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Conwy Half Marathon
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I also had to make do with a 'medium' T Shirt as there we no small left, and i was just over 2 hours....totally unacceptable for the price paid, (trade descriptions act comes to mind) makes me wonder if there were any smalls available in the first place.
The organisation of this race seriously needs sorting out for next time. Had to queue for race no. at the start, queing because after ringing organiser he stated that my entry had been deleted, even though i had paid online.....no apology.
Found quite a few others queing for nos at start, they were told that royal mail had lost a lot of entries in the post............i dont think so!
I am now in communication with Stephen Daly of Conwy Council Highways Dept, which is the dept that will be responsible for granting an extention on entries (or not) to this compulsive liar for next years race.
Any complaints re this years race can be directed to him.........Street Works Engineer, Mr. Stephen Daly:
stephen.daly @ conwy.gov.uk
Chris York, I may be a slower runner, but I do not tolerate liars or bullies, that attempt to intimidate a female who is not as fast as the majority, & still a relatively new runner. You should be totally ashamed of yourself resorting to such pathetic lies.
Good on you BB
I think it was despicable what they did.
They should remember this IF IT WASN`T FOR THE MAJORITY OF NON-ELITE RUNNERS WHO WORK THEIR ASSES OFF THERE WOULD BE NO MONEY LEFT AFTER THEY HAD PAID THE PAMPERED MONEY GRABBING FRONT RUNNERS.
For those who are unhappy about the t-shirt issue, you could try sending an email to the organiser. I was contemplating giving Trading Standards a ring but decided to give him a chance to put things right first. I said I was unhappy at paying £5 extra to order a small tech t-shirt so I asked if it was possible to obtain a small one at this stage, or to get a refund of my £5. This was his response:-
"Thank you for your email, you should have had a small tech t shirt if paid for, the problem was that runners who had ordered their size decided on the day to swap the size, we had difficulty monitoring this as people were beginning to que in the cold so we had to just move people on as quickly as possible (this will be addressed for next year) I will be printing a few next week for those who missed out, please keep the one you have for a friend and I will send out a small to you, sorry for the mishap."
Personally, I think that's customer service at it's best - he's admitted the error, and resolved to put it right. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I think the key is to stay calm and polite - it seemed to work for me
As Chris York is now refusing to respond to any of my emails, then I shall request on here a full breakdown of accounts for this race, ie, how much went to expenses, how much to charity, & how much into Chris York's back pocket.
I have now received three messages saying this should be looked into. I shall of course be doing my own investigations into this at the highest level, but thought it would be funny to watch him tie himself in some more knots by asking him explain his accounts in public, because a compulsive liar might struggle with this. You see, to be a good liar, you need to have a good memory Chris, & you clearly have problems here, as you are already contradicting yourself big time.
To complain about any aspects of this race, or to oppose the proposal to extend entries, contact the people that issue the licence/permit - Welsh Athletics in Cardiff, Welsh Athletics Ltd, Cardiff International Sports Stadium, Leckwith Road , Cardiff , CF11 8AZ . I have been advised that the best person to speak to within Welsh Athletics is a Steve Brace.
Regulatory Services will look into failure to provide the correct size t-shirts, by contacting....
Jan Manley, Corporate Complaints Officer at Conwy Council.
jan. manley @ conwy.gov.uk
cwynio@ conwy.gov.uk
01492 576073
I shall take great delight in taking Chris York to the cleaners, then hanging him out to dry. And he thought I was just some stupid woman he could bully & intimidate, who would roll over & run away at his first offensive email response to me.
You are a liar & incredibly stupid Chris York, so as I am neither of these things, I have a massive advantage over you for a start.
I should have received an apology for having my bags abandoned, & he should have tried to sort me the correct sized t-shirt. (That I am entitled to having paid my entry fee)
All I got was a load of abuse, a complete pack of lies, & A BAN from all future races, for daring to complain.
So I have now requested a refund, which has also been ignored.
And just for PF, (at her patronising best as usual)........A copy of my first email to Chris York. Explain how this is impolite or aggressive in any way.
His response contained a pack of lies, & made NO MENTION AT ALL re my t-shirt complaint. He then came on here writing numerous lies about me, which I have responded to.
Chris York
Re baggage area abandonded before race was over & personal possessions dumped in road with no marshal minding them.
Hi
I've been away in Wales for 4 days, so this is the first opportunity I've had to contact you.
I loved the race & loved the medal & t-shirt. (Although only massive t-shirts left for me, when I ordered a medium)
But on finishing the race I went straight to the waggon where I left my bags, to find it abandoned, & no sign of my belongings. I wandered about & then found my bags, dumped in the road, unattended, for any member of the public to just take. Those bags contained my purse, with cards, & money for 4 days in Wales, my car keys, camera & phone. As well as a bag of gear I'd just bought from a trade stand. All just dumped in the road for anyone to take. I thought this was a bit out of order, but wasn't going to say anything. But when I got back to my car after prizegiving I realised that a small Tesco carrier bag I had in the top of my main bag, containing my phone wrapped in a pink fleece scarf, & some cerial bars, was missing. I left my bags neatly propped up in the waggon on the left side.
Would you please ask the marshal attending the waggon if my bag was found whilst he was hurling my belongings into the street. Could you also ask him why this area was abandoned before the race was finished. I was led to believe I was leaving my belongings in a secure waggon, not dumped in the middle of the road.
The scarf was a special present, & it means more to me to get it back than getting the phone back. Thanks
My advice was to those who were talking about contacting TS. I thought I was being helpful by suggesting they contact Chris first - I suspect that would be the advice from TS anyway so I was just saving them a job. I don't think I've suggested anywhere that your email was impolite or aggressive - I was merely passing on the recommendations seen on "how to complain" websites. Apologies to all who found that patronising - it wasn't meant to be.
I notice you said your "first" email to Chris - I can't help wondering if the rest got more aggressive, given the contents of some of your posts on here. Maybe Chris will post some extracts later...
Where does it say this race was for charity? I can't find any mention of that in the paperwork I received. I thought it was a commercial thing organised by Supply Print, but I could be wrong - I just can't seem to find any other info.
I think this race is simply an event like the 1000's of other organised around the country. As a race organiser myself I can honestly say we do not do it to make money! Believe me the cost of putting on such an event at a local level means that you generally just break even each year.
Like others on this thread I love this event and though there are issues which need sorting I feel given the chance this half could become one of the "must do" events. I have spoken to Chris at the event both this year and the previous year and I really really can't see him as some bullying intimidating money grabbing mercenary. But then that is just my opinion and I didn't have your experience on the day.
Somehow found my way onto this thread, and WOW, the accusations! This one almost rivals the Blackpool marathon thread a while back over a short course.
I particularly enjoy the complete slandering of the organiser, who is a "liar", and "thick", casting aspersions over his whole operation, really quality material.
Some might argue that it isn't exactly Intelligent to slander people and slate people who until then were sympathetic.
I'm off now before I get my angry response.
Remember the code of conduct folks
Please don´t:
Swear. It can be offensive and it can also mean that some members can´t use the site from work. If you really must use swear words please use asterisks.Be abusive or make personal attacks. If you wouldn´t say something to someone´s face then it doesn´t belong on the forum.Poorly Feet, I've taken enough abuse on this forum from keyboard warriors for a lifetime
No need to get on BB's back , she is very annoyed and is fighting back . Perhaps she has gone a bit OTT but don't we all sometime .
Hope you can move on soon BB and put it down to a bad experience . I'm sure no race goes off without some mishap .
Chris , I had a good day out , I'm sure you will take the critisism on board in good faith . Be a man and please apologise to BB and we can all enjoy further good days together . Cheers .
Very magnanimous of you kevin
Hopefully we can all move on
Personally i wouldnt have left my mobile and wallet in the baggage store, i would carry them on me if i really had to, the baggage stores are at your own risk. However you would not expect the baggage van to have left before the last runners have come in and the left luggage dumped!
It is only the 2nd year of this event, hopefully it will be improved for next year, you live and learn as they say.
Yes, but how many of us turn on our fellow forumites?
I've just found the original flyer advertising this race and there is absolutely no mention of any of the proceeds going to charity. So the insinuation that Chris was stealing funds "how much into Chris York's back pocket." may well warrant an apology in the opposite direction.
And I'm very grateful for the inclusion of contact details because I've just forwarded the email that Chris sent me to Jan Manley, Stephen Daly and Steve Brace. Well someone's got to stick up for him!
To leave all of those valubles in the baggage wagon was madness, especially with a car parked in Conwy!
Surely the car would have been a safer place to leave the items. I think had this happened to me I would be blaming myself and not everyone else!
My complaint re Chris York is now being dealt with by Paul Banholzer at Conwy Council, Paul.Banholzer @ conwy.gov.uk
And Matt Newman at Welsh Athletics, matt.newman @ welshathletics.org
Any complaints re the errors in processing entries, wrong t-shirts, or anything else can be directed to these people. I am also opposing the plans to extend the race to take more entries. I feel this shouldn't go ahead until the organiser can run a successful race with entries at the current limit, & not until he learns some MANNERS & RESPECT.
I have received no satisfactory response from York, who is now refusing to answer any email. He has refused to look for my missing belongings, told nothing but lies re the abandoning of the secure baggage waggon, & refuses to comment on why I didn't receive the t-shirt I ordered.
I politely complain & ask him to look for my phone, & all I get is a pack of lies & a lifetime ban. Call this good customer service??
From York...............
Dont try to enter our event again, we dont need this type of hassle it is hard enough as it is.
Do not email again as you will not get a reply.
I have received 3 PM's on here about some money for the Lifeboats charity going missing last year. This is being dealt with by the council.
I am not complaining things were taken out of my bag from a secure bagagge area. Things are left there at the owners risk. My complaint is that they were dumped in the street, unattended, before the race deadline, showing total disrespect for slower runners. I don't believe my phone would ever have gone missing if my bags had been left on the waggon.
Most of you are just pathetic bullies too. So off you go & write 20 more posts telling me what a loser I am for being so slow I don't deserve my belongings to still be on the waggon or receive a race t-shirt.
Practically every single time I do a race, something goes wrong, due to the lack of respect for slower runners. Usually there are no t-shirts or medals left, or my time hasn't been taken, or the organisers have left, & there's no finish line. I race every weekend, & I'm sick to the back teeth of there ALWAYS being an issue for the people at the back of a race, & nothing but abuse when you complain. I honestly feel like giving up this sport, not just because of the organisers that don't care about slower runners, but because of the elitist snobby attitude of faster runners WHO JUST DON'T CARE about anyone but themselves.
PF, I'm surprised you managed to stay sober enough to email anyone. Your late night drunken non-sensical ramblings for 6 months on the Freckleton thread was highly embarrassing for all of us.
I might be slow, but at least I'm not a drunk.
See, bullying isn't nice, is it??