NEW YORK, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Entrants for major marathons such as the New York City Marathon in November are outpacing race capacity, and some runners are looking online to gain a slot.
Limited race venues are causing some runners to pay hundreds of dollars for a chance to complete the 26.2 miles, The New York Times said Saturday. Some of the prohibited means of joining the race include using counterfeit bibs -- the paper numbers runners wear -- or buying bib for a premium price online.
Race organizers, while frustrated, say there is little they can do. Organizers for the New York City and the Chicago marathons said that while counterfeit bibs are a problem, they aren't a priority, the Times said. However, online selling is.
For example, a New York City Marathon bib was offered on eBay in August for $750 with a "buy it now" option of $1,000, the newspaper said. A Chicago Marathon bib drew a bid of $162 on eBay. Compare that to the standard entry fee for the New York City Marathon of $80 for members of the New York Road Runners Club and $107 for non-members plus a $9 non-refundable processing fee. The Chicago race's fee is $90.
