UAE Healthy Kidney 5K - Miami, Florida - Running

"Pleasant race, but growing frustrated with NYRR"

"This race was pleasant--aside from the 93% humidity that morning. Course runs around NYC's Central Park with the tougher hills between miles 1 and 4. No real complaints about the race or logistics. NYRR knows how to do races -- plentiful aid stations, clocks, safe course and good More... instructions. I hardly ever check a bag, but I did this time, and, as usual, it's quick and easy with NYRR.

What I'm growing tired of is NYRR's focus on inclusiveness and waste of money on shorter races. I do understand it -- but it's a frustrating for those of us who just want to run a quick race and get home. NYRR forces you to do 9 races if you want to run the marathon the following year, which is fine, but the races are more expensive than they should be. I have no need for a medal for a short distance race (I either don't take it or throw it out) and the pre- and post-race festivities are over-the-top. The piece of swag that I do like -- the shirt -- is seemingly becoming cheaper and cheeper. NYRR used to give out nice shirts. Now their tech shirts are thin, white and flimsy and come in unisex sizes of S, M, L (and maybe? XL). As a 125 lb, 5'6'' woman, my frame is similar to many female runners, and the shirt was HUGE on me.

I get that NYRR, as a business, tries to be more inclusive, but I'd prefer they cut out some of the pre- and post- race hype to cut costs for those of us trying to run a bunch of races, and give a good shirt that I can re-wear.

Also, frankly, there are too many runners. 10,000 people for a 10k is absurd. I waited nearly 10 mins to get to the start line and I was right in the middle of the corrals. My friend, who was several corrals behind me, waited so long that she was told she had to start running to the start b/c the lead car might otherwise hit them. (It had come around the course already.) It's not fun to get locked out of a race, and I understand that more runners = more money. But if you have so many runners that your back-end runners are nearly getting run over by the lead car, maybe we should re-think things."