Marathon morning – woke early…to rain.  Never thought of packing a rain jacket.  Ugh.

Ok, gotta just suck it up.  It was bound to happen eventually – and on the bright side, temps dropped by 20.  More humane than Saturday’s heat & humidity – much better running conditions.

Waited until the last possible moment to leave my rental & walk in the downpour.  Ok – gonna be alright.  Warm rain.

Where were the 6,000+ runners?  Another runner informed me the race had been delayed ’til 730am – an hour later.  Trekked back to a parking garage where local news was filming & asked volunteers for a Start time update (yes, in front of the green screen not realizing this was a live shot – LOL>).  Supposedly an email was sent out & further updates would be distributed via Facebook.  Retrieved my iPhone from the car & stayed plugged in ‘til 7:15am.  This time throngs of folks were marching to the Start – and yeah, the weather had cleared.  No rain!  (although I was still fairly soaked – shoes in particular)

Lined up, ready.  It’s now 740am.  No anthem, no idea re: the delay as I was positioned far back with other 8 minute/mile pacers.  Then word is disseminated via lead runners – “the race has been cancelled, pass it on”.  What?  Most of us stood around wondering if this was a joke.  Cancelled?  Why?  Bombing in Boston, Hurricane Sandy in NYC – why here?

Chaos as 6,000 runners attempt to return to one-way only buses, trying to reach hotels & connect with friends/relatives waiting near the Finish – 13 miles away.  Where were race officials?  Your guess is as good as mine…a HUGE FAIL.

Why?  Possibility of rain.  Are you kidding?  This is a MARATHON.  We sacrificed tens of hours of training, altered eating & sleep habits for this race. Additionally, many of us spent $$ for flights, hotels, rental cars.

ARGH!

First, the email – NO refund.  WHAT?  NO race, NO shirt, NO medal – but you’re keeping the cash?

Based on the weather data at hand at 7:00 a.m.,Team Ortho staff, Minneapolis Police, Park Police, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department used information from the National Weather Service to determine the cancellation of this race.

 

Our no refund policy due to weather cancellation, is because all the of expenses are already incurred for a race before race day.

Next, the reversal (4 days later) AND first official excuse: ‘threat to public safety’.  From RAIN?  Is this unique to Minneapolis?

We surely felt your pain on Sunday when thousands of you, committed to training for your race and improving your fitness, still came out in poor weather to run our race.  You traveled, waited through delays and then dealt with the eventual cancellation.  We apologize for the inconvenience and troubles the cancellation caused.

 

Because of the inconvenience, we would like to offer you one choice among the following options (please read to the bottom for all the details):  $20.00 race entry price.  This is for any distance (with medal but NO gear).

Then blatant untruths/outright lies – Minneapolis Marathon Facebook page.

6500 people registered in 2014.  Flooding and Lightning Strikes on the course caused the 2014 race to be delayed and then cancelled.

No rain, no flooding, no lightning strikes.  I know because I spent the day in downtown Minneapolis watching many runners continue to race unofficially – and volunteers continue to support those racers with water.  Ortho Foundation should lose sponsorship of this race. Lack of leadership, poor communication, no contingency plan.  Minneapolis deserves better.

Shameful. I’ll race again in Minnesota but never this event.

Rain

UPDATE (10 days later):

Received a runner’s jacket & medal in the mail – for a race that never happened.  Ridiculous.  People are not angry about a running shirt – they’re OUTRAGED at the shameful way this event was managed.   Do not throw any money to this scam organization.

Ok – put words on page, now letting it go.  I have food, a place to live and the love of family & friends.  Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  Done.  I’m moving on.