What Would you Pay for a NYC Marathon Poncho?

http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/plan-your-race/baggage

Beginning in 2013, the NYC Marathon encouraged runners not to check baggage, by offering marathon finishers the following choice:

• Check a bag on race day that is transported to the finish area OR
• Forgo baggage check and receive a Marathon Finish Poncho upon exiting Central Park.

In 2013, the poncho option became somewhat of a joke, a ponchogate, if you will.  Bright orange ponchos were distributed to the finishers and, to the surprise of many, the program seemed to work well.  This year, there was a comparable option.  Since I rarely check baggage anyway, I opted for the no-baggage/poncho option.  After finishing the marathon, I had to walk quite a bit to get to my poncho, but I did receive it.  It was a lovely smurf blue and surprisingly well made and warm (it is fleece-lined).  It came in handy for the quick walk home (or the walk to the bar, in my case), but when would I wear this again?  And, where would I store it, as I live in New York City?

I happened to look on Ebay the following week, and saw everything being sold.  Medals, shirts, silly Dunkin Donut hats, and, yes, ponchos.  I have my shirt, my bib and my medal, but I really have no use or sentimental feeling for the poncho.

So, today, I listed the poncho on Ebay.  I set the start price as $26.99 and the “buy it now” price as $59.  Never in a million years did I think someone would just buy it for $59.  Only a few hours later, I heard a ca-ching sound on my iPhone.  Sure enough, someone bought the poncho, and paid for it, lock stock and barrel.  I was exhilarated, thinking that I’d defrayed some of the exorbitant $250 marathon entry fee and uncluttered my apartment at the same time.  And then I looked at Ebay again.  And there it was – the bidding war on a different NYC Marathon poncho was now up to over $80!  Is that insane, or what?