Remember when running was fun! Remember when you could sign up for a race the day of or at least the day before like at the Philadelphia Marathon a few years ago! Remember when the requirement for the guaranteed entry to the NYC Marathon was to run 6 races? Remember when it went to 9 races?? Now add yet another requirement. You have to "volunteer" for another race during the year. They are definitely making money at these events as evidenced by their multiple $300,000 range salaries and as shown in the Form 990 (http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/132/132949483/132949483_200403_990.pdf) With 1/2 a million going to the sign maker and nearly $100,000 to the web designer, it's clear why a half marathon which is normally $15 to $20 sells at NYRR for over $70 and rising. It's clear why the club night dinner is now $72 for members!
People wake up. 9 races * $15 = $135 plus another day of "mandatory volunteering" (kinda an oxymoron) plus mandatory membership at $40 plus if you miss a race or miss the volunteer assignment you get the luxury of doing all over again. Of course, if you lose in the lottery 3 years in a row (which is very likely since travellers spending big bucks and people with big money donation are never rejected) (you of course don't get your lottery entry fee back) but you do get the luxury of guaranteed entry in the fourth year. Heaven forbid, you should get injured, that's okay, but no refund, and you get the privilege of running next year. Of course, you have to pay again.
Basically it's like a one way highway, money travels in but very little comes back out.
That's because it's a monopoly. NYRR favorite word is competition. Well, we should show them what competition really means. People should organize and create races that are more fun with better food, etc. Central Park is nice but how many times can you run the same race?
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