Good morning! Happy Friday! 😎
I woke up hungry this morning. It’s a good thing that I made Overnight Oats in a Jar before bed last night. (I still can’t believe how quickly I plowed through that jar of almond butter!) In the mix: oats, soy milk, raisins, chia seeds, and ground flaxseed meal. As always: delicious.
The August issue of Runner’s World features the most interesting article about whether today’s road races are overpriced– or undervalued. Some of the answers provided definitely surprised me!
To register for the 2011 New York City Marathon, it cost me $207. Crazy, right? According the Runner’s World article, this fee is up $11 from last year’s race and $139 from 2000.
As you probably know, this race fee phenomenon is not unique to New York. (Remember how much I paid to register for the Rock ”˜N’ Roll Las Vegas!?! GAH!) Between 2006 and 2010, the average marathon entry fee in the US went from $66 to $85. Half marathons went from $46 to $62. The question is: Why? Runner’s World offers a number of answers in their article.
One of reasons given for these rising race fees is eager runners:
Despite escalating fees, there are more racers than ever. Since 2008, the number of finishers in all road-race distances has increased from 9.4 million to 12 million.
The article goes on to credit women runners for much of that growth:
Since 2008, female racers have represented the majority of runners crossing the finish line, and in 2010, they compromised 53 percent of total finishers.
Yay for women runners!!
Ebates Giveaway
Thanks to everyone who entered my Ebates giveaway this week! Here’s your winner:
Theresa
I’m a member! Found out about ebates thru your blog and love it!
Congrats, Theresa! Please contact me with the email address that you used to sign up for Ebates, so we can confirm that you are a member and get you your $100 prize!
Question of the Day
Why do you think running has become more popular? If you’re a runner, how often do you participate in road races? Do fees ever hinder your participation?
