Taunton Marathon & Half Marathon
Taunton, United Kingdom
April 3, 2022
The national downward trend in entry numbers over the last couple of years means Taunton Carnival Committee, as organisers, need to take a really serious look at all of our costs and income. In 2019 we had just under 1300 entries. In 2020 820 had signed up by early March when we had to cancel due to Covid. This year entries fell again to 770. The 10k we hold each September has suffered similarly, although the risk here is lower and more manageable.
The vast bulk of our income is from the fees runners pay to take part, so the drop in numbers has a significant effect on the bank balance. We are of course extremely grateful to our longterm sponsors and supporters, without whom it would not have been possible to put on the events.
Several of the race infrastructure costs are not related to the number of entries. Items such as medals have to be ordered well in advance so we have to make an educated guesstimate on quantities. Like everyone involved in event organising we see the costs around transport, fuel, equipment hire and support services rising alarmingly. This is largely due to the global inflationary situation and the war in Ukraine. We also recognise that we cannot simply just pass the increases on to potential participants. The same inflationary and reduced income pressures affect us all.