[trail_runner]

<b>New York City Marathon Opens 2008 Registration and Lottery - Holy Cow: $166* USA Fee; $221* International Fee</b><br>
*including lottery "processing fee"<br>
Registration open from 2/25 to 5/1 for guaranteed and international participants and through 6/1 for general lottery participants - plus, our annual pet peeve moment...<br>
Acceptance into the ING New York City Marathon is one of the most difficult annual feats for runners. Each year, runners can gain <b>guaranteed entry</b> to the November marathon through one of <b>four methods</b>: 1) NYRR members may <b>finish nine NYRR races</b> throughout the year to achieve a guaranteed slot, 2) any runner may <b>best certain qualifying standards</b> (age-dependent), 3) foreign registrants may register <b>through an official foreign travel partner</b> (agency), or 4) runners may participate <b>through certain designated charities</b>. For the rest of the world, registration is by lottery registration by June 1st with the results announced in mid-June. By certain estimates, approximately 50,000 lottery participants will likely be turned away.<br>
Almost like the annual ceremony of watching the Super Bowl or the Oscars, the running industry watches the pricing of the NYC Marathon to see where running futures might be headed... The fees for 2008 represent an across-the-board increase of $25 in fees from the 2007 registration - although the 2008 fees include bus travel to start, something that the marathon charged $20 for in past years. We will, as we do annually, continue to remark on our pet peeve of the charge of a <b>$11</b> ($10 in 2007 and $7 in 2006 and prior) <b>processing fee</b> to enter the New York City Marathon lottery, which is unprecedented in the industry - especially when assessed against those who are not selected. As we'll always note, that's <b>approximately half a million dollars</b> from runners who are denied entry to the race - that's something we've still never seen in other USA running events and is equivalent to the entire runner registration budget for many races...

 

[RunningForT3]

As much as I hate those fees (I registered internationally last year, it was something around $170), this is just simple economics. Now the demand is way over the supply... the price can raise until we reach an equilibrium - 40,000 willing runners. What is this price? The organizers will find out by incrementally raising the fee every year until there are 0 turned away registrants.

 

[VictorN]

If they can get it, and they can, then they should. But the four NYC Marathons I've run will probably all I ever run.<br><br>
Victor

 

[Blisters]

Yeah, free market society. Crazy, though.<br><br>
Meanwhile, 15 miles to the north in Yonkers, you can run the second oldest marathon in the country in a race with great organization on the kind of course you can brag about conquering to your friends and it's only $25. And they'll be lucky if they get 100 runners.

 

[canalrunner]

Had it on my 2008 plans. Have taken it off. My price threshold is around $160...not $220. Especially when you throw in NY hotel prices. I keep thinking there are a lot of other marathons and runs that I can do with that money.

 

[Doctor Wu]

I'm going to run it once to get it out of my system. I don't really like big marathons and this is one of the three biggest of all. Since I'm a guaranteed entry (sub 3:30 at 50+YO) I might as well get it out of the way this year.

 

[henrydavidhall]

and now to earn guaranteed entry, one must not only run 9 races and remain a member of NYRR for 2 years but ALSO volunteer to help at a race.<br><br>
That will certainly cut down on the size by limiting those who qualify this way.<br><br>
Yonkers is a must do for me some day... but I am in for NYC 2008.

 

[jenna]

I registered yesterday. Not sure if I will get in.

 

[bhearn]

I'm considering it... also a guaranteed entry this year (< 3:10 at 40+), with the cutoff times sufficiently close to my PRs that it's not a sure thing I'd be guaranteed every year.<br><br>
But fall is too for off for me to plan seriously yet. I don't even know where I'll be living or working then.

 

[Doctor Wu]

Remember that if you want to apply as a guaranteed entrant you must do it before May 1.<br><br><a href="http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/applyfor2008.php" target="_blank">http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/entran...plyfor2008.php</a>

 

[bhearn]

Yeah, I'm keeping that in mind. One thing that's not obvious on the site, is there any sort of seeded start? Do time-qualified entrants get to start up front?

 

[RunningForT3]

They assign you to corrals based on the times you enter. But that's just a guideline, you can position yourself anywhere. I have a friend who went with a very fast friend and started at the front, even if she finished in 4:15.

 

[bcc594]

Yeah, and kill the sport among students, the working class, and others who don't understand why they should have to pay crazy amounts of money for a single race. I hate seeing price being a barrier for simple things, like a running race. What you end up with is a decimated 20-30 AG, and an inflated 40-50 and 50-60, where the boomers and their ilk are all found. Then, we get together on these sites, and wonder why the average marathon time keeps going up. Why not stagger the cost of entry based on your times. If you're faster, you pay less? That would encourage people to do better, and make road racing at top-level events accessible to the non-wealthy sub-elite. Just a crazy idea from a guy who can run, but won't be running anything like NYC anytime soon.

 

[canalrunner]

BCC--that is an interesting idea and great points about the race fees being a barrier to younger races (not to mention all the other costs associated with the destination marathons--have I mentioned gouging hotel prices before?)<br><br><i>Quote:</i><br><i>Originally Posted by bhearn</i><br><i>Yeah, I'm keeping that in mind. One thing that's not obvious on the site, is there any sort of seeded start? Do time-qualified entrants get to start up front?</i><br><br><i>They assign you to corrals based on the times you enter. But that's just a guideline, you can position yourself anywhere. I have a friend who went with a very fast friend and started at the front, even if she finished in 4:15.</i><br><br>
...And that is why people complain about bottlenecks, tripping over slower runners and problems with pace in marathons. Any thought that the fast runner could have moved back to start with the 4:15 runner at the 4:15 pace sign. One thing that makes Boston different from other marathons is that their corrals mean something. At Boston, you can move back but you can't move up from your corrals.

 

[PacerChris]

I entered as a guaranteed entrant and was in the 2nd corral...though I don't know if that was from my proven time or my goal time.<br><br>
I've done NYC twice and will do it again at some point in the future but only for a special reason (Olympic Trials this year). That's crazy expensive not to mention the cost of travel & hotel. The spectacle is worth it, but only once in a while!

 

[divaleh]

There is actually a preferred start for faster athletes. There's an entire different staging area, as well.

 

[arc918]

I ran it in 2006 after getting my name pulled in the "lottery" the 2nd time I entered. It is a good race, but I have no plans to do it again (but I do have a half marathon qualifier in my pocket in case I change my mind).<br><br>
Point to point and mega-race is a rough combo for me.<br><br>
I was surprised how lax they were about the starting corrals. My group was 4,000 - 5,000 bibs and there were all sorts of people with us who didn't belong there.<br><br>
We had the start that had to go on the lower level of the bridge (which I think is sort of sucky). No, I did not get peed on...

 

[RunLongVT]

Wow! That is so much money. This was my first marathon, and was unforgetable, but man, even some 100-mile races are cheaper than that. I think the money skimmed off of folks that don't even get to run is the part that's hardest to swallow. Sure, there are massive invesments needed to administer and host the race (oh, yeah, and clean up afterwards), but to take some from people that don't even get in? Sheesh.

 

[therambler]

Boy, do I agree with you these races are getting out of control!<br>
Signing up for Ironman wisconsin just about broke the bank for me!!<br><br>
People always wonder why there are so many more Middle aged people doing these events but realistically the college student working for $8.00hr or the 20 something(like me!) just starting out cant afford it!!<br><br>
I've decided that if I want to do a marathon or any other distance for that matter. It's cheaper, easier, and more fun to do events like the Fat Ass runs.<br><br>
Thankfully most ultras and trail runs are still affordable, but from what i've seen especially with races like Western States, the days of the bare bones cheap ultra are numbered.<img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif">

 

[arc918]

my final comment - anyone going to NYC from out of town will spend so much on travel, cabs, food, etc., that the entry fee won't really matter anyway<br><br>
whether it costs $166 or $76 all sort of gets lost in the rounding...