Why do races start so early?

you want minimal intrusion on the environment/closures..etc.. run the
event & clean up and restore the environment for the continued use by
the public for the rest (and greater part of the day). the earlier the
better.

Janithor said:

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a Sunday?

To keep the myth alive that running = masochism.

Of course all dedicated runners understand that running = pleasure,
sanity, goodness. But most races want to draw big crowds, and one way
they market running to the majority of participants, who are
half-hearted once-or-twice-a-week-on-the-gym-treadmill at best, is to
pretend running is so horribly painful you gotta be a real badass to
run TEN WHOLE KILOMETERS... in LESS THAN NINETY MINUTES! Starting at a
brutally uncivilized hour is part of the deal.

I recommend moving to a more advanced, perhaps northern European
country, where they'll start a September race at or around noon.

"Janithor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a Sunday?

The powers that be (the ones that grant us road closure permits, etc)
don't like traffic congestion/confusion. This is one of the reasons most
events are on a Sunday to begin with.

Also, if policing is to be used, there's likely more constables with free
time available in the early AM than busier times of the day.

Finally, most entrants of these events find Sunday morning to be the
most convenient/agreeable time to find time to participate.

regards,
--
David Hirsh, director
www.absolutelyaccurate.com
Southern Ontario's Summer Race Series!

"SwStudio" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janithor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a
Sunday?

The powers that be (the ones that grant us road closure permits, etc)
don't like traffic congestion/confusion. This is one of the reasons
most
events are on a Sunday to begin with.

In my local area an early Sunday race is a two edged sword. If you
try to run a race past a church while tryingto hold a service they will
raise hell, so to speak. Those Sunday-go-to-meeting folks want a very
early so they can race, go home and shower and make a 10 or 11 am
service. The other choice to avid the chuuch issue is to start at 1 pm.
Simply more problems with Sundays in general. I'm not ignoring the
Jewish folks and Saturday at the Temple, it's just they are a smaller
segment.

Quoted message said:

Finally, most entrants of these events find Sunday morning to be the
most convenient/agreeable time to find time to participate.

Again, in my back yard, Sunday races don't do as well as a Saturday gig.
It's not just religion but considered a family day and a tendency to
visit Aunt wanda or an early brunch/cook out.

Personally, I like early races. if it's summer it is cooler, if winter
only slightly colder. It then leaves the rest of day open for other
things.
-Doug

Doug Freese said:

"SwStudio" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janithor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a
Sunday?

The powers that be (the ones that grant us road closure permits, etc)
don't like traffic congestion/confusion. This is one of the reasons
most
events are on a Sunday to begin with.

In my local area an early Sunday race is a two edged sword. If you
try to run a race past a church while tryingto hold a service they will
raise hell, so to speak. Those Sunday-go-to-meeting folks want a very
early so they can race, go home and shower and make a 10 or 11 am
service. The other choice to avid the chuuch issue is to start at 1 pm.
Simply more problems with Sundays in general. I'm not ignoring the
Jewish folks and Saturday at the Temple, it's just they are a smaller
segment.

Quoted message said:

Finally, most entrants of these events find Sunday morning to be the
most convenient/agreeable time to find time to participate.

Again, in my back yard, Sunday races don't do as well as a Saturday gig.
It's not just religion but considered a family day and a tendency to
visit Aunt wanda or an early brunch/cook out.

Personally, I like early races. if it's summer it is cooler, if winter
only slightly colder. It then leaves the rest of day open for other
things.
-Doug

Besides church and family there's also the long shadow of the NFL to
consider on Sunday. In my neck of the woods football is king. If the
Steelers kickoff at 1PM it has an impact on other activities.

Quoted message said:

Besides church and family there's also the long shadow of the NFL to
consider on Sunday. In my neck of the woods football is king. If the
Steelers kickoff at 1PM it has an impact on other activities.

When you're talking Stillers, you ARE talking about church and family,
not merely the NFL. Please, show appropriate reverence!

So you can go there right after drinking the
night before. Saves time!

My town likes to clear the streets of the mouth breathers before the
rest of us have to leave the house. It personally saves me time
too...........not as much blood, coolmax, and hair on the grill of my
truck, to rinse off.

Quoted message said:

Again, in my back yard, Sunday races don't do as well as a Saturday gig.
It's not just religion but considered a family day and a tendency to
visit Aunt wanda or an early brunch/cook out.

Same hereabouts; usually lots of races on Saturdays, one or two on
Sundays. Some folks do both; I know at least one woman who probably
runs 75 or more races a year.
--
Brian P. Baresch
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Professional editing and proofreading

If you're going through hell, keep going. --Winston Churchill

x-no-archive: yes

Quoted message said:

you want minimal intrusion on the environment/closures..etc.. run the
event & clean up and restore the environment for the continued use by
the public for the rest (and greater part of the day). the earlier the
better.

Ah. It's just brutal when you work nights, I've been getting to bed at
6 am lately, and I'm running a 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks that starts at
7:15. Wah.

x-no-archive: yes

Charlie Pendejo said:

I recommend moving to a more advanced, perhaps northern European
country, where they'll start a September race at or around noon.

Uh...thanks, but I'll pass. I'm quite happy in knuckle-dragging USA.
Something about socialism, it gives me hives.

"Janithor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

x-no-archive: yes

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a Sunday?

It keeps the slackers away?

In most cases, it is because it has the least impact when you are closing
roads.

Minimal intrusion on the environment? Have you been going to Sierra Club
meetings? How does running at 7am or noon have any different impact on the
environment? Is there less trash or something?

Road closures is the answer. Avoiding the heat of the day is another
possibility when it is warm.
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

you want minimal intrusion on the environment/closures..etc.. run the
event & clean up and restore the environment for the continued use by
the public for the rest (and greater part of the day). the earlier the
better.

"SwStudio" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Janithor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I understand in the summer time, but in the fall or winter, on a Sunday?

The powers that be (the ones that grant us road closure permits, etc)
don't like traffic congestion/confusion. This is one of the reasons most
events are on a Sunday to begin with.

Also, if policing is to be used, there's likely more constables with free
time available in the early AM than busier times of the day.

Finally, most entrants of these events find Sunday morning to be the
most convenient/agreeable time to find time to participate.

regards,
--
David Hirsh, director
www.absolutelyaccurate.com
Southern Ontario's Summer Race Series!

I would say in the US that most races are on Saturdays with marathons being
the exception.

Sam said:

I would say in the US that most races are on Saturdays with marathons being
the exception.

Pretty much a dead heat between Saturday and Sunday for the NYRR race schedule,
slightly more on Sun.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Sam said:

Minimal intrusion on the environment?

In NY and in many other places, races are sometiems held in parks. So it's a
good idea to hold races at times where there would not usually be too many
people in the park. The last thing you want to do is race at a time where the
runners will have to share the road with large numbers of cyclists, roller
bladers, dogs and horses.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Donovan Rebbechi said:

Sam said:

I would say in the US that most races are on Saturdays with marathons being
the exception.

Pretty much a dead heat between Saturday and Sunday for the NYRR race schedule,
slightly more on Sun.

When I lived in NY we used to say that Saturday races are for Catholics
and the Sunday races are for Jews.

"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Sam said:

I would say in the US that most races are on Saturdays with marathons
being
the exception.

Pretty much a dead heat between Saturday and Sunday for the NYRR race
schedule,
slightly more on Sun.

Interesting, even if it's a dead heat. It really is no contest
here - Sunday mornings are when most races (from 5k to
the marathon) are held.

I can vouch that it's mostly a case of traffic considerations
as well as police availability that make it the easiest to put
them on Sunday morning in our area's case. I go to the
various meetings on city council regarding anything involving
road closures, policing, etc., and those are the issues that
usually rule the day.

This is not to say it doesn't get done - the majority of my
races are not on a Sunday, and they are at night. If an RD
aims to have a race at a certain time, it's just a matter of
paying what the city/police decide to charge him for their
services - and these are services *they* choose, i.e. how
many cops I'll need and how many of them will be on a
motorcycle or in a cruiser - all that adds up. They err on
the side of safety, for sure.

cheers,
--
David Hirsh, director
www.absolutelyaccurate.com
Southern Ontario's Summer Race Series!