What do you want in a race?

A few months ago Jamoosh (Last Mile Lounge) and Miss Zippy each posted some interesting questions around the topic:

"What do you want in a race?"

1. Do you prefer a lower race fee/fewer frills or are you willing to pay extra for a nice premium?

Lower fee with less bells and whistles is the way to go. I prefer to race early and often.

2. At the finish line, do you want something simple like bagels and bananas, or do you want goodies like beer, pizza, and desserts?

As long as there are orange slices and water, I'm a happy camper. If there is beer, too, even better. But orange slices are my only must-have. I do enjoy a good post-race party, but I'm there to run. I can go out to brunch later.

Orange slices are the way to this runner's post-race heart.

3. Is a finisher’s medal important to you or do you think they should be reserved only for those who place?

I do keep my bibs from all races, but the only medals I've ever kept are medals earned by placing (either AG or O'all). The rest go to Medals for Mettle.
I don't have any moral objection to races handing out medals to all finishers, I just don't have any particular attachment to finisher's medals. (...except that one from the Gulf Shores half. That medal is really a beer bottle opener. I'll probably keep that one.)

I'm wearing the medal post-race,
but I won't be keeping it...

4. Do you prefer a big race with a high cap on participants or something a bit more intimate?

I used to think I didn't care... Then I spent a year running 150-400 person races. I'm hooked on the small stuff now.

5. Expo or no expo?

No Expo! I really dislike it when the packet pickup procedure forces participants to weave through the expo vendor booths. It's like we're being herded like consumer cattle. I almost never buy anything at an expo and just find the whole thing a total waste of time. (This might explain part of #4 above.)

So I guess I've become a small-town (runner) girl?

What are your answers?