Judging by the forum posts I'm looking at runners are very serious about this and I don't feel like being subjected to smug ire from classist elitist assholes. The course in question is 95% public sidewalks and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $75 for a t-shirt, a number, and some snacks (in other words I don't intend to partake in any of them) and I don't even care about placing.
Maybe if I email the organizers and beg they'll give me a fake number so I don't get bullied or something I don't know. Has anyone done this before?
Edit: Thanks everyone you've been very helpful <3 I'm going to email the organizers and try to get a deal and if that doesn't work I'm going to just go for it. Maybe throw in $5 if theres a donation.
I've run races before with the number underneath my shirt because it was cold so they probably wouldn't notice if you didn't have any number unless it's a really official race.