The Shamrock Struggle

We all know it is hard to motivate ourselves during the winter months when it seems to be always cold or dark on our runs. The other week the TOTR the topic was race-cations  and whether we're a fan or not. I am definitely a fan of race-cations. But again, you can’t beat local races where you can sleep in your own bed and do not have the travel expenses.  

I have been undecided lately about putting a spring race on my calendar.  Every year I've lived here I would always run the Shamrock Marathon. Not sure really why, because every year I have done it the weather has been awful, cold, windy, and/or rainy. 


This is probably the biggest race in the area and attracts many runners. I knew that if I was going to sign up it had to be soon before the price increased again. I looked up the price and of course it was already more than I wanted to pay. I noticed that there was a processing fee also (like most races have). I wonder what the processing fee really is for?  I feel like it is another way for the company to make a few more dollars.   I remembered last time when I lived down in the area I was able to drop off the check personally to their corporate office to eliminate the fee. 

I was going to call and see if that was still possible. They said it was going to still be a $5 processing fee to do it manually now. What? Now that is just ridiculous! I said well I should just use my friend’s coupon code for $5 off the price. He says yes you can do that and that would eliminate the processing fee. I said well it would not eliminate it, just reduce the price, because the processing fee was still more than $5I feel like they get you one way or another! 


I kept thinking if I should spend the money on the race this year after running it before.  I don’t even like the race that much nor the course. And why would I want to spend money to run on a course I do daily? Maybe because I am used to the course because I run it regularly so I know what to expect. When I have run Shamrock in the past, those races were always my best times.  I feel like I have become a much strong runner now than I was back then so I want to see what I can do. Bonus, it is a flat course! 

 I was debating on signing up for the race for a while now but It wasn’t  until that weekend when I got snowed in (and was stuck in the house for three days straight) that I actually thought I needed something to motivate me to get my runs done.  So I finally made the decision to click submit. 

Honestly I think my biggest reason was because of FOMO. Not only do I see this on social media, but I see signs and advertisements for this particular race around my area daily. As much as I hated to spend the money on this local race, I think I would have ended up regretting not doing it when it came to the date. 

Do you have FOMO? What is your reason to repeat certain races? Do you repeat ones you do not like just because it is convenient?  L

32 comments:

  1. I live in chicago, where there are ALL the BIG races. FOMO is your life. But luckily, I'm very cheap, often injured, and now, not allowed to run, so there you go.

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  2. I always use races to motivate me to get out and run, especially in the winter. But, there area always so many races going on that I rarely repeat any unless I LOVE the race!

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    1. Well if I wasn't living back in the area I would definitely not be traveling to this race, so I guess it works out.

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  3. Definitely have FOMO. I haven't repeated any halfs yet but I am tempted to repeat the ones that I like. I do repeat local races. Simply because they are convenient.

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  4. Having a race on my calendar is always motivation for me. I do like to run local races but I also like to change it up so I'm not running the same one over and over again unless I really love that particular race.

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    1. That is what my friend just said recently. He is sick of doing the same local races, so he is actually traveling to one the following week, rather than doing the local one.

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  5. A bunch of our MRTT peeps are going down for that race. They loved it last year. I'm with you on the processing fees I almost wish they would just charge more for the race and not a separate fee.

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    1. Yea me too! If they did that, no one would really know what the processing fee would be if it was just one price. If you have to pay for it anyway, why do it separately?

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  6. I think it would be better if the "processing fee" was just incorporated into the cost of the race. I mean, you have to pay it anyways, right? Mentally, I think that would be better.

    There are some local races that I like to run over and over...the one in March that I'm planning on is always fun but the weather is not!

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    1. Exactly!...........Yes the weather is always a hit or miss here as well in Virginia Beach during that time of year. Fingers crossed it ends up being a good year.

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  7. I think that processing fees should be included on the price of registration... it makes it better than having to mentally have to feel like we are paying extra.

    Have a fantastic race!

    If I liked a race, i'll do it again, there has been many that I never went back to.

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    1. Yes all in one pricing should be a must! There are many races that I do not head back to as well. One and done and I'm good for most!

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  8. After the disney 1/2 I am over expensive and over crowded races. I am sticking to small and scenic races that don't come with a lot of frills!

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    1. I hear ya there. Disney race are very expensive. Having done all the ones I've wanted, I have got my Disney fill for awhile and have no desire to go back to race anytime soon.

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  9. I used a virtual race to motivate me this past fall, but I think an actual race would've been better. I was being lazy and didn't want to drive to the places I did races at the year before.

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    1. Well at least with virtual races you do not need to travel and you can do them at your leisure.

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  10. I've been having the same struggling thoughts of the Ukrop's 10k. Everyone here does it and it's a huge social weekend. I really do need to get motivated and get a faster 10k for corral placement. But I don't know if I can get fast enough in a couple of months. But it's usually it's not too expensive if I sign up soon. Ahhh FOMO....

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  11. I do repeat races sometimes because of convenience. There is something nice about knowing exactly what to expect from a race! (Even if you know it may not be the best experience!)

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  12. Marathons that I do like, I definitely repeat! I've done my favorite one 6 times already!
    Shamrock is one on my "too do list" eventually!
    So I kinda know the answer to your processing fee. While every race may be a little different, for the most part its because the company they use to gather your information and collect your payment, charges a fee to them to process each runner. When I looked into hosting a race myself it ranged in price between $3-$5 per runner per entry that the company took the runners information and payment on. The credit card companies charge $1.50-$3 per transaction and then the processing company keeps the rest. So yeah, it's not the race that is pocketing the extra money for that. But it would be nice if many would go back to the mail in check method or like you said drop by a payment, but I see why they don't since its easier to just use a company to send you all the information and have it all kept on one spreadsheet.

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  13. I have definitely run races that I only ran due to FOMO! Usually it's a race I think I like, kind of, and have run before...and it's just hard to say no!

    I think the online processing fee is to cover the credit card charge they probably get, but it's dumb that you'd have to pay it for a check, too!

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  14. Having March races on the calendar definitely helps push me out the door when it's dark. I still have to psych myself up to do it though. I hope you end up having a great race.

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    1. Thanks. Me too! It was actually in the 60s the other day so that was not bad to get myself out the door. Now if the weather was like that during Shamrock, that'd be great.

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  15. I wouldn't repeat a race I didn't like. Someday I hope to run Shamrock, actually.

    I don't do our big local half for that very reason though -- I train on the course ALL the time and it ain't that scenic (plus for most of the race, there's almost no spectator support).

    Most of my friends? That was their first half! Nope, me I went for Vegas. :)

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    1. Destination races are definitely more fun, no doubt! I think the Shamrock course is boring, but at least there are plenty of spectators and bands, since it is a big event.

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  16. Every one seems to be training for that race now in this town, so I can't feel left out:)

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  17. I feel that way every time I don't do Marathon weekend at WDW. That's one of my favorite race weekends. Congrats on registering!

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