Which Races Give You The Biggest Bang For Your Buck?


With the price of race registrations increasing every year, what type of things do you look for in a race to feel that you are getting your monies worth?  A big Expo? Scenic Course? Great race shirt and fabulous medal?  Here are 5 races that we've run throughout the years that we really felt were worth the registration that we paid.  ( In no particular order)

1. Disney Races: We all know that Disney races are very expensive, but what all are you getting in exchange for those high race fees?
1. A top notch Health and Fitness Expo: Exposure to some great running products, commemorative picture opportunities, and speakers from personalities in the Running/Fitness industry.
2. Race shirts that I would actually wear again. Swag bag, sample treats.
3. Nicely designed race bibs.
4. A top notch course! Running through theme parks while closed! Character opportunities (if you take advantage of them). Plenty of amazing on course support.
5. Over the top Start and Finish line complete with fireworks. ( I've never seen one better).
6. Great medals ( enough said).
7. Free Transportation to and from events.
8. Post race refreshments ( Great snack boxes)
9. Such a fun opportunity to dress up and see others who have amazing costumes!

So is all this worth it for the price that you pay. Some people would say yes  some say no. I for one will never complain about the price of a Disney race because I truly believe it's the opportunity and the environment you are paying for, and as for now, I am enjoying it!

But on the other hand, it is a LOT of money to pay for the race and it would be nice for Disney to offer finishers a free park ticket! I don't know this for sure, but I have heard that everyone gets a medal at a Disney race whether they've finished the race or not. I think giving the finisher's a little something like a free park pass would be a nice gesture. If they can't afford to give park passes, how about a voucher for a free breakfast after the race? Wouldn't that be nice?


2. Run For The Dream : Williamsburg Virginia. (Lots of Extra)
This race has got to be one of the most generous races I have ever completed!
1. Registration for the 8K starts at $40 ( there was a half marathon option too)
2. There was a Runner's expo but it was small and nothing to get excited about.
3. We did get T-shirts but it was cotton and not one I ever wore, again and a drawstring bag.
4. Great race medal.

Okay, so here are the best parts of the race:
5.With our registration we got a 2 day pass to Colonial Williamsburg.
6. We also got a one day pass to Busch Gardens Theme Park.
7. We got a $15 meal voucher for lunch/dinner in the park.
8. Free transportation to all events and to downtown and Theme park.
9. Great post Race party on the lawn with vendors, free food, and beer.
10. Fireworks that evening.

3. April Fools Race: Atlantic City ( Great Medal)
1. This race starts at $45 for the 7K and 11K  ( There is also a half available)
2. No race expo but very organized packet pick up.
3. Great race course right on the boardwalk.
4. Great race tech shirt that I have worn over and over again!
5. The medals. These were huge spinners. ( They were actually the same medals that were given to the 11k and half runners). 
6. Post race snacks. First time I've been given a soft pretzel at the finish line!
7. Free post race massages!  Yes, I said FREE!

4. J and A Races : Virginia Beach (Lots of Swag)
(Crawlin Crab, Wicked 10K, Surfin Santa, VA is for Lovers 14K, and Shamrock half and full)
1. Registration for the Wicked 10K starts at $35
2. Great courses ( love running along the oceanfront)
3. Medals are always great.
4. There is always great entertainment watching all the costumes for the Wicked.
5. Post race drinks and snacks.
6. Post race party at the convention center.
7. Always food ( Chili in a bread bowl for Wicked)
8. Always some sort of swag bag, thermoses for Wicked, blankets and hats for Shamrock.
9. Smallish Expos, but not bad.
10. Always great tech shirts ( nice long sleeve ones for Wicked)

5. Rock n Roll Series: Virginia Beach ( Plenty of Entertainment)
1. Half marathon starts at $85.
2. A Large Expo ( These expos Rival Disney's)
3. Great Tech shirts I've worn over and over again
4. Super Cute Medals ( the ones from VA Beach always have some beach theme, last year was a Star Fish)
5. On course entertainment
6. Racers get free admission to the Music Festival: Some great concerts.
7:  We have been fortunate enough to be invited to some of the VIP events over the years ( pre race breakfast/ post race brunch/ Pre-concert party) . These events aren't included in registration but they certainly added to our experience. I believe you can pay extra for these events but we are not sure how much it is.

                               What make the steep cost of race registration worth it to you?



We are linking up with Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for another Friday 5 where the theme is "Gone to the Races". Make sure to check out their blogs too!

65 comments:

  1. I started running marathons and halves about 8 years ago and I am floored with how high the prices have reached. I would never EVER pay $85 to run a half marathon unless it was on an EXTREMELY awesome course... as in, Hawaii, or on the Great Wall of China! The Hershey Half is in the $80 range and I know so many people who run that. I think it's crazy. The races that give you the biggest bang for your buck are trail races or ultras. The 50 mile Ultra I did a couple years ago was less than the Hershey Half and we got a shirt, key chain, finishers bandanna, and excellent support across the whole 50 mile course.

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    1. We thought the Rock N Roll VA Beach half was a good deal because it included concert tickets as well. Last year we saw 3 bands and than on the night of the race we saw Third Eye Blind. The Year before we saw the band Train ( which was worth every penny). Wow, very impressive that you did a 50 mile Ultra!

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    2. Definitely worth it if you like those bands! I should find a race that includes free Broadway tickets :)

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  2. Great run down- makes me want to run a J and A race!
    -CK
    cookingupkefi.com

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    1. J and A races are some of the best and they have several races through out the year!

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  3. Space Coast! The medals are gorgeous, huge and colorful and they have freaking space shuttles on them! The course is really pretty, along the water and with beautiful houses on the other side. The after party has lots of food and entertainment. The other runners were lots of fun with great costumes too. The expo was meh and the shirts last year were all white (!!) but this year's shirts look much better.

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    1. I have heard wonderful things about the Space Coast races!

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  4. YES YES YES! You know how much I adore the AC Marathon series. I signed up for the April Fools half right after last year's race and only paid $38 for this year. That's good stuff right there.

    Broad Street 10 Miler gives a lot of bang for the buck. $40 for 10 miles, a t-shirt, medal, expo, and GREAT crowd support the entire way. Plus, it's on one street, no twists or turns and it's fairly flat (some say it's completely flat but that's a lie).

    The Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge is a 10k runs about $40 is raises money for the Larc School. It has a long sleeved t, medal, ends at Campbell's field and has a great after "party" with food. Definitely a bargain, plus you get to run across the Ben Franklin bridge and back!

    Those are just a couple of my favorite "budget" races - I love a race that doesn't cost a bazillion dollars and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling.

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    1. That Bridge run sounds like a good one. I like when the races offer "extras" afterwards. It's not so much fun to just grab your medal and head to the car. I like the celebrations and camaraderie afterwards!

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  5. I disagree about Disney. The course support was great and of course the medal is to die for, but I was completely underwhelmed and disappointed by the expo, the start/finish, and "swag bags". Maybe Tink was just a bad example this year but I'm doing Wine and Dine to get my coast to coast and after that I think I'm done with runDisney.

    I loved Flying Pig last year - I only did the 5k, but the course support and entertainment for the marathon (and half) was phenomenal! Fun medals, great course, fantastic.

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    1. I heard Flying Pig was a good one too!
      I have never been to a Disneyland Race ( I guess I should have specified that in the post, sorry) so I'm not aware how they run things, but I do think the Disney World races are fabulous. I hope you have a good time at Wine and Dine!

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  6. Expensive race registrations are not worth it to me but that's just me. I will pay up to $90 bucks for a race which I have. I only wear the shirt the day of and medals are cool but that isn't the main thing that floats my boat.

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    1. Yea, We look very hard at what all is included with the race ( not just the swag) but the atmosphere too!

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  7. Disney races, especially Disneyland races, are out of my price range. I was stretching it for WDW, and then I saw the price for the Avengers. Add on travel, hotel, food and park passes, I can't do Disney races all the time. I do like to look at smaller local races and they have a good charities too.

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    1. I agree Lesley. I didn't even add on the price of what would cost to travel to Disney. I was just referring to the race itself. I sure do wish we lived closer to Disney so we wouldn't have to incur travel costs!

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  8. I absolutely agree that the actually finishers at a Disney race should get something different than those who were swept. If nothing else, our ribbon on the medal should be different. Everyone has a price point they are comfortable with and I still pay the Disney prices too. Princess weekend was an absolute blast this year, and I am looking forward to TOT in October. I ran the Wicked 10k a couple years ago and love the J & A races. Hope to be back for another this year!

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    1. Yes, looks like we have the same visions of what we think are good races!

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  9. I love this post! This is awesome. Thanks for the great suggestions for races. I've been considering doing a R&R.

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    1. We absolutely love RnR races and obviously think they are worth the high registration cost! Of course at this point we can only speak for the ones at VA Beach. Hopefully other RnR races are just as much fun and worth it!

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  10. Man this post makes me miss living in Virginia Beach! That Run for the Dream race sounds amazing - I'd love to go back to that Busch Gardens. It is where I rode my first roller coaster!

    I agree with you about the Disney races. Yes, they are very expensive but so worth it. I do NOT think they have to increase their prices every year by as much as they are, and if they do keep increasing them, at least add more finisher perks! I love your idea of a park ticket or a free meal (or both!).

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    1. We think alike Lauren! I had no idea you lived in VA Beach! Any plans to return for a visit? Maybe you should consider coming over Labor day to run RnR?

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    2. I lived there a looong time ago (5th & 6th grade) in a community called Courthouse Estates. Beautiful area! I don't have any current plans to visit, but I'll definitely consider coming for Labor day! Are y'all running RnR?

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  11. Great post - I often find myself weighing the pros and cons of different races, when deciding which I'll run for, and the perks for the price are a major consideration!
    The inaugural A Christmas Story House 5k/10k was not too expensive (I want to say ~$40?) and had an awesome medal (a running leg lamp!) and the costumes were the best I've seen outside of Disney. The course was crowded and slushy in places, and it was cold as heck, but it was so much fun seeing recognizable costumes from the movie, that I didn't care. Plus the race included free Ovaltine and admission to the A Christmas Story House.
    Thinking about doing the inaugural Cedar Point half this summer - it includes admission to the park for the whole weekend for the runner, and discounted tickets for friends/family.

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    1. OMG! This sounds awesome! "It's a major award!" I've never had a 10k on my bucket list before :)

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    2. Registration is already open for this year's run. The site shows a picture of last year's medal, and I understand they'll reveal this year's in July. :) http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/index.php/5k10k-run/

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    3. Both of those races sound great! I like how the registration fee includes entry into something else as well like the house and the park!

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  12. Its crazy what some races cost.. but if they can make it worth while, i'll pay.

    I was looking at the Women's Race Series put on by Womens' Running Magazine & its like $85... I'm debating... but those medals look amazing :)

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  13. A good looking medal of course, but I LOVE the fun at the runDisney races. I love being at Disney. I thnk extras like park tickets or food and beverage also make it worth it. I do understand there is a cost to each race with support, supplies, police, etc, so I look at what I am getting at the more expensive races.

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  14. I love the Disney bling and the experience so for now I am ok with paying for it. I wouldn't say the transportation is free but it is part of why the races cost so much because our race entry goes toward paying for it. So I can see why it costs so much. I need to do that Atlantic City race! April Fools is my birthday. :)

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    1. That is true about the transportation. The Atlantic City race is the weekend after April Fools day. That would be a great way for you to celebrate your birthday!

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  15. It sounds like at least one of you is in or around Virgina. I'll be doing my first J&A run this weekend doing the 8k part of the Shamrock Marathon weekend. I'll be volunteering on Sunday for those doing the Half and Full. I do really like the Ukrop's 10k that's coming up in a couple weeks in Richmond. It's HUGE. Though the shirt is just OK an there are no medals, the expo is always a lot of fun and the course has so many people cheering for you that you forget you are actually running.

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    1. Good luck to you on the 8K! I'm sure you'll have a blast and will want to come back for more J and A races!

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    2. We did have a good time. I'm glad I didn't do the half as my body was rebelling against running since I've been back from Princess. The 8k was a lot of fun, especially on the boardwalk. My friends really enjoyed the half and want to do it again next year. We will have to make plans earlier to find a better hotel though.
      @heatherlas

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    3. I am so glad that you had a great time! We think running on the boardwalk is the best part! Congrats on your finish and enjoy that cool bling!

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  16. I think that races being put on by local stores end up being the best values. I paid $40 for a 10 miler with a tech shirt, medal, pin and great food a couple of weeks ago. It was an awesome race!

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    1. That sounds great! Wish we had more shops that put on races in our areas.

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  17. Well, Disney is top on my list! I don't think anything can beat it for me b/c I get to go to Disneyworld as well as run! The bling isn't bad either and coming from a rural area with very few races that NEVER EVER give bling, it's nice to get a medal when I race!

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    1. Disney was my first race ever so of course it is the standard by which all other races are measured. I think it spoiled me..lol. It baffles me when races don't give finishers medals. I didn't realize that so many of them don't. Are you close to Branson? I've been wanting to do the Diva race there.

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  18. Oh, that Williamsburg race sounds great! I haven't heard of it before now. Williamsburg isn't too far from us and my husband has never been. I'll definitely have to look into this one for next year.

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    1. Besides the weather being Extremely hot on that day (June 1) it really was a great race that offered lots of perks!

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  20. I love this post! There have been so many complaints about the cost of Disney races lately, but I truly believe you're paying for an amazing race experience. No other race has lived up to my Marathon Weekend experience yet, and although we can't afford to run Disney as often as we'd like to, that'll keep the race experience more special whenever we can return.

    And I've heard so many great things about the J&A Races. I'll definitely have to run one of them in the future!

    Will either of you be running RnRVB this year? I'm very much leaning towards registering. I actually already made a hotel reservation in case either I or both my husband and I decided to run it this year.

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    1. Yes! We will be running RnR VA Beach so we will definitely have to plan a meet up!

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  21. I have to agree races are expensive but the extras and the support staff add to it!!! I actually found a half in my area for $30!! I was so shocked that I might just sign up for it because I love the price, plus it is in a beautiful location :)

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    1. $30 is definitely not bad for a half. That's usually what a 5K costs around here!

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  22. Races are SO expensive, especially triathlons! I'd have to say if the swag and after race food is good, then the price is worth it. One of the best post race spreads I've seen is for the Clydes 10K in Columbia. Brunch food from Clyde's!

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    1. It's a good thing we are not into triathlons or we would go broke..lol.

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  23. I think races have gotten crazy expensive lately but there are some that are definitely worth it! I loved my Rock n Roll Dallas race and it was worth every penny! The expo and medal were great! It's a bonus if they still have post race food left by the time I finish. :)

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    1. I bet RnR Dallas was amazing! And yes, you know it's a good race when there is enough food for everyone regardless of finish time! :)

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  24. I'm feeling like lately Disney races are not worth the cost. They seem to be cutting things and raising prices at the same time. Last year I did a small half that was in a park and it was my favorite race. The medal was great, I picked up the packet the morning of the race, it wasn't crowded...there weren't even corrals.
    As far as Disney offering a park ticket...it would be nothing for them to do that, and they'd make more money off of it than they'd lose. People go into the park and buy food and stuff, and they bring family members who don't run the race and would have to buy tickets along with the other costs.

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    1. We totally agree with the free park ticket theory! Apparently Disney assumes that people will buy a ticket anyway!

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  25. Thanks so much for sharing! I am super cheap and always balk at high race prices, so it'a great to see your thoughts on what makes it worth it!

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    1. Your welcome! Hopefully you've discovered a new race you'd like to try!

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  26. Hi, there! Just found your blog and I totally agree that Disney races are worth the money. Not only for everything you get but I am definitely my most motivated when I am training for a Disney race because I am a huge Disney lover!

    I would say that the newer Disney 10Ks are a great value! I ran the Glass Slipper Challenge and I loved the 10K course and distance and you still get all the other perks of any Disney race. :)

    onegirlsneverland.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! We ran the glass slipper challenge as well! We definitely liked the 10K course!

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  27. Great post! I think with the costs of races getting so high, all the additional perks are a must now to continue to draw people to those races.

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    1. I agree! Tickets or admission to area events are always a nice perk!

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  28. I"m seriously considering replacing my Disney marathon in January with the Space Coast... I've heard great things about it and I just don't really want to pay Disney prices anymore...

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  29. I don't know how much Space Coast is but I have heard amazing things about that race as well! Why not try something new!

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  30. I don't know how much Space Coast is but I have heard amazing things about that race as well! Why not try something new!

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  31. I don't know how much Space Coast is but I have heard amazing things about that race as well! Why not try something new!

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