hee, hee....it's how we back of the packers hope to equilise things a bit....we race slowly and
don't get any food....you race fast and often, eat lots of food and get a bit slower!
(actually in the UK you get a banana and a drink if you're lucky!)
"BillX" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Now if we could only do something about you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the
> packers cross the line."
>
> That is one universal compensation I can find comfort in. Last year I had an injury that kept me
> from training and hence ended up finishing outside
of
> the "food zone". This year it's fat city. Hope the extra food doesn't affect my future finishing
> times ;-)
>
> "Kent" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
>
news:[email protected]...
> > Times sure have changed over the years haven't they. The advent of timing chips has taken the
> > guesswork out of splits and the number of competitors just keeps rising. Sure there are times I
> > long for the really old days (been at this awesome sport since 1985 too bad I still suck)but
> > things do change. I recently got to have a chat with my local race director about where our
> > money goes. By the look of his well used mid 90s pickup I can tell you it isn't going to buy the
> > guy a Porsche. He started doing some math for me and I couldn't believe how much stuff costs
> > them these days. Even the stupid zip ties that hold up the race banners adds up when you do ten
> > races a year. The local governing body tried to double the cost of one day insurance on him last
> > year and rather than fall inline he fought for the little guy. Couldn't have been easy for
> > either party though. The governing body lost more than half of its potential income and the
> > director had to cough up for insurance (and man that aint cheap). If you are an insurance
> > provider and you are going to cover 500+ brand new athletes doing a race for the first time with
> > all the potential hazards that it entails..how much are you going to charge? Sure I walked away
> > still wondering where it all went (race entry fees have doubled since I started way back
> > when)but at least I had a better idea of where some of it went. Not an easy job trying to make
> > as many of the participants happy and still come away with something for yourself. Thankfully we
> > now have to race series competing for our time. Both are awesome I might add. We still get
> > awards (and in the one series your award has your finish line photo on it..how cool is that) and
> > chip timing. The volunteers we get out for these races are fantastic and the venues are
> > amazing...and the sponsor prizes are plentiful and incredible. They even have draw prizes for
> > the volunteers. The price of everything will continue to rise and you will almost always wind up
> > getting less than you pay for. Not saying I like it..just stating a fact. If any of you US
> > athletes are looking for some fast competition (not from me though), over scenic courses, with
> > lots of good prizes and awards, and (with the dollar exchange) still pretty low race entry fees
> > I encourage you to come on up to Ontario Canada and have a go. We're not really all dying of
> > SARS up here...despite what the W.H.O. and the media would have you believe. You will most
> > certainly come away with an award (if you are fast enough) and your moneys worth of racing. A
> > race almost every weekend from now until mid September. Now if we could only do something about
> > you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the packers cross the line.
> >
> > cheers Kent
