TRIATHLON COSTS

I think "reasonable" is so relative - to me it depends on what you get for your race return. If a race is $50 and you get minimal schwag, a regular T-shirt, and only bananas and gatorade after the race that's cool with me - as long as the course is safe and well-marked. On the other hand, if I paid $80 for this race, I'd be a little pissed.

Same thing - if a race charges $150 for an Oly, I expect tons of support, an awesome course, great organization, chip timing, a great shirt, and good AG prizes. If I have a fantastic experience, then the higher price is "reasonable."

I think we all have a personal limit for what we feel comfortable spending on each race. For me, it's about $50 for a sprint, $80 for Oly, $150 for half (although I paid $200 for B2B and it was very much worth it), and $400 for Full (guess I'll never do an M-dot). However, any of this is subject to change based on my income level. 

For $150 in an Oly, they'd better have a personal waiter getting my after-race snacks for me...

The extra $40 for a 5i50 series race? This is the kind of stuff that keeps me away from the M-dot brand.

Some races cost more to host.  Some have more SWAG (shirts, medals, mugs, better food etc.).  I did three OLY races last year as part of a series for $140.  Basically I got a t-shirt for each race, not much more but I race to race and not pick up more knick-knacks adding to the clutter of my house.

Some races are done quite well and worth the extra $$.

5150 seemed a bit overpriced in Galveston to me as well. 

Someone said they got good swag from a 5150, but I didn't think Galveston offered much compared to cheaper (though not cheap) races I've done.

However, in Galveston the 5150 was ...125 I think.  150 for late registration. 

It also had a very small field, so they might have used all the race fees on support for the course etc.

Sometimes its the name, sometimes its the pay towards better sponsors, sometimes its just because they can because of venue, etc.

With higher costs, then the race should have something worth the cost, ex. massage, better swag and/or entry t-shirts/clothing, additional free gear, better and cooler awards, route is well-marked and well-attended by police/security and volunteers/assistants, etc.

The Spirit of Racine HIM was around that cost back about 3 years ago, until bought by the IronMan group.

Okay, to elaborate a little more...

* If a race has to monitor THAT many intersections and close down that much of the town, I can already tell it's not a race I'm going to want to do.

* Um... swag? You do realize that those things are, in the vast majority, freebies from sponsors, right? Paying more for a race because of the nice swag? Not justifiable at all. And the more sponsors a race has, the LOWER the costs should be.

* I, too, race to race. Which is why most of the races I do are $60 and less. And there are plenty of them around. When I see the tactics that WTC is taking with their events (block-out dates), and then charging what they do, I see it as simple greed.

I looked at SoR for 2006, and the price was between a nearby HIM through the cornfields ($90) and Steelhead ($160).  I opted for Steelhead that year.  It's now $250 and I'm not in the market. 

As to the OP, if you want to do the race, pony up the entry fee and do the race.  If it seems too expensive, spend your $$ elsewhere.  Given the logistics and costs associated with DC, the fees don't seem out of line and that makes me glad to be here in the midwest where I can do a similar distance race for $75. 

1. The correct price for a race is one that will just sell out / maximize profit for the organization running the event. That's called free market capitalism.

2. A race in rural Saskatchewan should not cost as much as a race through central Chicago.

3. Ironman branded races cost 25% to 50% more than equivalent non-brand name races  because people are willing to pay extra.

$75 is about my limit for an Olympic unless it's some real special.  Most I do are around $50 for a sprint, $65 for an olympic.  I find those prices to be reasonable.  I just dropped some horribly unreasonable amount of money on Rev3 Cedar Point Half Rev, but it's close to home, a nice course, and a fun location, so it was worth it.  (Plus everyone I know was doing the race too, so I HAD to sign up).

Probably also varies quite a bit based on location and frequency of races in the area.  There are a lot of triathlons throughout Ohio during the season, which I'm sure helps keep our prices more reasonable, versus if there were fewer races, prices might be higher. 

Ironman brand races cost more because they still sell out and they are absolutely maximizing profit, as most businesses try to do.

I do one every year because it's 3 miles from my place and I train the bike course almost every weekend.  I figure the extra money is offset by time/gas savings, plus don't you have to do the "local" race?

I have to agree with you.

I'd stay away from a $135 sprint too.  I'm doing the Try Charleston HIM in April and that is $135 through January!  I was about to register for the Publix GA Half Marathon in 3/12 until I realized they wanted $75.  Get serious.  I'm doing a smaller race (at a better time for my schedule) for $45.

Of course, I have to nickel & dime because I already spent $400 in Oct. to register for Alcatraz (worth it in my book so it's all relative).

EDIT: I don't mind if they charge a lot, I'm just not going to pay it.  It may or may not sell out, but I'll decide when I think the fee is worth it.  I think it's backfiring for the WTC because they've already cancelled TWO of those races from the new series for low registration.  That's not maximizing profits.

Andi

For some reason, I have a hard time swallowing 700 pre-registered as low registration.

By these standards I can justify a lot more expensive race.

This was my first year, and I am looking at 2012 races. I can't find an Oly under $100. I live in Central PA, where there aren't many events. The close local stuff is small pool-start sprints. I looked at the Philadelphia Tri, thinking of just doing the sprint since it's Saturday. Even the sprint is $140 for EARLY registration. Too corporate? OK, the Black Bear tri seems to be a solid reputation regionally, it's in the pocono mountains. $105 early reg for sprint, $120 for oly. I'm not exactly in the high dollar part of the country, but without a more active multisport community anywhere close, there's not much competition.There was an oly distance race very close to me with an OWS in the river, registration was much less than these others mentioned, and it was canceled this year due to low registration.

That said, there is a really awesome looking race I am planning to register for. I'm registered for my first HIM in June (Eagleman), and there is a race in NJ the month before that seems like a good stepping stone: The NJ Devilman Half-Light. It's .8 mile swim, 40 mile bike, 8.8 mile run. Nice inbetween oly and HIM (actually a shorter swim than oly). Price before Nov 15 is $125. It even comes with free race photos and a registration expectation that you can handle an OWS!

I'm also planning to bite the bullet on a touristy corporate overpriced sprint again next year. The TriRock series. It's overpriced, had lots of course issues last year, but it was my first OWS tri, and as it was the first year for it, it seems like something I'd enjoy to do it each year. I also have a thing for Saturday races, and my aunt and uncle live just across the bay bridge so I have a place to stay.

So my contribution to this discussion cliff notes: olys are expensive here, not much local competition to make that any different. Plenty of community based cheap sprints. But I have to travel so far for even an olympic race, the cost is high no matter what.

Depends on the race, my normal OLY and sprint races, is really not expensive, HIM, with travel, accommodation, etc it works out a pretty penny as its not just me but my wife, daughter( also competing) and the boyfriend. So it adds up fairly quickly. We also have a end of season race that I think is ridiculously expensive but I will do it, for no other reason that its the last race of the season and there is a few friends doing it with a few beers and bragging rights as 1st prize among us shall we say silver haired triathletes. 

To put things into perspective...

 NYC 2012 is...$11 to get into the lottery...If you get a slot you get the priviledge to pay $285 to enter (about $100 more for a relay but at least you can split it 2 or 3 ways).  Are there any more expensive OLYs?