Starting tickets for the Eindhoven marathon are being resold for high prices. Although the official registrations were already fully sold out in May, they are now going on Marktplaats well above the original asking price under the digital hammer. According to sports psychologist Erik van Haaren, the popularity of the marathon is not so strange: “It gives a goal in your life.”
Within one day, all the starting tickets for the 41st edition of the ASML Marathon in Eindhoven flew over the counter in May, according to the organization itself a record. Runners who are determined to run a round through Eindhoven during the event in October are therefore now deep in the pouch to get a starting number via Marktplaats.
The bids to be allowed to participate in the entire marathon are already at 155 euros on the sales site, compared to the original asking price of 110 euros. But anyone who wants to participate in the Half Marathon must already break their piggy bank. Those who want to run that distance must take into account amounts that amount to 200 euros, while the original price was 55 euros.
The fact that runners are willing to put a lot of money to be allowed to participate can be explained, says sports psychologist Erik van Haaren. “It gives you a certain goal in life,” he says. “If you want to go for that goal and want to run a marathon in Brabant, you will soon end up at the Marathon in Eindhoven.”
According to Van Haaren, the running sport has been on the rise in recent years. “It is also a reasonably accessible sport,” he explains that popularity in part. “The only thing you need is time and all you have to put on are your running shoes.”
“You get more confidence and if you walk it out a very blissful feeling.”
But according to him, the aspect of challenging yourself in particular plays a major role in the popularity of sport. “If you run a marathon, you often think:” Why did I do this again? ” But as soon as you walk it out, you get a very blissful feeling, “says the sports psychologist. “You get more confidence and you feel that you are overcoming yourself. That is an important motive.”
“I see in my work that top athletes want to get the most out of themselves. It’s not just about prices, but that actually applies to all athletes,” he explains. “Not only the marathon is partly because of that, but also sporting events such as the triathlon and the Hyrox (ed. A globally popular fitness competition). These are all large sporting ambitions that are often still within the reach of amateur athletes.” He laughs: “It is just like taking a tattoo. You think about it for a long time, but once you have one, you want more.”
“Social media such as Instagram, Tiktok and Strava also play a major role.”
But not only the euphoric feeling of being in charge suddenly makes running popular. “Social media such as Instagram, Tiktok and Strava also play a major role,” Van Haaren notes. “If you see it a lot, it can be inspiring. Suppose you see a classmate of primary school who runs out a marathon, then you think: yes, but I was just as sporty during the gym, I can do that too.” “
According to the psychologist, there is also a larger goal behind participating in a debilitating sporting event, such as a marathon. He calls it coming back after an injury or in the case of an event like the Alpe d’HuZes the often emotional motives: “Then you link that motivation to a greater goal.” But according to him, the most important thing remains ‘the motivation to get everything out of yourself’. And yes, for that, some running fanatics want to bid (large) for a starting ticket.
