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Wokingham half marathon cancelled
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Comments
Pudge, Millsy, Carter +1
Dachs +1 again.
They are likely to have had to pay for medals, t-shirts, timing, road closures (council fees and traffic management) already and won't get a refund. Yes, they could get insurance in order to offer athletes a refund but that insurance is very, very expensive and, no doubt, the athletes would moan if the race entry fee went up.
Race organisers don't organise a race with a view to cancelling it and club races rarely make much of a profit, often it's on a knife edge to making a loss. I think that we are losing too many of the lovely club races to the big outfits who charge significantly higher fees. Wokingham is a lovely race and I continue to applaud their excellent organisation. I hope that offering to carry entries over to next year doesn't have a detrimental effect on them.
SS you really need to take your head out of your backside. I can't see how the organisers could have done anything else and to transfer everyone to next year will see them take a big hit.
Have you ever worked on organising a race? Most of the people working on these types of races do it for free, or very little pay compared to the effort required. It's really hard work and, while most competitors are great and appreciative, there are some idiots that make life really tough. I am talking from experience. Also, I've done Wokingham a number of times and am always impressed by the race and organisation, especially given the relative low cost of the event.
its unfortunate but unavoidable. many of us lost money on gloucester marathon and got nothing back so at least the wokingham people have done the right thing. I would rather not risk injury running or swimming on a flooded course. Time to move on
Ha.
When I read Shin Splints' post, I assumed it was a one off rant. Didn't expect him to repeat it when he'd had time to calm down!
Isnt that the idea of a forum, you can put your opinions forward. I didnt realise it was here for throwing personal insults about, just because you might disagree with someone.
Cant see where i have asked for payment of my hotel, travel or anything (my choice) except questioning that they should get the keep the entrance fees whilst not providing anything.
Hey ho, careful you dont suffer acrophobia up there on your moral high ground chaps.
Are you getting a free entry for 2015?
The idea of a forum is indeed for general communication and discussion. I read your initial your rant and the insults you gave to the organisers... and raised my eyebrows, having seen this sort of thing before. Usually people calm down, realise that maybe they've just been mega-frustrated by their bad luck and settle down a bit. You didn't, and that was the simple point I personally made..
There's a certain contradiction in the way you slag off those organisers (who the rest of us seem to think to have acted professionally)... hurling some quite big insults their way - but you're not happy to accept criticism when it comes back your way. As you say... Hey Ho.
SS - don't agree with you about the cancellation but fair play you are entitled to your opinion. One thing to note about the forum is that the biggest idiots are marked with a 'pirate' flag. If they disagree with you they quickly swoop with child like insults.
Meow!
Do you not think you're stooping to the level of a pirate though, by calling us 'idiots'? I'd say that's quite a child like insult.
Nothing like a sweeping and clearly incorrect assumption is there?
I think a lot of you are missing the point here.
The road is undoubtedly flooded and could not have been run through, although the council refer to it as a few puddles.
If you are the organisers and you have paid for info booklets to be sent out, chips, shirts goody bags etc. these are all costs which are lost and worst still you will have to repeat them next year. If you give a free entry and everyone takes you up on it you effectively have 2 lots of costs and one lot of income. Not good.
So why not give people a choice? We can run 3 x 4 mile loops, its not measured but you get the chance to race, you can cancel and have your money back or even choose to donate it or you can have a free entry for next year.
They have made the worst choice possible. They had no plan B and given that this is not their first cancellation its inexcusable. Hence the idiots comment.
Anyway move along....
So, essentially, you are arguing that anyone organising a race should actually organise two completely separate races on different courses in case one is cancelled due to exceptional weather conditions?
SS, feel free to volunteer your services to the Wokey organizers including for the massive amount of on-the-day admin you're expecting them to take on. For £20 a head.
Seriously, who'd be a race director?
Re-read the post, where does it say two different courses?
I dont know the course or which bit was flooded, i dont live there. You cant tell me that there wasnt a 2 mile stretch that wasnt flooded. Worst case, two miles out round the bollard back - rinse and repeat 3 times!
This isnt ice, and you can run in the rain.
Ive said my bit, ill leave you to it.
SS - With a larger number of runners and supporters condensed into a smaller space surely that increases the risk of everyone's safety ? It would also have been to difficult to organise drinks stations, marshals, toilets etc as well. How can you have a plan B if you don't know in advance which part of the course will be flooded ? But you're right, you have been inconvenienced so the organizers should be flogged for not taking you into account. Do you not yet see that you are the only person kicking up a fuss whereas others who have missed the race have just accepted it and got on with it. So I guess it's you that is missing the point here....
I also reiterate, there was a plan B, which I believe was devised midweek and subsequently also flooded. There are only so many options available to them and as other forumites have noted, it's not a simple as a 2 mile out and back.
im with shin splints here - we have had rain but no flooding near me. the race organisors didnt have a plan to move the race to the staffordshire moorlands in the final hours. sure its a few hundred miles away but you would have had a race. talk about short sightedness.
That could have worked, I'm sure SS could have got everyone in his car
There was the other small problem of the car park they were going to use at the school was under 2 foot of water, as was the start line - but I'm sure all 2000 athletes would not have minded running up and down a 1.5 mile out and back with wet feet.
If they'd thought about it, they could have covered the course with umbrellas - like those big ones you get in pubs - would have worked a treat!
I've just watched the news and it's the first time I've seen actual footage of the areas affected and I have to say I didn't realise the seriousness of the situation. Shin Splints - you ought to be ashamed of yourself for moaning as you are about the cancellation of a race. Those poor people in that and surrounding areas are likely to be under water for many weeks or months to come. Shame on you
Dear oh dear. Another contender for Prat of the Thread award.
Thanks for proving the sad pack mentality point for me Bedders. O sorry am I meant to call you a name or something............you dummy.
Race organisation has never been (and will never be) a risk-free enterprise. That's why Event Cancellation Insurance exists, to cover cases such as this and to ensure that organisers are not left out of pocket.
The (no) refund policy applies when the participant wants to cancel the contract, not when the organiser does.
Terms that attempt to override the laws of contract would probably be held to be unfair when challenged. Organisers are free to negotiate their position, but entrants are also free not to accept a compromise.