Marathon Bells and Whistles
What do you need or want from marathon organizers?
Although this article primarily addresses questions related to marathons, these same questions can be directed to any distance race. Especially if it’s one that attracts a large number of participants.
Several years ago, I subscribed to the magazine Marathon & Beyond. Unfortunately, it is no longer in print but that’s an article for another day.
One of its regular columns rated marathons based on reader submissions that evaluated the marathon’s course, organization, expo, finisher’s medal, spectator support, and so forth and so on. If the expo was huge, it got a higher rating. If the course had musical entertainment every mile it seemed to get a higher rating too. Having a large number of spectators brought higher ratings. Ease of registration and registration fees received ratings, and of course, the highest ratings came for the fanciest finisher’s medals. The website Marathon Guide does much the same, giving marathons up to a 5-star rating based on readers' submissions.
I guess it’s an interesting exercise to read what aspects of a marathon bring the highest ratings. But the more I look at them, the more it seems that the race itself, the simple act of running 26.2 miles, isn’t enough for some people. They want more than just a race…
