6 Ways To Save Money When Traveling to Run A Marathon

EOD_MarathonPicLast weekend my wife and I traveled about 4 hours north to Duluth, Minnesota so I could run a half marathon as part of the Grandma’s Marathon weekend. If you’ve ever traveled to another city to participate in a large running event, you know that the prices of many necessities are jacked sky high because they have a captive audience.

For example, hotel room prices double during marathon weekend in Duluth, and guests are required to stay (or at least pay for) two nights. Also, event parking prices go into effect for lots near marathon activities.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to bring down the price of participating in such an event. Here are six ways to save money when traveling for a major running event:

Share A Room

Hotel rooms are going to be expensive, but the cost can be cut in half by sharing a room with a friend that may also be participating in the same event.

Spaghetti Feed

Runners like to load up on carbohydrates the night before a race, therefore many major marathons offer an inexpensive spaghetti feed. Prices will vary, but in Duluth the price was $12 for adults, $6 for ages 5-12, and younger kids eat free. At those prices, it might be the least expensive meal to be found all of marathon weekend.

Hotel Happy Hours

Some hotels offer free happy hours that can help runners take the edge off their nerves before a race, or celebrate afterwards with an adult beverage. The hotel we stayed at offered a happy hour that wasn’t free, but was much less expensive than going out to a bar. They also offered free appetizers each night that actually served as a light meal.

Stay Near The Action

Last year my wife and I stayed nearly a mile from where the marathon weekend events took place. While we had easy access through a sky-way to events such as the health and fitness expo, concerts, and nearby restaurants and bars it took awhile to get there. This year, we paid almost exactly the same as we did last year, but stayed just a few blocks from all the action. The biggest positive was my wife could set up a bag chair right outside the hotel and watch me head to the nearby finish line. There was no reason to pay for event parking, or even drive anywhere. We parked our van when we arrived, and didn’t move it until we headed home.

Restaurant Specials

Call around, or ask the hotel if there are any restaurants having specials during the event. We found a great Italian restaurant that was having a 3 course meal for $13. We also got coupons from the hotel for several nearby restaurants saving us money on nearly every meal.

Runner Discounts

Many entertainment options will give a discount to runners. Always ask, as you may find discounts on anything from movie tickets, to tours of the area.

A weekend out of town for a running event can be expensive. But runners and their families can minimize costs, and still have a great time by utilizing these tips.

Are you a runner that has experienced the high cost of traveling out of town for a race? Do you have any other tips to save money?

About Travis

2 Responses to “6 Ways To Save Money When Traveling to Run A Marathon”

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  1. Money Beagle says:

    Good info. Even locally, a lot of these tips could save money especially on the eating side (if you don’t feel like cooking the day before you run)

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