5 Tips To Reduce Relay Expenses

by Teri Smith
www.RunningRelays.com

Relays can be expensive propositions.  Overnight travel, van rentals, food, lodging and other race entries all contribute to the cost of participating in a relay.  While you cannot completely eliminate expenses, there are a few tricks you can use to reduce the overhead required to get you to the finish line.

1. Register early.
If you know that you are going to be able to put together a team months in advance, registering early can save you significant money.  With the exception of the relays like Hood to Coast and Market to Market, which sell out on opening day, most relays offer early bird discounts to get you signed up.  You’ll save between $100 and $200 in most cases, though some races that are just establishing themselves will give you an even greater discount if you commit early.

2. Get creative with your transportation.
Most people think of full size, 15 passenger vans when they think of transporting their team along the relay course.  While the large vans are nice and roomy, they are also expensive, both in terms of rental and in gas.  Consider a larger minivan (the Dodge Grand Caravan is a great one) and then borrow a rooftop carrier for gear.  If you have a handy person in your life, you can even build a gear shelf out of plywood to further maximize storage.  Not only are minivans less expensive to rent, they use far less gas.  A pickup truck with a crew cab can also work very well, especially if it has a canopy.  We store gear in the back along with a couple of cots for sleeping at the major exchanges.  Don’t be shy about asking friends and family if you can borrow their vehicle; many people are happy to help out.

3. Think as a team for food.
When each person has to purchase their own food for the race, expenses can soar.  You’ll also end up with far more food than you can possibly use.  We collaborate as a team and have purchased food as a group, thus sharing expenses.  We use a 5 gallon water cooler for our water, with each person bringing a water bottle (and any electrolyte solution they might prefer, if that’s how they roll).  We also prepare a group hot meal for the major exchange and bring along a backpacking stove to heat it up.  Rather than having to shell out for a restaurant meal, we have a nice, hot meal waiting for us that costs very little to prepare.  Lasagna, salad and bread has been a very popular and easy solution for us.

4. Get cozy at the finish.
Part of the appeal of relays can be the finish line party and spending time with the team.  The race may end far from home, and you need a place to sleep for the night.  We have had luck both with finding a hotel suite that could sleep our entire team for the night (all over the place, granted, but at least it was inside) and with renting a yurt at the local campground.  If the race ends at a local vacation destination, check to see if anyone has friends or family with a vacation home in the area.  I have even spent the night in the van after the race; it’s not ideal, but it does save money.

5. Be thrifty with the team uniforms.
Of course, if you really want to keep expenses low, you’ll do away with uniforms and van decorations all together.  But if you still want to have a little style and fun without breaking the bank, you can get creative with the blingy side of relays.  Instead of having completely matching uniforms, pick a color and tell everyone to bring a shirt in that color.  Pick up inexpensive knee high socks at the dollar store or on sale at Target.  Use household items to decorate the van – I am sure there is a theme to be created with used toilet paper roll holders…  The Seasoned Soles used old tennis shoes to create a fun little theme:

The key is to get creative with what you have and make it work.  Great team themes don’t have to be expensive.

While none of these ideas are a magic bullet, they will help you reduce your overhead so that your relay isn’t a bank-breaking proposition.  Happy relaying!

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Teri Smith is a relay fanatic and lives in Portland Oregon. She has taken her love of relays and built a wonderful website - www.RunningRelays.com - that is full of information to assist captains organizing teams and to help all get the most out of their relay experience.