Went to the Chicago Marathon this past weekend to watch my niece run. 45,000 freaking runners!
What struck me is that runners are more vain than bodybuilders, lol. They will do anything for their moment of glory. You had to line up between 6 -7:00AM before the race to get your starting spot, and it was 39 degrees out. The race for the average runners went off between 8-9 depending on their group. So they stood around at least an hour freezing to death. Most people wore clothes that they left on the ground just before they started.
The entry fee was about $140, the hotels were at least $300 a night (and a lot more), nearly half the field seemed to be wearing Nike Zoom Vapor Fly shoes ($200-300 a pair) and at the Expo the day before people were buying Chicago Marathon gear at ridiculous prices ($95 for a hoodie??). All that to get a $5 medal and a printed mylar "blanket" at the finish.
We make fun of the IG physique guys on here or mock the pageant called a bodybuilding contest, but that pales in comparison to your typical marathoner. I can't remember how many times I saw runners pull out their phones, while running, to take selfies. Or seeing full size photos of the runner's faces held up by adoring fans on poles. Or witnessing post race photo sessions that looked like model shoots, haha.
So many runners would fall into the "marginal runner" category. I mean looking like they could barely make it a mile, not 26. I saw people walking the course at mile 1 so that tips you off about their condition. I am cool with the desire to achieve physical goals like this but maybe you should build up first.
The next day, while on the Chicago Riverwalk, there were hundreds of runners wearing their "Finisher" medals while gracing the pier with their presence. Imagine a bodybuilder doing that...
It was fun to watch but I won't ever go to another marathon again (try finding a face in 10,000 people running by, while people are screaming wildly). I am definitely considering coming up with products to sell in this market though. People seem to pay anything for that "special" edge. Biofreeze for example is a big player these days, selling essentially a spray version of 10.5% menthol for $17.99- and it's one of the cheapest natural products you can find. But their marketing program is top notch so there you go. Kinda like selling special protein powder
You can make lots of money off of ego.
