The classic fails of online race entries
© ASOSigning up for a race is easy. Well... in theory. In practice, things can quickly turn into a farce. One too-quick click, one unchecked box, a website in Dutch and suddenly you’re registered for the Reykjavik Marathon in an XXL T-shirt, when all you wanted was a relaxed 10K around your neighborhood. Yes, online entries can deliver more twists than a half marathon in the rain.
✓ So we’ve put together a top 10 of the most common, and slightly embarrassing, race-entry fails. Has one of these stories happened to you already? Stay sharp for your next registration.
Wrong date
2024 was so good there was no way you weren’t coming back in 2025. Except the date isn’t quite the same as last year’s. Without paying too much attention, your 2025 entry is confirmed, but there’s a problem: this year, the race falls on your best mate’s wedding day. And you’re a groomsman. Only one solution: run with the bouquet.
The wrong T-shirt size
You can’t work out whether the T-shirts are unisex or not. When in doubt, M should do the trick. Once you’ve crossed the finish line, months after selecting that little box, the issue comes back to you. You ask for a medium and are told there are only men’s T-shirts left, and they run pretty large. Perfect... a brand-new nightshirt.
The wrong distance
What a great event: a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, a marathon... something for every pair of legs! You were aiming for the half, obviously. But caught up in the excitement, or thanks to that cursed drop-down menu, you’ve entered the marathon instead. And you don’t notice until three weeks out.
The problem: you trained for 21 km. Not 42. The normal reaction? Sulk. Cry. Swear at your computer. Then tell yourself: “Come on, with some energy gels, a good playlist and a titanium mindset... I can get through it.” Maybe.
Mixing up “Last Name” and “First Name”
The website is in English, with its famous “Name” and “Last Name” fields that confuse everyone. You mix everything up, click submit... and just like that, you’re registered. But when you pick up your race bib, surprise: you also ticked the “nickname” box, thinking it was just a comment field, and entered “1rst 42K”. The result? Instead of being cheered on by your first name, everyone will know it’s your first marathon. May the Force be with you!
The website is in a foreign language
You don’t speak Dutch, but you click on anyway. You fill everything in by instinct, like you’re playing an escape game. You think you selected “size S T-shirt”, but you’ve actually confirmed “non-alcoholic beer option plus donation to the Amsterdam Duck Association”. Bravo.
Forgetting to confirm
Everything was ready. Bank details, T-shirt size, consent to sell your soul to the sponsor... except you forgot the final tap in your banking app. Result: no entry. And you don’t realize it until the day before, wondering why you never received an email. Your brain needs a warm-up too.
That cursed PPS
Your entry is only valid and complete once the Parcours de Prévention Santé document, or PPS, has been uploaded. You don’t have time to deal with it, the website is glitching... Never mind, completing the entry can wait. Cursed PPS.
A typo
You’re so excited and in such a hurry to register that you fly across the keyboard, and the typo slips through unnoticed. It’s only when the confirmation email arrives that you realize two letters have been swapped. The result:
Your first name becomes “Palu” instead of Paul, your surname turns into “Mongole” instead of Mangale... Well then... never mind. Nobody recognizes you, not even yourself. And never mind if the announcer introduces you as a Tibetan trail runner.
The wrong event
Your friends are talking about a fun, fancy-dress marathon with great aid stations and drinks. The Marathon du Médoc is four months away, so it must be that one. After all, there can’t be thousands of marathons matching that description. Well, no. Actually, yes... No, it’s not the Marathon du Médoc. There are loads of races like that. Marathon du Beaujolais, Marathon de la Bière... Too bad it’s not the right race, but it should be fun!
The never-ending waiting list
It was in your calendar, too: ready for entries to open and logged in on time. Everything was lined up to register the moment entries opened, but... the race was a victim of its own success. Despite all that preparation, the race bibs were gone within minutes. No luck: waiting list number 207, even though you were on the website at 9:02 a.m. Be patient, it’ll be fine.
Come on, admit it: at least one of these registration nightmares has happened to you. If not... stay alert next time you sign up!
So yes, there are plenty of things that can go wrong when you register, but it always ends well. Once you’ve bought your race bib, it’s time to train and race: the best parts.