This year’s Run Norwich 10k won’t take place, but runners can take part in a virtual event later in the year to support Norfolk charities
Organisers of this year’s Run Norwich 10K have announced it is cancelled.
More than 7,000 keen runners snapped up places for the annual event within a matter of hours when they went on sale in January for the original date of Sunday, July, 19.
Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, it was rescheduled for mid-October in the hope that running events would be able to take place.
But organisers, Norwich City FC’s official charity partner the Community Sports Foundation (CSF), have announced the run will not take place.
Runners will be able to get their money back or waive their £25 entrance fee to take part in a virtual run and ensure money goes to the charities supported by the event.
Daniel Wynne , head of marketing and communications at the CSF said: “The Norwich City Community Sports Foundation have taken the difficult decision to cancel Run Norwich 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have opted to make this decision now 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.
“The cancellation of this year’s event will indeed have a huge impact on our fundraising for 2020, which has already been decimated since restrictions began in March.
“It is a devastating blow for us to cancel the 2020 event and so we have developed two options in the hope that entrants may be able to help us reduce the financial impact of cancellation and sustain our community work and the future of Run Norwich.”
Runners can claim a refund by filling out the electronic form on the Run Norwich website from Thursday, July 23 at 9am. The deadline by which to claim your refund is Monday, August 3, at 9am.
No action is needed if you wish to waive your refund. In return you will receive £5 off and priority entry for next year’s event, automatic entry into the Virtual Run Norwich 10k which can be run anytime from October and other benefits, including helping to support the event’s charities.
Around 1,000 charity runners who were given free entry and pledged to raise funds for this year’s official charities will be automatically entered into the virtual event where they can still raise money for good causes.
Full details of the virtual 10K and time submission process will be made available later this year.
Run Norwich first took place in in 2015 with 3,170 finishers. Last year’s run, the fifth time it has been staged, saw more than 6,000 runners complete the 10k course that goes past Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle and The Forum.
For more information, see www.runnorwich.co.uk
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