How to Save Money on Race Weekends: Travel, Lodging & Gear!

Transcript

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Hello and welcome again.

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I very much appreciate you guys stopping by.

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You are, of course, listening to Choose to Endure, the show dedicated to the back-of-the-pack runners, where we share stories, interviews, gear and training tips specific to the tail-end heroes of the Ultra universe.

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My name is Richard Gleave.

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I have been running Ultras now since 2017.

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I've taken on and finished numerous Ultra distances, all the way up through 220 miles at the moment, and I am unashamedly a member of the back of the pack, just like many of you guys out there.

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When I first started running races, budgeting for the full race weekend really wasn't something that I had thought a whole lot about.

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I, like you, was probably more focused on the training, making sure my gear was right, looking through the race, checking off where the aid stations were and really just making sure I got to the start line in one piece.

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But as I got more into the sport, I quickly realized just how much time and money can come into play, especially for those bigger races or those races that are a lot further from wherever it is that you live.

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In fact, it's become a pretty big factor in how I choose races and what I can or can't do from a logistical perspective.

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So today we're tackling the topic of budgeting for race weekends from camping versus hotels to meal planning and other creative ways that you might be able to save and stretch your dollar.

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So whether you're planning for your first race weekend or you're looking for any kind of tips really to make your next one more affordable, I've got you covered.

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As ever, I'll also share some personal stories and lessons that you know I've learned over the years, so stick with me.

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We'll get right into it after this, discover raw, inspiring stories from runners who've been right where you are.

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This is the Choose to Endure Ultra Running Podcast With your host he's English, not Australian Richard Gleave.

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Okay, so the first major decision for any given race weekend from a budgeting perspective is where are you going to stay before and after a race?

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Your options, I have found anyway, will typically boil down to either camping on the front or back end or maybe booking a hotel or motel, and I think both can have their pros and cons.

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For camping, that is by far the most budget-friendly option, especially if the race offers free or subsidized camping costs at the start or even at the finish line.

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It also gives you the added convenience of being close to the race venue.

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It's cheap, it's right there on top of the action and usually when there's camping involved at the start and finish line, there's a great community vibe in the build-up to and the finish of whatever event you're at.

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On the con side, though, camping, depending on your comfort level, may end up being less comfortable, especially if your mattress breaks or you get some very unpredictable weather.

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And, of course, the amenities in some of these places state parks or wherever you are camping may not always be up to scratch, so you're leaving yourself a little bit open, unless you do your research ahead of time, to whatever is there at the campsite.

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You're kind of at that mercy.

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For one race, I'll give you a great example.

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I camped out at the start line with a group of other runners in amongst bison, and they were just roaming around.

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That wasn't the biggest challenge for me at that particular race, though it was really really cold that night.

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It was actually quite warm in the day, and then it got super cold and really windy at night, so my tent was buffeting around, I didn't have the right gear because it wasn't expected to get that cold, and I had an absolutely miserable night the night before a race, which obviously isn't ideal.

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Having said that, though, the camaraderie around that campsite that we were at and the savings that I made against going to a hotel and then having to drive in in the morning because I was right there by the start line, basically totally made it worth it from that perspective.

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And, of course, as I said, I didn't have to worry about driving in the dark through unfamiliar roads to the start of the race in the morning.

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So, pros and cons you might also choose a hotel, and that is obviously going to be more comfortable, standard amenities that you can rely on, especially a breakfast.

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Most hotels offer a free, at least continental, breakfast for you to take advantage of, if they start the breakfast early enough to where you can get out and still get to your start line.

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Breakfast early enough to where you can get out and still get to your start line.

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The comfort of a hotel can be a big advantage, especially if you're traveling really far.

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And, of course, you're going to get a good night's sleep before the race, which, in some instances, is really crucial.

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Especially if you're going on one of these multi-day races, getting a good night's sleep before you kick off on a three or four night run is really crucial.

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It's also great for families.

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If you're traveling in a family group or with other runners, you know you can still have that community feel, even in a hotel.

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On the flip side of hotels though, obviously they're a lot more expensive than camp venues or at least they can be, depending on which hotel you pick and they're often relatively far from the race venue You've still got to, like I was saying before, get up and drive to the start line, usually at night, maybe it's dark, maybe you're unfamiliar with where you're going, especially if the weather's bad, if it's icy or really cold.

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There's cons to staying in a hotel.

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I mean, I have stayed in hotels for bigger races, especially like 100 miles.

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That's when I really knew I wanted a shower and a comfortable bed after the fact.

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So I've stayed in hotels after and that's been really handy.

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You just crash and sleep for a while, you can get up, you can shower, it's pretty comfortable and if you're really interested in the hotel option you might consider in order to save money.

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Maybe you can split the cost with friends or other runners if you get a double occupancy space.

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So there might be ways to do hotels as well.

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All right.

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So transportation is another big expense.

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We talked about driving to the race, especially if the race is far from home, so here are some tips to cut costs.

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It's really easy a lot of times to carpool with other runners if other people are going from your location.

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This allows you both to save money on gas and you can enjoy connecting with other runners sitting in the car chatting away on the way to the race.

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Another option might be to use public transport or shuttles, if they're available.

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Some races like Cowboy when we did that they offer race shuttles from nearby cities or parking lots.

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Those are really cool.

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Definitely advise taking advantage of those if you can find a race doing it.

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That really helps.

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If you're solo, by the way, and doing these longer races, getting a shuttle to the start line from a hotel or getting a shuttle from the finish back to the start after the race if that's the way the logistics of the race are set up can be super helpful.

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From a flight perspective, really try to plan ahead if you know you've got a race that you're going to have to fly to.

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If the race is far away, try to book flights early.

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Look for budget airlines.

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The earlier you can get a ticket, usually the cheaper it's going to be.

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But definitely look around on Expedia If you've got points.

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I've used points to fly to races before.

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Plan ahead for flights if you can For a race in another state.

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I have coordinated a carpool with two other runners from my area.

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Not only did we save on gas, but the long drive gave us a ton of time to swap race stories and share tips.

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Food is another way.

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Costs can spiral out of control on these weekends if you're not careful.

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But a little planning there can really go a long way too.

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A couple of things you might consider Firstly, bring your own food, pack your snacks, pack your breakfast items, pack your race fuel.

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Ahead of time might choose to either cook at the campsite or at the hotel you're staying at.

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If you're camping, bring yourself a portable stove for hotels.

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Look for a hotel that you know will have either a kitchenette or a fridge or maybe a microwave included in the room.

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That way you can bring food with you or buy food there to actually cook in the room without having to go out to eat, which is, generally speaking, going to be a more expensive option.

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And then you know, if you're like me, I like to plan a celebratory meal too for after the race.

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You can do that without overspending.

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For example, at a recent race pre-race, I pack those instant oatmeal packets for breakfast, which are easy.

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You just boil some water.

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Usually you can do that in the hotel room and add them in.

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You can pack some sandwiches for the lunch and I brought a couple of pre-made dinners which I could heat up at the hotel in the microwave in the hotel room.

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I still enjoyed a post-race plant-based burger at a local restaurant, but I didn't end up spending a fortune eating out at all that weekend and I was pretty pleased with that From a gear and race expense perspective.

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Where to save and where to splurge, there are some smart ways.

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You can borrow or rent gear.

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If you need a headlamp or trekking poles, usually you can reach out to friends, check rental options.

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You can check in with runner groups.

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They often have folks that might have an extra, or you may know some folks who you run with.

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Maybe they have an additional headlamp or poles.

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If you need poles but don't want to go buy them for a specific race and you don't think you're going to use them again afterwards, make sure you stick to the essentials.

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Focus on what you truly need for the race.

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Also, look out for sales.

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Look for those deals on shoes and clothing and gear.

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Well before race day, before my first 50 miler, I borrowed a friend's trekking poles instead of buying my own.

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They worked out pretty well and by the time I was ready to invest in my own, I knew exactly what I was looking for and I was able to find them used on eBay.

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The black carbon Z-poles.

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They're pretty good.

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I still have them.

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Actually, they're working out fantastic.

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But yeah, I bought them secondhand on eBay and they have been a terrific investment and I don't think they would have been any better or I would have used them anymore if I had bought them new.

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So I'm pretty pleased with that particular purchase.

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So, to recap, here are four key strategies that I'm going to suggest for budgeting your race weekends.

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You may have more.

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Number one choose accommodations that fit your needs and budget.

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Fit your needs and budget Camping for cost savings, hotels for comfort.

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Number two save on transportation by carpooling where you can, using race provided shuttles where you can, or booking flights early as needed.

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Number three plan your meals ahead of time in order to avoid overspending on food by going out to eat pre-race and after the race.

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And number four, be smart about your gear.

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Look to borrow, rent and prioritize essentials over one-time splurges.

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If you know you need something for a race and you don't have it, or you don't want to buy something new, find someone either before the race or even at the race in some cases, where they have shops set up that are going to sell items at the race location itself.

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You may be able to prioritize your essentials in order to not splurge.

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I'm sure there are others, but if these strategies resonate with you and you're ready to take the next step in your training journey, keep the conversation going.

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Do you have a favorite strategy when budgeting for your race logistics that hasn't been touched on here and you think others should know about or might benefit from?

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If so, join the conversation.

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Feel free to share in the comments or on any of the social media pages for the podcast.

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So until next time, run long, run strong, keep your budget and keep choosing to endure.

How to Save Money on Race Weekends: Travel, Lodging & Gear!

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