Possibly overly focussed on breakfast...

[cyphomandra]

I did a 10k road race today and was happy with my time - just under 56 minutes and, more importantly, about a minute and a half faster than my last 10k in May - but what I was particularly impressed with was the free breakfast provided by the race organisers (well, I suppose technically included in the entry fee). This consisted of just-cooked pancakes with stewed apple and custard, and chai or hot chocolate to drink. Purists could help themselves to bananas and electrolyte drinks, but there was no way I was turning down pancakes, particularly when the temperature had only just crept up above 5 degrees.

I pick my events mainly by whether they fit into my schedule, but it is nice if there's something else as well, whether it's an amazing setting (a run along the beach at sunrise), or pancakes, or free stretches/massage, like I had at one event. I'm less wild about all the glossy leaflets and free samples of weird corn products I've gotten from some of the larger events, and I'm ambivalent about free T-shirts/event gear, because I'm trying to buy ethical clothing in general and running gear generally sucks at this (I usually wear locally made cycling tops, which are great, but there's no way I can run in their shorts!). Anyway, I'd definitely do another event with this group.

Comments

[lyras]

Ooh, that breakfast sounds fab!

I have noticed that the goodies that come with Australian races can be high on marketing and low in substance (free gatorade, lots of leaflets and that's about it), but I've only run a few of the more high-profile races, so perhaps I should be looking for some smaller, more community-based ones.

Congrats on the time, too. :)

[cyphomandra]

Thanks! And man, the leaflets can be overwhelming. I wish sometimes there was some sort of enrolment option where you paid $10 less and just picked up your chip/number without any of the additional gear..

[ilanarama]

Congrats on the PR and the tasty pancakes!

Most of the larger races I have done had free massages at the end, which is nice. I haven't been to any that have had superb food, although the half marathon I do every spring is sponsored by a local brewpub and there are free burgers and potato salad (not their best burgers, alas) and free beer (excellent beer - and this year they had a lager, an amber, and a porter all on tap!) at the post-race party. This race also has as a finishing goodie logo beer glasses, and as my household glasses are the same size and shape (some with other logos!) they fit right in. Also, if you take a logo glass to the brewpub on Thursday night, you get a pint for $1. So I have to say that this race has a great amenity - provided you like beer!

[cyphomandra]

The beer glasses (and the beer!) sound great - excellent way to remember the race! There's been a tragic lack of alcohol at all my events so far, unfortunately, but if I keep running with my current group I think they're pretty good at organising after race parties at the out-of-town events.