Post Race Party

Favorite race - kicks off the summer, can\'t get better then that!

- by lpretre on 07/18 08:24:50/2009

I have run the SL5 every year since 2004, but I fear this year was probably my last due to the ever-increasing race fees. For the Spring Lake 5, race fees have increased as follows:

• 2009: race fee $35, online registration $2.50. Total = $37.50. % increase over last year = 14%. (Heck of a time to stick runners with a double-digit increase.)
• 2006 - 2008: race fee $30, online registration $2.50. Total = $32.50. % increase over 2005 = 20%.
• 2005 and prior: race fee $25

As you can see, the fee has been increased twice since 2006, and in the past four years, the fee has increased by FORTY percent. Sadly, since the race sells out every year almost immediately, there is zero incentive for the race committee to hold the line on race fees.

If the fee plus online registration reaches $40 for 2010, I am going to have to bow out of SL5. However, I may still say YES to the post-race party, which is ALWAYS a great time at Bar A!!!

- by Laura_in_NJ on 06/22 19:33:05/2009

Very nice, but crowded. Security people took their jobs very seriously. Too many walkers.... I mean come on, you can walk 5 miles any day. Bananas too green. Still not enough port o johns. And people with all the kids should have been considerate to runners and taken their kids to the bathroom AFTER the race started.

- by cuttinggirl on 05/28 07:14:07/2009

The 2009 SL5 had perfect weather this year. Sunny and not too hot. The race is super organized, which is important for such a huge race and everything moves along smoothly. There is plenty of water on the course from and lots of cheering bystanders and kids. a long spread of water and food after the race, and the party/bbq at Bar A is always super fun. The only real problem is that there are many people who ONLY do this event, and walk most of it. The walkers do not understand that as a runner, you do not want to be behind them at the start. It would help perhaps to have a divider so all runners on the left and walkers on right. Getting them to go to the back seems near impossible, but if someone after a mile decides to walk they could just move to s specified side and leave room for the runners to pass on by. our first mile was 14 minutes! not a race to do for time. Luckily, they started chip timing this year so the 2 minutes to get to the start will be reduced.. but be warned, you do not really start running until mile 2. Regardless, an awesome start to the summer season. NOTE - get there before 8 am. Parking becomes a bear after that. My friend made it in time for the start (as the anthem was finishing up), after adding a half mile run to the race.

- by beckster on 05/23 11:38:17/2009

Fun race... don\'t do this one for time, do it for the fun and post race party. very crowded and a lot of fun.

- by Galoot on 04/20 14:46:23/2009

Agree with Phin. Easy AND fun race! It is also a yearly tradition at the Jersey shore to get summer started. It sells out fast too. The races is a bit crowded at the start, and often hard to find parking unless you get there early. When they say they will close off the streets a half hour before, they mean it. Unless you want to add a mile to your run, get there early.

- by beckster on 04/10 07:23:39/2009

My fav race for sure. It kicks off the summer, the run starts and end by the beach, free burgers at Bar A afterwards... what\'s not to like! I rated 1 on difficulty because it is not difficult - it is a flat run around the town of Spring Lake.

- by Phin on 03/16 14:48:10/2009