To Join or Not to Join -- That is the Question!

I was really excited to go to an informational mtg today for a new training group that my LSS is sponsoring. I was interested in joining a group to:

• meet new people who have a common interest, maybe even make a few new friends,
• find someone of like fitness level who can really push me,
• get some good info/training that is specific to my needs and goals, and
• just have someone to chat with on those long runs!

Well, after the info session, I'm not sure if this is the right training group for me. Here are the details:

• Cost: $100. This covers the race fee, but originally, I thought the race would be something like $50 or more in which case I'm really just paying $50 for the coaching, training, group runs, store discount, etc. But then I found out that the race fee is $30 for the half mary (CHEAP!). So now I look at it as $70 for all that stuff. Hmmmm... I have no problem swinging that, as long as I feel it's worth it.
• I'm afraid the group will be small. Only 7-10 people at the info session. And there was no one around my age! (Now that's not a requirement on my "Want to Be My Friend?" application, but it's always a plus!)
• My biggest concern: I picked up the most involved of the three training programs, but I am worried that even that one is a little more conservative than I would like. For example, for the first week, the long run is just 35 minutes. Uhh....I just did 9 miles this morning. Their plan doesn't even get to 9 miles until week 10 of the 13 week program! Secondly, the longest run of the entire program is 12 miles. I would like to do at least 14-15 a few times. The girl there said that the program can surely be adjusted, but it seems like I would be adjusting it a lot! And if that is the case, will I just be running by myself? Kind of defeats a few of the reasons I wanted to join the group in the first place.

So anyway, I have until Wednesday to decide. It would be fun if there were people who I could run and train with, but if I'm by myself, I don't need to pay $100 for that! I do that for free already! Oh well. Needless to say I am kind of disappointed, but maybe I'll decide to do it anyhow. Maybe as I think more about it, I'll find a good reason to join that maybe I didn't consider before. What do you think?