Posts: 5,412
8/26/12 9:44 A

I always have a bag to check, and I won't run a race if I can't. I'm often without a non-running support person, so I'm in my own with my pre-race jacket, etc.

Posts: 1,485
8/24/12 3:20 P

ELISEL, For many people, the price of the race, even at $250, is a small fraction of the overall expense of traveling to the city to participate in it. (How else to explain all the expensive Rock'n'Roll and Disney races?)

On the other hand, it is hard to understand why it's too difficult for NYRR to provide baggage service. I've volunteer every year at the Cherry Blossom 10M - about 15000 runners - and our bag check is enormous but we are so well organized that we can eyeball bibs as runners are approaching the tables and hand them their bag within 5 seconds. Frequently we will be holding out their bags before they even reach the table!

Here's a pic from inside the Cherry Blossom 10M bag check area. You can see how well organized everything is and the sizeable number of volunteers ready to retrieve bags.

farm3.staticflickr.com/2149/2393264059_79e
8c139f0_o.jpg

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8/24/12 12:19 A

Absolutely TimothyNohe!

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8/23/12 11:22 P

What would tick me off the most about it was that they announced it AFTER I paid.

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8/23/12 9:50 P

In the article it said that the entry was $250!! Wow! I can't imagine paying that much to run a race, but that's just me.

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8/23/12 8:51 P

As someone who travels solo to runs over 5 hours away - no bag check would make a no go of any race. I have my "fly to run bag" down to a small backpack as the only luggage and have gotten it into bag check bags for races. I would be sunk without a bag check at the race. Sad that I have to look at that as another question to ask before signing up for any run and I can see where this might become a "norm" in more and more races.

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8/23/12 4:02 P

After running the NYC Half last March and spending almost 2 hours to get my bag AND locate my hubby, I say it beats the aggravation...and sadly, cell phone reception was HORRIBLE...no one could call anyone.

Nancy

Posts: 1,485
8/23/12 3:45 P

The NYC Marathon just announced they would not have a bag check this year. I would bet that the next NYC HM follows suit for similar reasons (and since it's run by the same organization). That's what happens when a race gets too big.

news.runnersworld.com/2012/08/23/nyc-marat
hon-ends-baggage-transport-to-finish/?
cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Conte
nt-News-_-NYCBagCheck

Needless to say, a lot of people are pretty unhappy given the cost of the race and that they announced the policy *after* registration.

Edited by: PASTAFARIAN at: 8/23/2012 (15:52)