Why so expensive?
My lead off picture are the medals for the Enjoy PJ Run 2014. Yours truly posted about this run recently and the response to it on my blog was phenomenal. This was all thanks to the unique medal. In fact in just a couple of days it became my #1 all time post. It just goes to show that medals do attract runners. Registration is now open. Click here if you want to get a really big surprise. I was receiving comments from my constant runners about the registration fees. RM70 for adults and RM65 for youngsters is pushing the limits. I remember not too long ago runners were complaining about the Brooks Half Marathon 2014 at Bukit Jalil. Yes I ran the half marathon there. The fee was a then shocking RM75. However that was for 21km. Those who finished the race got a medal and a finisher t-shirt. For Enjoy PJ Run the runners will get the medal seen above. If that and the drifit running vest excites you enough to sign up for this 11.5km then who am I to stop you? However be smart people and know when the organisers are trying to take a little bit to much money from our wallets.
Unlike many of my constant runners I have to fly from Kuching for my runs. So many things have to be factored in before I decide to sign up for a race. It has nothing to do with the medal. I I fly into the peninsula it is mainly for distance. The longer the run, the more the chance of me coming over. We have many short runs in Kuching. Of course the medals aren't as pretty. I am waiting for that to change after the Kuching Marathon. Also the Momentum Run Series has helped Kuching runners realise that you can pay less to get so much more bang for your buck. It all depends on what the organisers motives are. I like running for charity yes. However I want to know where the monies are going. It's easy to say that it is a charity run or the monies are helping the needy. However I am the first one to complain if I think the cost of registration is unjust. We want to encourage people to run. We want them to have races to look forward to. However at what price? Not all of us print money. There are just too many runs out there nowadays. Ask yourself why you run in the first place. There will always be running vests and medals. However if you feel cheated, then don't sign up.
Sadly from the response to my previous blog post on the Enjoy PJ Run, I know that the registration will be a resounding success for them. Of course by doing so it will only set a precedent for others to create even fancier medals and then charge more exorbitant fees. So by signing up for a run like this all we are doing is telling them that no matter what the price we will run it because the medal is nice. If that's the case, and the runner feels satisfied, so be it. However for the many, especially the kids, who have to fork out their pocket money to run this, it truly is a pity. Now the RM80 I paid to run a full marathon feels cheap by comparison. It's only a matter of time before a 10km run hits the RM100 early bird registration barrier. Maybe the excuse will be because the medal has gold flakes in it. Who knows? It really boggles my mind how people are jumping onto this running bandwagon. They must know something we runners don't. Throw in all the free sponsorship and all the paid advertisements and all the registration fees... Makes me wonder if someone somewhere thinks that running in too much sun has made us runners a truly gullible bunch.
Unlike many of my constant runners I have to fly from Kuching for my runs. So many things have to be factored in before I decide to sign up for a race. It has nothing to do with the medal. I I fly into the peninsula it is mainly for distance. The longer the run, the more the chance of me coming over. We have many short runs in Kuching. Of course the medals aren't as pretty. I am waiting for that to change after the Kuching Marathon. Also the Momentum Run Series has helped Kuching runners realise that you can pay less to get so much more bang for your buck. It all depends on what the organisers motives are. I like running for charity yes. However I want to know where the monies are going. It's easy to say that it is a charity run or the monies are helping the needy. However I am the first one to complain if I think the cost of registration is unjust. We want to encourage people to run. We want them to have races to look forward to. However at what price? Not all of us print money. There are just too many runs out there nowadays. Ask yourself why you run in the first place. There will always be running vests and medals. However if you feel cheated, then don't sign up.
Sadly from the response to my previous blog post on the Enjoy PJ Run, I know that the registration will be a resounding success for them. Of course by doing so it will only set a precedent for others to create even fancier medals and then charge more exorbitant fees. So by signing up for a run like this all we are doing is telling them that no matter what the price we will run it because the medal is nice. If that's the case, and the runner feels satisfied, so be it. However for the many, especially the kids, who have to fork out their pocket money to run this, it truly is a pity. Now the RM80 I paid to run a full marathon feels cheap by comparison. It's only a matter of time before a 10km run hits the RM100 early bird registration barrier. Maybe the excuse will be because the medal has gold flakes in it. Who knows? It really boggles my mind how people are jumping onto this running bandwagon. They must know something we runners don't. Throw in all the free sponsorship and all the paid advertisements and all the registration fees... Makes me wonder if someone somewhere thinks that running in too much sun has made us runners a truly gullible bunch.
The parties involved replied on my Google+. I have posted an excerpt here... "After 2 years decided. We tried to push towards a cheaper fees but there are a lot of costs that we absorbed. We got sponsors but not in funds, instead we have goods to be given out to everyone. We even bought the bicycles for lucky draw. We thank MBPJ and KSDK for the use of the Padang and endorsing the event. We are actually trying to promote running independently, no big or rich sponsors to cover as 'goalkeeper', we are looking to promote what we had in those days 'Empat Sekawan Muhibbah' spirit, camaraderie and frienship.We try to do our best for all the corners....Not easy for us to do it...PJ/SJ many event been lapse due to funding...even 21km PJ been stop..?? hope u happy with our explanation..."
ReplyDeleteMy reply to the above... "I thank you for your reply and explanation. I am just looking out for the runners who have to pick and choose the many runs available. I admire you guys for what you have done. We organise runs in Kuching too so we know. If you can explain things like this on your Facebook wall maybe people will be more understanding. Not all runners have unlimited funds. So we have to make choices, and one of the biggest criteria will be cost. However I am sure based on the medal alone the run will be a big success. Cheers!"
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