I’ve been thinking about how the organising of races, and the expectations of participants and the demands made of race organisers has changed over the years.
In 1982 £1 had the buying power of £4.51 today, and it was pretty normal to pay between £1 and £3 for a race entry in those days. Using the Bank of England’s calculator, that would equate £4.51 – £13.53 in today’s terms. So why is the range now more likely to be anything between £20 – £40 (and in many cases, much more) ? Thanks to the marvellous club and league set up in this country, it remains possible to race very cheaply, or even for free as a team member in many events and that’s a wonderful thing. But this isn’t a penny-pinching rant about being reluctant to pay your dues; it’s much more a question about why race organising has become an industry in itself. If that is of necessity, why is it? It goes without saying that if you are literally “in the business” of organising races then a reasonable profit needs to be made to keep that business afloat. That adds a few pounds to your entry fee. I wonder if the demands placed by various authorities – regional and national sporting bodies, local authorities, concerns relating to Health & Safety, road safety, the police etc etc – have become so onerous as to make race organising a minefield that’s best to avoid? Maybe the hoops that have to be jumped through, and the necessary licences obtained to stage an event add another few pounds to the entry fee?
Turning to the question of how to reward everyone that completes a race of any distance whatsoever. But maybe the question shouldn’t be how, it should be why? Why does there still appear to be some value in being given a piece of metal on a ribbon to mark the fact that you’ve just jogged 5k in your own sweet time? I realise that within just about every race there’ll be some participating for whom just finishing is a genuine and noteworthy achievement, but with a few exceptions the great majority of people lining up for a race these days are reasonably well trained and prepared for it, and maybe shouldn’t be expecting or needing a medal for their efforts ? The medal adds more to the entry fee. As the distance involved becomes a more serious challenge I certainly accept that the commitment needed in training to do justice to (for example) a marathon, is deserving of a token of recognition. Even more deserving is a reward for the individuals and teams winning races, who are usually reaping a benefit for the many long weeks, months and years of training at high intensity. It’s a competitive sport, and that’s what competition is all about.
Maybe it’s a matter of supply and demand, and there seems to be no shortage of demand at present. I guess the market will determine whether the pricing is right or wrong ?
I realise that many people won’t share these views, but if this smacks of “elitism”, don’t forget it’s written by someone who was never more than a middle of the pack club runner with no personal axe to grind. It’s just that in my view, there shouldn’t be the need to pay £25+ or need a medal every time you run 5k, 5 miles, 10k.
On the subject of running..... 