Keep Boston pure by disallowing charity runners

The Boston Marathon is known as the granddaddy of them all when it comes to distance running, and it should remain pure.

The Boston Marathon allocates 20 to, 25 percent of its overall entries to charity runners. These are people who just have to collect enough donations and they're in. No running a previous marathon at the qualifying pace. In a way, charity runners are buying their way into Boston.

Even after running a qualifying time, non-charity runners have to go through the Boston Marathon registration lottery, and they may not make it in even after all of that.

But charity runners don't have to worry about running qualifying times. In fact, many are first-time marathoners who may not have even run a 5K in the past.

This would be like a weekend golfer entering the Master's Tournament by collecting enough donations even though he shoots well over 100, when par is in the low 70s.

It would be like a flag football team being able to participate in the NFL playoffs because it collected enough donations. Or a sandlot baseball team being in the major league playoffs leading to the World Series just because they met the donation threshold.

I don't have anything against charity races, but they should be kept out of Boston. There are numerous other marathons, such as the Rock N Roll Series and the Nike Women's Events, that cater to charity runners.

Anything less, and it cheapens the accomplishments of non-charity runners who had to qualify for Boston and then register through the lottery.

Don't call me a 'jogger'

As a long-time runner, it really gripes my goat when someone asks, "So you're a jogger?"

Even when I respond, "No, I'm a runner." They then ask, "So how far do you jog?"

The word "jogger" typically is emitted by someone who doesn't run or even jog. They are sedentary or otherwise of the couch potato sort. They may mean well, but they also may not realize that some runners take the word jogger as a downright insult.

Let me jog your memory a bit about word meanings.

Merriam Webster's dictionary defines jog as "to run or ride at a slow trot" or to "go at a slow, leisurely, or monotonous pace; trudge."

On the other hand, the dictionary defines runner as "one that runs; racer." Taken further, run is defined as "to go faster than a walk; specifically to go steadily by springing steps so that both feet leave the ground for an instant in each step."

Springing steps so that both feet leave the ground versus trudge. There definitely is a difference.

A jogger just dabbles in the sport; a runner is serious about going fast.

I think I need to get a t-shirt that says, "I'm a runner, NOT a jogger." Maybe then it will jog their memory.

 

Has the Central Valley reached the race saturation point?

Has the Central Valley reached the saturation point with running races? The answer may be "yes."

Take a glance at the calendar of events, and you'll see a myriad events. Some are perennial favorites, others are newcomers. Yet in any year, some will survive and others won't.

Many local groups think that putting on a 5K is an easy way to make money for their charity. That's the furthest from the truth, and you're lucky to break even the first year. These are the one-and-done types of events where their hopes of raking in some bucks didn't come to fruition.

Then there are the annual events, such as local turkey trots. Many continue to thrive with little promotion.

Yet still other events continue, but may have seen their heyday. Race organizers are trying to teach an old dog, so to speak, a new trick. This may mean new swag, bigger and glitzier finishers' medals, or other incentives. But these all cost money.

Will the race director each into his or her profits or pass the costs onto runners. And how big of an increase will runners pay before they refuse and just won't register. After all, there are tons of races out there from which to choose.

Just look at all of the half-marathons that have popped up the past few years. Events that once boasted a 5K and 10K now have a 5K and a half-marathon.

Some races, such as Disney Runs and the Nike Women's Half-Marathon, appear to be immune. With prices nearing $200 for a half (yes, we said a half), they still sell out in a As in a matter of minutes or have had to go to a lottery.

But other local races that increased their registration fees to cover the add-ons have seen registrations drop off.

As with any small business -- and these races are a form of small business -- a number will go under every year, with new ones starting out to replace them. And as in business, only those with strong business plans and the flexibility to meet changing consumer p
references will survive.