Most expensive 5km race in the GTA?

[cbaker1]

Browsing the upcoming races in the GTA, I noticed that VRPro has the B&O Yorkville Charity Run scheduled for September. Early bird registration is $50 and late registration is $65. It doesnt appear that you get anything extra. First 250 get entered into some draw prizes and first 500 a tshirt. I think I saw $1,000 prize to the winner.

Does anyone recall any other 5kms charging so much in the GTA? The only other event that I recall coming close to this price point is Harry's Spring Run-off, but I think early registration was still below $50.

[phorunner]

I saw that too. And there's no indication of even a medal or anything (at least last time I checked).

The closest I've seen were a few that were $45, and even that is a little steep for me. At least for a 5k.

[canalrunner]

But you are running on streets paved with gold in the most important city in Canada.

You are right. Probably not worth it.

[deerdree]

yeah, that's weird. it's not consistent with the rest of vr pro's 5k pricing, so i'm assuming (perhaps naively) that there must be a reason for the higher price...

[Doonst]

yeah, that's weird. it's not consistent with the rest of vr pro's 5k pricing, so i'm assuming (perhaps naively) that there must be a reason for the higher price...

They do their own races and also manage races for others; methinks the latter might be the case here.

VR Pro will host approximately 10 events per year in the GTA and also directs many other races for organizations and has been instrumental in raising over a Million dollars towards various charities

[phorunner]

yeah, that's weird. it's not consistent with the rest of vr pro's 5k pricing, so i'm assuming (perhaps naively) that there must be a reason for the higher price...

You're a lot more trusting than I am.

To be honest, sounds like they (not necessarily VRPro, but whomever is organizing it) just figured that it's in Yorkville, where there's a lot of high end shops and expensive homes, so they upped the price. There's no way someone's going to run a Jane and Finch 5k for $50-65 a pop.

At the very least they should give details of what makes it so expensive. I don't want to register, get there, and have them snub their nose and say "This is a charity run!". I've been to non-running events like that. If it's the money they wanted, I could have just written a cheque and been done with it.

[turd ferguson]

the B&O Yorkville Charity Run scheduled for September.

I wandered into a B&O store by mistake once. I think adding B&O to the name of anything automatically quadruples the price

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/TY091VC/A

[a_beacher]

I have a friend doing it and she is hoping that there will be good swag. I think it's very expensive.

[dgrant]

yeah, that's weird. it's not consistent with the rest of vr pro's 5k pricing, so i'm assuming (perhaps naively) that there must be a reason for the higher price...

You're a lot more trusting than I am.

To be honest, sounds like they (not necessarily VRPro, but whomever is organizing it) just figured that it's in Yorkville, where there's a lot of high end shops and expensive homes, so they upped the price. There's no way someone's going to run a Jane and Finch 5k for $50-65 a pop.

At the very least they should give details of what makes it so expensive. I don't want to register, get there, and have them snub their nose and say "This is a charity run!". I've been to non-running events like that. If it's the money they wanted, I could have just written a cheque and been done with it.

I don't know much about this race, but they sent out a database email a while ago indicating that there was a cash prize purse for overall winners, Ecco Biom shoes for each age group winner (5 year increments), and medals and shirts for everyone. I don't know if that all still makes it worth the price, but I do get the impression they are treating it as a race-race rather than an informal charity run. $1000 to the M/F winners.

[richie-rich]

To be honest, sounds like they (not necessarily VRPro, but whomever is organizing it) just figured that it's in Yorkville, where there's a lot of high end shops and expensive homes, so they upped the price. There's no way someone's going to run a Jane and Finch 5k for $50-65 a pop.

Jane and Finch 5k is a good idea - probably be the fastest 5k a lot of people run. you can run fast when you are scared

[phorunner]

I don't know much about this race, but they sent out a database email a while ago indicating that there was a cash prize purse for overall winners, Ecco Biom shoes for each age group winner (5 year increments), and medals and shirts for everyone. I don't know if that all still makes it worth the price, but I do get the impression they are treating it as a race-race rather than an informal charity run. $1000 to the M/F winners.

That sounds a little better - I poked around and finally found a site (as opposed to just the RR page) : http://yorkvillerun.com/

$50/$65 ($75 on race day!!! wtf?!?) is still a little steep though. You could have early-birded the 2011 Mississauga Full for less than that.

And the goodies are limited. Medals for the first 500 finishers (fair enough - incentive to really push, though it would suck to be #501), but only shirts for the first 500 registered (really? for $50 they can't even guarantee a shirt?).

[richie-rich]

i'm seeing more promo for this race than usual. the high price is a definite turn off.

[Doonst]

I'm only doing it because my Aston Martin dealer is one of the sponsors. So I can save on parking if I get an oil change.

[lim314159]

Even at $50, this race may sell out. I'm debating whether or not to sign up for the Chilly half as VR-Pro seems to charge very expensive registration fees. As someone who will never win any prizes, I wonder why I should be paying higher registration fees in order to make the prize money that more appealing to the handful of people who will win it. A finisher's medal and tech shirt doesn't up the price to $50 -- not to mention they have sponsors. How much does a medal cost and tech shirt really cost the organizer when they get them in bulk? Maybe $15 maximum?

[cbaker1]

I know I wont support the race. I can't justify supporting a race charging $50 - $75 for a 5km. If there was a full hot buffet lunch at one of the restaurants, I would reconsider. I had run Harry's spring run-off for 5 years straight (Going back to the days it was called Dupont Spring Run-off) but have crossed it off my list going forward. Not because of a bad experience, but its just too expensive for a 5 or 8km race. I know they give a bit more swag out and medals than other races, but I guess I don't want these extra's that much.

VRPro has a wide selection of races and I may continue to do some of their more reasonably priced events. I have done Chilly 3 times but stopped running it the year same day race pick-up was stopped. A year later they drastically raised their feeds. I always enjoyed the race, but these two actions have made me cross this off my list. I usually drive the extra little bit to Grimsby and really enjoy that event which is a week or two earlier in the year.

It seems like these "mass marketed" races are gaining in popularity while the smaller no-frills races are slowly fading away. I have fond memories of the Gatehouse 5km, Alpha Run 5-10km and the Don River Run 5-10km. All three races offered draw prizes, cotton shirts, decent post race grub, an accurate course, chip timing and lots of free parking. Although most of these haven't been run in a few years, the entry for these races was under $30 for the 5 or 10 km. I left the race feeling I was given decent value for my entry fee. May they rest in peace.

[दिवंगत]

Reasonable points above but I don't run races for medals, t-shirts or the food after. I run races because they are races. The roads are closed (or at least semi-closed), intersections guarded by cops, aid stations, atmosphere, lots of people, event buzz, different run location, competition, atmosphere, race day magic.... All that has a value, and while everyone will assign their own value to it (and therefore a different price-point), for me it's worth a heck of a lot more than the food, t-shirt and medal.

[Double Bellybuster]

I have done Chilly 3 times but stopped running it the year same day race pick-up was stopped.

Likewise, this was my last year there, I can do Peterborough a week earlier for 35 bucks less. The 'park at a lot on the Oakville town line for a free shuttle bus' was a bit much considering the entry fee.

[canalrunner]

I don't really complain about race fees as each will be different and as with golf there will be some courses that are worth more than others along with some that charge more but aren't worth it. Howevr It would helpful, especially races claiming charity intentions, to have better disclosure of costs and donations. I don't mind paying $80 for a 5k if I know $60 of it is going to charity. I do mind if an event marketed as a charity event finds little money actually going to charity. More disclosure and accountability would make me feel more comfortable.