And then the next year, after everyone hears how good it was, it will be 15-20 buddies. Then 30 - 40. Pretty soon you'll have a hundred people showing up and the cops will notice and ask what it's all about. Then, assuming you haven't ticked off the town that much you'll be forced to get a permit. Then you'll be forced to hire auxilliary police to work at the intersections, get insurance, secure parking, etc. Hey, where's my T-shirt? What about food after? Where are the porta-potties? Is there bag check? How much money are you donating to local charities?

Then you'll have to charge $95

God, I'm such a cynic...

That's the idea behind Fat Ass races.

http://www.coolrunning.com.au/...at_Ass_Is_And_Is_Not

They can be a lot of fun and a heck of a lot cheaper.

Not just running. Some pals & I were talking about this a few weeks ago for tris. Sure we won't have fancy timing systems and splits and T1-T2, but we'll get together shoot the shit, S-B-R our nuts/boobs off then grab a beer and shoot the shit some more. Call it what you want, but it's gonna save a bunch of entry fees.

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*****
If you're going to kick a tiger in the @$$, you better have a plan to deal with his teeth.

I thought about the same thing. With an out & back, all you need is to set out maybe 4 water bottles @ 3,6,9,12 run with it for a 100 yards and set it back down for the return leg. Where I live there's 2 great routes both trace the Mississippi river the whole way. Probably 10X more scenic than 95% of the marathons out there anyway with some good rolling hills.

I was thinking that as part of my IM training next year I might set this up maybe around May right before the build-up in my IM trianing and a few weeks after my early May sprint race. I'd probably run it at about 90%, and just shoot for breaking 3 hours since I've only run 1 marathon before and always wondered if I could go under 3 (therotically should be easy given my best 5k and 1/2 marathon time).

Similarly, I really wanted to do a early spring HIM, but I don't think the budget woudl allow a trip and entry fee to NOLA for example. So maybe I push it to early May and just set-up a course near me and do it as a pool swim. I might evne get our YMCA to help support it. Heck, they coudl promote is as "pick on, 2 or 3" do a 1000y, 2150y, 28, 56 mile bike, or a 10k or a 1/2 marathon. Then set-up the courses as 2 loops.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

It's not much of a race when it's your 15 friends running against each other. That's a spirited competitive group run which is fine but not's a race esp when you probably already know how you stack up against each other.

There's plenty of races that don't cost a lot, just need to look for them. I could get away never paying more than 60$ for marathons/halfs/15ks and $20 for anything shorter

but you aren't wrong!

I've seen it happen!

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Look into Pearlizumi Unsanctioned Racing.