Your hometown race needs you this year
It’s January, which means rookie and veteran runners alike are planning their racing calendars for the year. It’s time to look at the calendar and decide where to go for that PR and which cities to explore on foot. Will you decide to run a spring or fall marathon this year? How many tune-up races will you include in your training? Which races have the best race day experiences and swag? These are tough choices for runners. But allow me to throw another recommendation your way. If your hometown has a big race, you should run in it.
In May, the 2023 version of my hometown marathon, the Hall of Fame Marathon will be celebrating its tenth anniversary. Unfortunately, it will also be its last, due to a number of factors, including logistics, costs, and community support. It is part of a trend across the country, where local races, especially marathons, have been suffering. A great article in Runner’s World highlights reasons for the decline, even when it seems like running as a sport is having a boom amongst everyday runners.
Upon hearing the news, I felt somewhat guilty that I never participated or volunteered in past events. I ran the half marathon distance in 2022 and had a great time, but had never participated in the other races of the last decade. I ran races in neighboring cities like Cleveland and Akron, but never in my own backyard.
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Knowing 2023 will be the last race, I had to sign up for the marathon distance. And there are many reasons why every runner should do the same (at any distance offered), that benefit both you as a runner and your community.
A Home Game
Traveling for a race requires a lot of planning, and can be expensive. When you sign up for a local race, you can cut the costs of both out, and still get a chance at a PR. Even smaller races provide the opportunity to chase a coveted Boston qualifier. Local races also tend to have a smaller field, so runners also can get extra rest the night before and still make it to the starting line in time. Lastly, local courses weave through the neighborhoods that dually serve as the training ground for its participants, providing familiarity with the course. If you’re chasing a personal best, that familiarity can pay off.
Community Support
By registering for your local race, you aren’t just paying for a t-shirt and a beer at the finish line, but are supporting your local running community and the sport of running itself. It’s not cheap or convenient to put on a race, especially the marathon distance, which requires months of planning.
Local races are the ultimate “use it or lose it” scenario. When COVID cancelled running events in 2020 and 2021, races lost both financial and community support when they weren’t being held. Unfortunately, when races returned in 2022, registrations didn’t bounce back to pre-COVID levels. This has led to many races shutting down, making running less accessible to runners. Races need runner registrations and turnout to cover costs and deliver a great event.
Other Ways to Get Involved
If you are recovering from an injury, or have hung up your racing shoes, you can still get involved by volunteering. Races can’t succeed without the hundreds of volunteers needed for packet pickups, race expos, and the event itself.
If your house is along the course, getting outside to cheer on participants brings the extra energy runners need to get to the finish line. It may not be New York, where fans line all 26.2 miles of the course, but the energy is much appreciated.
Whether you are running or volunteering, your local race needs you in 2023. And if you're a runner, you need your local race.
