Here is an excerpt from an email that I received today from Chevron Houston Marathon:
The Houston Marathon & Half Marathon are running events designed to accommodate those able to complete the races in specified time limits. Under no circumstances may walkers start before the 7am gun time in order to finish before the course closes. Those attempting to disobey the rules need to be aware that the Houston Police Department will strictly enforce the specified street closing and opening schedule as dictated by the official time limits and city permits. These time limits are put in place to protect all parties affected by our event and to ensure a safe and pleasurable running experience for all. The time limits are clearly displayed on our website and are prominently featured throughout the online registration process. If you are currently registered, yet will be unable to complete your race within the specified time limits, the Houston Marathon Committee asks that you turn in your entry for the specified refund and seek an alternate race to participate in.
Isn't that special? Why don't they just ask walkers to not register in the first place? It seems to me that they know exactly how many walkers they have registered and the approximate time that it will take them to walk it as we all had to state a finish time on our original registrations.
Surely there can't be THAT many walkers? I would think most walkers would do the half, but if not, what are they supposed to do if they don't meet the cut off? What do the runners do? Can't we all just help one another out??
Here's the kicker. The officials want anyone who can't complete the marathon within the time limit to turn in their bib and get a partial refund. Nice. What they fail to tell you, until you investigate further is, that, if they can't re-sell your bib, you won't get any refund.
If they can sell your bib, you will get a partial refund. As a runner, I would get 65.00 back. I paid 100.00!! I believe the final cost threshold was 120.00. If someone buys my bib, they'll keep 35.00 of my money and then charge the new runner 120.00 (the last cost of the bib when it sold out) plus another 20.00 charge. So my bib went from a 100.00 bib to a 175.00 bib. Nice...
If my bib couldn't be re-sold, then I get nothing. They keep the 100.00. Of course none of this was in place before the race sold out. Kind of elementary changing the rules mid-game isn't it?
Houston, we have a problem.
Check out Barbara and JD for their view.
6 comments:
I understand their points but this should have all been laid out before registration opened. I've only participated in the Houston half once; wasn't really aware of the early start issue. I can see where walkers along the course could be a problem for the elite runners.
The really sketchy part isn't that they changed their policy. It's that they changed it AFTER the race sold out. The whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Seems like a slimy way to make as much money as possible.
Thanksfully I am not signed up for Houston this year because I would likely be walking...
I posted a poll on my blog today; seems the general opinion is they should't have done it after they got everyone's money.
I'm just trying to figure out what made this year so very different from last year, and also why it was so critical that it be changed for the next race after all the money has been collected.
I have wondered about this as well. One thought I had was that perhaps the race sold out too fast, and they saw how many walkers registered as compared to runners? Maybe some runners began to complain?
I do get that the walkers starting early can be a problem, that they could be in the way of the runners, etc. But this should be handled differently than changing the way a rule is enforced after the sell out happens. Maybe they are just trying to free up some bibs for runners?
I agree with you 100%. I think they are handeling this in a very bad way. I think this will make me think before running Houston again after 2009.
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