Consult any race calendar these days looking for a weekend outing and you’re likely to end up clutching your head in bewilderment.
As well as the established Athletics Ireland club and BHAA races, there are commercial races, charity races, adventure races, duathlons, triathlons, navigation challenges, assault courses; the list goes on.
On the day, you are likely to get chip timing (so no-one wears a watch anymore?), a goodie bag (direct marketing by any other name), and a “technical” t-shirt (how many of these does anyone want?).
For the race promoter, satisfying the iPod generation of runners has become a tough task.
“They are very demanding,” says John Walshe of the Ballycotton ‘10’. “They’re looking for chip timing, results online within hours of the race finishing, water in bottles, a big spread at the finish – not just tea and a biscuit – and even pacers.
“We have embraced technology when needed, such as chip timing, but we have always believed in catering for everyone, including those who aren’t interested in technology. So everyone must enter Ballycotton by post.”
Putting limits on entries has created its own problems. People panic and enter a race even if they are not sure they’ll be able to run. In the past, race directors could count on 10% “wastage” – the ill, the injured and the inconvenienced who wouldn’t turn out on the day. Since entry limits became common, the number of “no shows” has ballooned. A total of 3,600 entered the 2012 Ballycotton ‘10’; 2,608 finished the race.
“Based on previous years, we were banking on 1,000 not showing up, but a lot depends on the weather,” says John Walshe.
For the past number of years, Ballycotton has had an entry limit of 3,600, with 2,500 places “open” and the remainder going to registered club members. This year, with no advertising whatsoever, over 1,500 entries arrived on the first day of postal entries; by the second day, all 2,500 places had gone. Every year, the Ballycotton volunteers have the unenviable task of returning hundred of late entries.
But although the race would be unrecognisable to the 31 men who ran the first Ballycotton’10’ in 1978, much remains the same.
 |
| Meet and Train in Raheny |
“The ten mile route hasn’t changed and it still offers the same challenge as it did to those 31 pioneering runners all those years ago. The race organisation, now a massive operation, remains a truly voluntary effort, and we still provide the same basic value-for-money service – a true race on a accurate course with full results for all.”
While many would argue that the best races are voluntary efforts, the number of commercial races has sky rocketed in the past five years. It’s not hard to see why – keen runners who have lost their jobs may look at the income generated by races such as the Connemarathon and Women’s Mini Marathon and decide to turn their hobby into a money-spinner.
Commercial races are easy to spot. They market themselves well, use slick websites, offer “early bird” and other deals to make them look good value and have smart, catchy titles. Such races can attract big numbers from people who feel that traditional athletics clubs aren’t for them. They like the idea of a neatly packed challenge and believe that the higher entry fees somehow guarantee a better quality “experience”.
But even when they manage to get the big numbers at inflated entry fees, the organisers of such races still face one huge problem: all races need people to take entries, hand out prizes, direct traffic and marshall the course. Such people are easier to come by in a running club. Then there is the cost of insurance and of Garda overtime – an increasing factor in the past year.
To help cover costs, race directors look for a big name sponsor, with its own well-connected PR and marketing departments. This can be a mixed blessing: sponsors are using the race to promote their product and the race can get lost in the “spin”.
 |
| New Year’s Day 5km |
Race directors face a number of other problems. Big city races may have to pay the local council to provide water and to clear up the streets after the race; more expense. In the boom times, events in beautiful locations such as Kerry and Connemara were the perfect excuse for a weekend away, but the cost of petrol and local accommodation now means runners are picking their races carefully.
In Dublin, most commercial and charity races take place in the Phoenix Park, which poses its own problems. Because of the difficulty getting to the race start, what should be a pleasant half-day outing can turn into a day-long exercise in frustration. Plus there are far too many races in the Phoenix Park; no-one wants to run in the same location every week.
One commercial race organiser has described the evolution of the typical recreational road runner well. In their first year, armed with head phones and water bottle, they start “jogging” following an online training programme. They then enter an expensive and much-hyped commercial race where they are confidant they won’t finish last. In year 2, they sign up for the Dublin Marathon-organised Race Series, and may even attempt the marathon.
In year 3, our novice runner finally has the confidence to join a local running group or athletics club and may even sign up with the BHAA or Irish Mountain Running Association where headphones are banned and they pay no more than €10 a race.
So how much does it cost to organise a race? If you’re the Leinster branch of the Business Houses Athletic Association, the budget for each race is about €2,000; to break even, every race needs 200 to sign up at the standard BHAA rate of €10 (€15 for non-members).
 |
| RTE BHAA 5-Mile |
On offer is chip timing, an array of individual and team prizes, lashings of tea and the legendary BHAA brack. No goodies bagss, no “technical” t-shirts; just good value – and with companies vying to win the coveted “BHAA Race of the Year” title, you can be sure you’ll be well looked after.
Reproduced in the 2012 Ballycotton ’10’ race programme is an excellent article by Pat Whyte, first published in 1986 during the first running boom. It’s still relevant.
The article poses the question: “Are Road Races Being Promoted for the Wrong Reason?” Pat Whyte lists the following points for consideration:
* Should athletics be constantly used as a source of funds for other organisations?
* Should there be a limit on the amount charged in entry fees?
* Should provisions be made to ensure that some of the money generated by road races goes back to the participants (in prizes, etc)?
* Should making money be the fundamental reason for running a road race?
On the proliferation of charity races, he suggests that a couple of big races be held annually, with the total proceeds divided among appropriate charities.
This argument will run and run.
No comments yet.