Runners World Challenge - worth the extra $$?

dorianaldyn

Has anyone on here ever paid the higher fee in order to partake in a Runners World Challenge in conjunction with a race? You get some extra stuff, just not sure if the added expense will be worth it or not. I believe the standard entry fee will be $150, so to participate in the RWC costs an extra $250.

This particular RWC comes with the following (as well as the ability to register 5 days before registration opens):

The $399 entry fee includes:

Your marathon race entry (even when the open marathon has sold out!)
A 4-month customized training plan designed by Runner's World Experts with daily and weekly e-mails explaining the workouts for the week ahead
A technical t-shirt with the Runner's World Challenge logo in addition to your ASICS participant shirt
Private race packet and event shirt pickup for all Challengers at the Expo during race weekend
A catered VIP tent at the finish with free post-race massages
Private buses to the start
VIP tent with private bathrooms at the start
Access to a private website for Challengers to connect with other runners taking the Challenge and the RW experts on training, nutrition and injury-prevention
Your own sweats drop van at the start that will take your sweats directly to your VIP tent at the finish
A copy of "The Runner's Rule Book", "The Long Run" or "The Complete Book of Running".
The opportunity to book your accomodations at the luxurious RW Challenge Host Hotel
An opportunity to hang out with Bart Yasso, and the editors of Runner's World for a VIP weekend.

arc918

Personally, I vote NO! But then again, I tend to dislike all things runners world.

Just a matter of whether or not you value the extras at $250 or not.

DavidMartinez2

I can not express what they can do for $400 on this family friendly website.

schmenge55

Not sure what I would do. I have done a couple of marathons for charity where you get the private tent, porta potties, etc. and while I just had to raise money and not pay for it, those little perks were really, really nice. Will this be your first marathon?

DavidMartinez2

A catered VIP tent at the finish with free post-race massages

This is the only one of those perks that is worth any additional money for me. I would take the extra $250 you were thinking about spending and apply it toward lodging, meals, and maybe some sight-seeing instead.

dorianaldyn

A catered VIP tent at the finish with free post-race massages

This is the only one of those perks that is worth any additional money for me. I would take the extra $250 you were thinking about spending and apply it toward lodging, meals, and maybe some sight-seeing instead.

True, I could go get a massage at the spa in pebble beach for a lot less than that...

Will this be your first marathon?

If all goes according to plan, this will be marathon #3 (I have to sign up for it before I run marathon #2), but looking at the course, it'll be the hardest.

sarahc001

So does this mean you are doing Big Sur?

dorianaldyn

So does this mean you are doing Big Sur?

Look at you putting the puzzle pieces together! I plan to (attempt to) register for Big Sur. I already booked a hotel room; registration opens 7/15; however the RWC registration opens tomorrow morning. I'm leaning toward just doing the standard registration when it opens on 7/15, but I'm a bit concerned that somehow active.com won't be able to handle the traffic and something will get screwed up!

sarahc001

Then the only thing that matters is how much that extra $ means to you. $250 means different things to different people. If it is worth it to you to have a guaranteed entry, dedicated porta potties (at my 1st and only marathon lines were over 30min long and I almost missed my wave start, while the "premium" ones had no lines,) and a training package, then go for it. When I was 17 and supporting myself my monthly rent was $300 and $15 for two movie tickets was an insane amount...now, not so much. If I really wanted to run this thing (and active has had problems, for sure) then I would pay the money because that money is worth the stress it saves me.

It's funny, I just was out running tonight with a guy who is doing the VT100 in two weeks. I asked him if he had ever done the JFK50 (which is local,) and he said that he would never spend $250 (the entry fee) to run a 50 miler. Yet he is traveling to Vermont, presumably staying in a hotel, etc...it really is all perspective and all that matters is what it is worth to you.

DavidMartinez2

So did you get registered yet?

dorianaldyn

I rearranged my whole morning schedule so I could be at home on my computer when registration opened at 7 am and I'm glad I did! Last year the marathon sold out in 26 hours. This year it sold out in 59 minutes!

So, yes, I did get a spot in the marathon. I already booked my hotel room. So, now all I have to do is train for it and run it! I'm running another marathon on 9/29 which I'm training for now. There are some big hills in Big Sur so I know I'm going to have to change up my training routine a bit once I start training in earnest for it.

DavidMartinez2

Dori I'm glad to hear that, I just got the word it is sold out already. Good luck with your training and remember: Hills make you strong