Story added: 21st July 2020

2020 race cancelled

The Norwich City Community Sports Foundation have taken the difficult decision to cancel Run Norwich 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We opted to make this decision as early as possible in order to remove uncertainty and worry for runners and everyone else involved, while attempting to reduce the financial impact on the Foundation and the people we support in the community.

Our fundraising in 2020 has already been decimated since restrictions began in March and the loss of our biggest event is a further blow.

We presented entrants with two options in the hope that many would be able to help us reduce the financial impact of cancellation and sustain our community work and the future of Run Norwich.

Run Norwich typically provides income to help us:

support people with disabilities so that they can enjoy sport in a comfortable environment, with the added benefits of improving confidence and social skills, and providing respite care for families.
improve the mental health and wellbeing of participants on our Run for Me programme through weekly coaching sessions and social time.
support people in later life to avoid inactivity and social isolation, helping to combat loneliness and improve health.
fund a small team of staff to ensure Run Norwich continues to be the incredible experience we have all come to love.

If you didn't claim your refund...

If you chose not to claim your entry fee refund back, we are incredibly grateful and you will hear more from us very soon.

As you know, you are now eligible for the benefits listed below!

48-hour priority entry window for Run Norwich 2021 – the 2020 event sold out in a matter of hours, so as a thank you we’d like to take that stress away when entries open for the 2021 event. Details below.
£5 discount on Run Norwich 2021 entry fee – not only will you beat the rush next year, but we’ll take £5 off the price of your 2021 entry. Details below.
Run Norwich hero wall – your name will feature in the Run Norwich 2020 hero wall that will be displayed on the Run Norwich website and at next year’s expo event.
Run Norwich hero running number – if you enter the 2021 event next year, your running number will carry a design feature to highlight your support.
Automatic entry into Run Norwich Virtual 10K 2020, in October – still give yourself something to aim for this year and claim your virtual goody bag! Further race details below.

By not claiming your refund, you have helped the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation in our fight to sustain the vital work we do with people across the county during this most challenging of years.

As we mentioned, you’ll hear more from us soon but we want to say thank you right now to all of you.

We will now work to make the Virtual 10k the best it can be and we will send more information your way as soon as possible.

If you claimed your refund...

The deadline by which to claim your entry fee refund has now passed and we will begin to process these in the coming days.

Processing refunds will take some time, so please bear with us.

We hope to see you again for Run Norwich 2021!

Charity entrants

Around 1000 people have entered Run Norwich 2020 for free to fundraise for one of this year’s official charities – and now we need you more than ever.

We would like the Virtual Run Norwich 2020 event to be a replacement fundraising mechanism for all of the partner charities for 2020, who will also have experienced a loss of vital fundraising during the pandemic.

Charity entrants therefore will automatically be entered into the Virtual Run Norwich 2020 and will receive communication from your chosen charity as soon as possible.

Those that take part in the Virtual Run Norwich 10k and hit their fundraising target will be eligible for the same benefits (listed above) as general entry runners that do not claim their refund.

Runners do not have to run again for charity in 2021 in order to take advantage of the priority entry window and discount.

Further information

Run Norwich 2020 Virtual 10K – keep your Run Norwich streak alive!

One of the objectives of Run Norwich is to get or keep people active and enjoying their running, and we don’t want that training going to waste (if you haven’t started yet – here’s something to aim for!).

The Virtual 10K will give us all that Run Norwich feeling, in a year when we’ll all miss the real thing so very much.

We will convert the existing event on the Active Network system to a virtual event, and you will be automatically entered unless you claimed a refund during the refund request window.

From October 18^th at 9:30am, the date that the rescheduled Run Norwich 2020 was due to take place, participants can run 10K anywhere they choose and submit a time for the Run Norwich leader board.

Full details of the Virtual 10K and time submission process will be communicated nearer the date.

Over the next couple of months we’ll be working hard to put together an awesome virtual goody bag for everyone that takes part – as well as a digital race number and certificate that you can print off and display at home and on social media.

Run Norwich 2021 priority entry and discount

As a thank you to people that did not claim a refund and those charity runners that hit their fundraising targets from the Virtual Run Norwich 2020 event, we will send a VIP email link that can be used to enter the 2021 event 48 hours before general entry opens.

We will also include a discount code to take £5 off the affiliated or unaffiliated entry price, which will be frozen next year.

Merchandise refunds

We will refund all t-shirts and vests purchased during the entry process. You do not need to request this refund; we will work through and process this for everyone. Please bear with us however as it will take some time to complete.

If you have chosen to claim your entry fee refund, you may receive this separately to your merchandise refund as we work through requests.

Thank you to those that have even offered to waive their merchandise refund to help the charity.

Postage refund

Those entrants that paid to have their race pack posted will receive a refund. You do not need to request this refund; we will work through and process this for everyone. Please bear with us however as it will take some time to complete.

If you have chosen to claim your entry fee refund, you may receive this separately to your postage refund as we work through requests.

iTab

iTab purchases are administered by the iTab team and not by Norwich City Community Sports Foundation/Run Norwich.

From the iTab team:

“Your original iTAB purchase has been converted to a credit, which can be redeemed for a virtual race, or any future race of your choice, anywhere in world. This can also be for any type of event: Run, Swim, Triathlon, Cycle or Obstacle race.”

Those who purchased an iTab for Run Norwich 2020 will receive a communication shortly from the iTab team, with information on how to use your credit.

Active Network Fees

There will be no administration fee to process refunds, but Active Network are unable to refund the fee that you will have paid when entering. Active Network is the entry system that we use for Run Norwich, and that fee goes directly to them during the entry process.

Volunteers

If you are one of the wonderful people that volunteered to help at Run Norwich 2020, we will be in contact with you personally in due course about signing up for next year’s race.

Run Norwich 2021

Obviously we don’t know how life and the restrictions we are experiencing will change in the next 12 months, but we plan to work with stakeholders around the city to bring Run Norwich back in 2021 on its now usual weekend in July. We usually open entries in January, but this will be determined nearer the time.