Copy-cat events

On Monday I had the most lovely lunch with a dear friend and she told me about a new series of night runs on Jo'burg golf courses.

"But that's what Heidi and Stephan have been doing for the past few years," I exclaim.

The Kinetic Night Trail Runs are held on Wednesday nights - the first Wednesday of the month. Course distances are 4km or 8km and they use a barcode timing system. Their entry fee is R70 pre-entry or R100 on the night. Prizes for a variety of entry categories are Trappers vouchers to the value of R300, R200 and R100.

This other bunch, fitCAL, had an event in May and there's another in June (I don't know which other months they've had - and will have - events but I assume they're monthly). Monday nights, it seems. Their distances are 5km and 10km. Certainly double-lappers too, like the Kinetic runs. Pre-entry is R100, late entry is R150 and on the night is R200. Timing is ChampionChip so if you don't have  one you have to buy one. Their prize money is cash, and a lot of it. 10km: 1st: R2000, 2nd: R1000, 3rd: R500 5km 1st: R1000, 2nd: R500, 3rd: R250.

Considering that upwards of 600 people participate (or even many more!) and only six people receive the prizes, prizes are of little relevance to me.

When there are so many creative things that can be done with events, I don't see why fitCal chose to do what someone else has been doing already for years. But, there you have it.

Imitation is, supposedly, the sincerest form of flattery. I just think it is lazy.