SEATTLE-- In a world of $100 entry fees and thousands of dollars in corporate sponsorships, Steve Barrick does the unthinkable: He puts on a free marathon.

It doesn’t cost a dime to enter the Green River Marathon, which takes place Saturday and traverses a 26.2-mile route from Kent to Seattle’s Alki beach.

It’s the real deal. The course is certified by USTAF, which means it’s approved as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Barrick believes it’s the only free Boston Marathon qualifier in the world.

Many of the 200 people signed up to run Saturday have chosen the Green River Marathon because it’s free and they’re on a budget, Barrick said via e-mail.

By contrast, about 25,000 have signed up to run the inaugural Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon June 27, which cost as much as $115 to enter, depending on when people registered.  It's sold out, and now people are offering as much as $200 on Craigslist for a race number.

Winners of the Green River Marathon, which is timed the old-fashioned way, with a stopwatch, won’t be awarded prize money. Finishers won’t get commemorative medals. Anyone can buy Green River Marathon technical t-shirt, which are sold at cost: $12.

The race is now in its 13th year. Barrick said he couldn’t organize it without the help of volunteers. He spends some of his own money, too, though he wouldn’t say how much.

Still, he intends to keep the Green River Marathon free.

You can sign up for the race right up until start time Saturday morning, but signing up in advance makes it easier for Barrick to have enough supplies ready.

How much have you paid to enter an athletic event? Do you think they’ve gotten too expensive? Tell us about it in the comments section.