"You're all winners"

I was actually thinking about this today.. might not matter in the grand scheme of things but I'm a big fan of the cash prizes found at even local running and cycling races... even better (make more sense for sponsors of races, etc..) are gift certificates to Local running/biking/tri stores. The best prize I've received came after a 10 mile road race.. $50 gift certificate to LBS. Guess what? I used that and ended up spending much more than that at the store (bike tune up, etc..). I would NOT have gone there if I did not have that gift certificate but now I am a repeat customer.



spark notes --> I don't understand why more races don't give out gift certificates to local businesses (running/biking stores, etc..) as prizes.

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http://cyclussports.com/ - #ZeroPositive #CyclusSports
http://app.strava.com/athletes/355549
https://twitter.com/ryanAjoyce

Cycling has it right.....Winners / Podiums get cash money in all Cats (except 5, generally its swag)

No goodie bag or event t-shrit. You show up race your ass off and winners are rewarded. Drink a few beers and adjourn until next week when you do it again....

Triathlon / Running are participant sports now for better or worse.

I would love to see more usable goods to winners of tris, following the bike racing genre with race wheels or something cool like that. Even if you don't need or want the prize, it still might have a cash value at the sponsoring shop or eBay. I also like the gift certificate for the local/sponsoring shop. It helps get more money in the door of the shop and is something that anybody who rides a bike can actually use.

I am doing a rinky dinky local 5k this weekend with a better cash payout to top 3 finishers (after 20 minutes or less of effort) than any other race I am registered for this summer. The entry fee was modest (almost nil when you consider the "free" t shirt) and the organizers clearly are rolling some of their profits into the prize payouts. I know what race I plan on doing every year, come hell or high water.

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"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
-Greg LeMond

If I win (which would never happen), at least give me my entry fee back.

Ive only been in the sport for a little over a year now, but I already have more t-shirts and grocery bags than I know what to do with.

One thing that Ive noticed recently is that winners get some cheesy prize, and then the RD's proceed to start giving out gift cards and other prizes that are actually worth something to random bib numbers that they pull out of a hat.

exactly......

i haven't been to a cycling race that had one person bitching saying, i didn't get a shirt or i didn't get a medal

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Tim

Yup. I won a local tri last year and it took them 2 days to figure out who the actual winner was, let alone the other placing. No prize whatsoever for $60 entrance fee and probably 1000 people in the event. I win a crit and I get some armwarmers and shoecovers, and I only paid $9 to enter. WTF?

BREAKING NEWS: The Pity Train just derailed at the intersection of Suck It Up and Move On, and crashed into We All Have Problems, before coming to a complete stop at Get The Hell Over It. Any complaints can be forwarded to 1-800-waa-aaahDr. Sniffle Reporting LIVE from Quitchur Bitch-in.

Do you really race to win $hit?

YES!

what do you race for? or do you just make charitable donations to gather with bunch of friends that 'trained' for the gathering to see who trained more for said gathering?

if i just want to go really hard and time myself, i can do that at home! FILM AT 11:00

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Tim

There are lots of races, both running and triathlon, that offer cash prizes. Maybe you should be signing up for these. Otherwise, you'll have to be satisfied with the trinket your receive for your AG podium in the Cherry Picker 5K.

PS I'm pretty sure an inanimate object can't start a fight.

It was looking at them the wrong way.


i do sign up for bike race, and duathlon/tri events that pay out. i'm talking about the other 95% of the races.

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Tim

I won a race over the weekend. The year before I was 2nd overall, and I got $75. This year I got nothing, and the amount of participants doubled. What happened?

The RD got a divorce and needed the cash.

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Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.

and that is messed up!

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Tim

Quote:

what do you race for? or do you just make charitable donations to gather with bunch of friends that 'trained' for the gathering to see who trained more for said gathering?

if i just want to go really hard and time myself, i can do that at home! FILM AT 11:00

Well Said.

i think the same goes for shirts and hats. I have a closet full of hats that still have the tags on them and a garage full of race shirts that make great rags. I would much rather see that money put into better prizes (even if I never get one). One of the local races here gave the winners big bags of coffee (one of the sponsors was a new coffee brand trying to promote) and free entry into next years race. Or at least put some useful stuff into my SWAG bag. I hate opening up my bag and all I see is coupons for places that I would never go.

I have one foot on each side of the fence here. If you train to win and get nothing for that effort it really does suck, but in a really large race like you are talking about here most people know they have no real chance of placing and do want all the free swag. Should race directors cater to the majority, minority, or both. The logical answer is both, so the key is finding those races and supporting them. There are lots of races to pick from here in New England and it is up to the individual to find what will satisfy them at the end of the race.

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Contemplating a multi-sport comeback

I race to go as fast I can go. Sometimes to beat someone else. No time trial makes that happen. If it does, then I'm not racing right. If I raced just to win stuff I would have quit racing long ago

If you don't like do something about instead of bitching about it here on Slowtwitch. Maybe you should start your own race series and offer prize money to the top 3 or so. Complaining here isn't going to solve anything.

He can keep the money then. That would suck.

i am considering this as we speak.

i like the idea of starting back at a grass roots level. everyone throws 5-10 in the hat and winner takes all.

starting a BIG series might be tough, what with the cost of peanut butter and jelly nowadays.

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Tim

in fact.

my team (read ME) puts on a Duathlon EVERY Monday night in Big Flats, NY.

it's flat and it's fast.

come one come all. $5/head winner takes all!

Tim

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Tim

Because not all local businesses are local to the prize winners.

Here's another reason it's not such a good idea: people who win prizes at triathlons usually have all the stuff they need already.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

I think it is one of the reasons that other sports don't take triathlon competitions seriously.

I have a similar experience. I got second overall at a big expensive race, my reward was a plastic necklace for my age group. They didn't even announce the overall placing. They did proceed to give out 3 "awards" to every 5 year age group for men and women.

I know I will never sign up for that companie's events again. Cycling races will give previous winners free or severely reduced race entry, in addition to the cool prize they received for winning.

If you think that there isn't money in a races budget, wake up! Races are very profitable. It is the equivalent of using slave labor and donated food to throw a concert, and not paying the band.

See that sounds like a fun race. I am driving up to Burlington Vermont in August for AG race and to visit my cousin maybe I will swing by and take all the money.