look what you've started!!

EDIT: I went with Azure Snake but there are like 4 other colors on my wishlist...

 

[FredtheDuck]

I just want to let you know...I saw your post yesterday and went to the Tieks website. Remembered I had looked at them awhile back and thought they were too pricey. Also remembered that I have a birthday coming up.....so yeah, my first pair will be at my house tomorrow. Look what you've started!!

Ha! So the enabler gets enabled... my how the tables have turned! : )

 

[LSUlakes]

I have 3 World Major marathons this year, each requiring travel (2 involving a plane). It is expensive, but this is what I like to do and spend money on. I am lucky to have a husband who loves to come with me and spectate almost as much as I love to race (funny, he rarely sees me do a local race). And you are right, prices just keep going up and up...I really want to do Berlin, but $$$ is holding me back along with logistics of child care. I keep saying I will do it when I don't need a baby sitter anymore.

I have a friend that completed the world majors with the last one being Tokyo. Doing those races has to be a cool way to see parts of the world.

 

[Ariel484]

Ha! So the enabler gets enabled... my how the tables have turned! : )

It's time for a new generation of posters to enable...

 

[LSUlakes]

QOTD: In running there are many challenge type events. Some have officials names, others only exist online and the only acknowledgment you may get is internet cred. However, they exist. Do you have any type of race challenge that you would like to complete, working on, or would like to do?

ATTQOTD: I cant say there is one would like to do, some sound interesting, but I just dont see them playing out. The closest thing I would like to do is a IM, which doesnt really fall into this discussion, but its what I got.

 

[kleph]

ATTQOTD: The Bicentennial. but there is no way i would survive it at this point in my life.

 

[Miranda]

That one is my to do list... In a few year.

I did it in 2016 and it was great even though it was pouring rain the entire time! The race organization was amazing, the pasta dinner the night before up at the ski lodge was so relaxing and enjoyable sitting out on the grass with our dog listening to the music (it was nice and sunny the day before), and the course support (bands along the course, townspeople who came out to cheer the race, etc) was great even in all the rain.

I was registered again for last year and hoping for a better weather experience, but I was injured and couldn't run it. I'll definitely be doing it again in the future... I only did not sign up again this year because last year due to the same injury missed another HM in May (Wallis Sands here in NH) that had a deferral policy/credit of 75% of the race fee as a credit towards another registration within 1 year with the same race company. They mostly do triathlons, so my only option really was to do Wallis Sands again to not lose out on the credit, and I only wanted to do one spring HM this year.

I might register for it next year, I'm not sure yet. I want to but it's hard having 2 hobbies that primarily have big events or require longer training on the weekends. My other hobby is dog agility, and trials are always on weekends. I'm struggling right now with FOMO about some trials that are happening in April and early May that I want to attend, but I'm getting into the longer long run part of my training for May and there's just not enough hours in the days or energy in the legs to do both right now, especially when trials usually start at 7:00 AM and are a 1-2 hour drive each way, longer runs are creeping up towards the 2-2.5 hour range, and I have a fast dog that I need to book it around the ring to keep up with. I might need to investigate shifting my days around for future plans so my long runs are like on Monday or something.

 

[roxymama]

QOTD: In running there are many challenge type events. Some have officials names, others only exist online and the only acknowledgment you may get is internet cred. However, they exist. Do you have any type of race challenge that you would like to complete, working on, or would like to do?

I'm doing an unofficial challenge this year that many Chicagoans do...but I don't really think it has a name. The first "official" race of the running season in Chicago is the BOA Shamrock Shuffle 8k and it shares the same start and finish lines as the marathon and is run by the same organizers. Then the "official" close of the race season (although not really because there are always races) is the BOA Chicago marathon. So this year I'm completing that and have gotten the first one done. The second part will be harder

This was the 39th shuffle and will be the 41st marathon. So I imagine a lot of people have already completed this two-fer.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I don't know if this counts: I set up my own challenge weekend a couple of years ago and ran 5 5Ks in one weekend. I would like to try to duplicate that, maybe even go for 6!. In Atlanta in the spring, there can be 30-40 races to chose from. The race directors are so booked up, some of the races are afternoon races and the also have 'early' and 'mid' morning races. To hit 6, I would need to find a Friday night race, a double morning, a single morning, and 2 afternoon races. Off to the running calendar I go!

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: In running there are many challenge type events. Some have officials names, others only exist online and the only acknowledgment you may get is internet cred. However, they exist. Do you have any type of race challenge that you would like to complete, working on, or would like to do?

Disney challenges are the big ones I do. I am currently signed up for the Wine and Dine challenge and probably one for January as well. I would definitely like to do other challenges outside of Disney but I am not sure what to do yet as we don't really have many options for that in WI.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

ATTQOTD: The challenge of 1 race distance is enough for me!! I honestly can't see myself ever participating in a multi-race challenge.

 

[Capang]

ATTQOTD: Cedar Point, my "home" park has a Run and Ride race series and I was planning their 2 course challenge. I like that I could do a 5k and a quarter marathon (i don't see why this couldn't be a 10k but whatever) and still get the challenge medal. I'm not quite ready for a half yet. It will have to wait until next summer because I'm doing the 5k and 10k at wine and dine this fall. So instead I'm settling for the 1mile family run at Cedar Point with my 7 year old.

 

[roxymama]

Oh I forgot I have done the Rock n Roll remix challenge twice which is to run a race Sat and Sun. Luckily they have both a 10k & half on Sunday so for two years I ran a 5k/10k combo and still got the same bonus guitar medal the 5k/HM crowd gets. That may chuff some of the longer distance runners, but it's July and I just CAN'T with heat for halves. Plus...bling!
edited to add that @michigandergirl also did this strategy once with me

No Disney challenges yet but one day.

 

[JBinORL]

March Stats
Distance: 114.21 miles
Time: 17:30:49
Avg. Pace: 9:12/mile
Elevation Gain: 703 (damn you Florida)

Year To Date Miles: 317.37