More Race Recap: Color Me Madd

I'm not sure that the saga is completely done yet, but I emailed Eventbrite, which is the event promotor for the Color Me Rad 5K in Johnson City.  I didn't really expect any satisfaction from my attempt to contact them, given their 'no refunds' policy, but I felt like I had to try.  I am a firm believer, especially as I get older, that if a consumer is dissatisfied in goods or services, it is their obligation to alert the provider and give them a chance to rectify the situation.  This is a professional courtesy, and as such, I always do my best to be as courteous and professional as possible whenever I interact...which I have to admit, is rare.

Normally, given the bad weather conditions especially, I would have probably not said anything if it had been a tenth or two shy of what they had advertised the course to be.  But a half mile shortage is a pretty big freaking deal when there are only six half-miles in the race.  That half mile shorted the course by 1/6th!

In light of the fact that the event was not cancelled or postponed, nor did I ever hear anything like an announcement of the course alteration, I felt like the coordinators may feel that if anyone felt strongly enough about the situation to give them a call to complain, they would take all the above into consideration and grant the refund despite their policy against them.

No such luck. 

I've been back and forth with them now several times, and all I've gotten is bull about the weather, and that they don't refund anything if it's weather related.  Boo freaking hoo.  I'm sorry, but not having the courtesy of letting people know they were being screwed is not weather related.  They tried to tell me their emcee announced it from the stage five to ten minutes before the first wave.  Given the fact that I was in the first wave, and as such, made sure that I was standing in front of the emcee a good fifteen minutes before the start so I wouldn't miss any of the instructions, I'm thinking that might be a slight exaggeration on their part.

So...long story short, they have refused my request for a refund. They much prefer to keep my $45.00 entry fee now than to earn my future business...along with that of my friends, family, coworkers and anyone else out there that I can get the word out to. 

These people are not ethical. Please...don't give them any of your money.

There are better ways to have a great time.  There are better races to run, and better charities to support.  They obviously don't care about their participants, nor do they care about their future business.  They most certainly will not get mine, and I told them that. 


On the flip side...I did get some 'rad' pics. For the money they charged, I should have.