I was among the crowd kicking off the 2008 Nite Moves season on Wednesday, April 30. I also ran the Mother’s Day 10K at Goleta Beach this morning.

These two races reminded me of what I like best about racing in Santa Barbara:

• Ocean views
• Seeing and running with my friends
• Professional timing crew
• Helpful volunteers
• Good after parties

Thanks to the folks who orgazanize these things, the runners who show up and give them a reason to do it again another year, and the sponsors who provide the all-important free stuff.

But I have one concern: cost. Does anyone else feel like race prices are creeping up a bit too high? Can someone comment on how our race prices compare to those in similarly-sized towns? Or maybe someone can tell me where the costs are increasing for race organizers — is it the permits and security? Are turnouts lower? Are the top runners getting big cash prizes I don’t know about?

One of the reasons I like running is because of its accessibility. Sure, you can buy a bunch of fancy gear, but you pretty much just need shoes (not always!), some clothes to sweat in and, in Santa Barbara, sunblock. A lot of people may be missing out on the fun of a community running event because of the entry fee.

So now, a shameless plug for one of out low-cost races: Vicki’s 3,000 on June 7. Race fee is an $8 donation, and the profits go to Special Olympics Santa Barbara.

But back to the races. I haven’t raced in awhile, and I proved I’m still a mid-pack runner. I finished 50th out of 101 runners with a 51:26 10K today. On Wednesday, I ran a 23:32 5k. Lots of room for improvement!

Thanks to Kevin Young for the photo. It’s a good reminder that I should work on my form!

Your response: