New York Road Runners on Thursday announced that runners who registered for the ‘12 N.Y. Marathon “could get either a full refund or entry into the race in one of the next three years” after the event was cancelled following Hurricane Sandy, according to Belson & Pilon of the N.Y. TIMES. Those who decide to run one of the marathons by ‘15 “will still have to pay a new entry fee, but at 2012 rates.” A limited number of runners “can opt for a spot in the New York City Half Marathon in March as an alternative,” and they, “too, will have to pay a new entry fee.” Runners have “until Jan. 25 to choose an option.” NYRR President & CEO Mary Wittenberg said that she “expected more runners from overseas to request refunds given the cost of traveling to New York.” NYRR initially said that all runners “would have automatic entry into next year’s race.” But given the “intense demand for spots in the marathon ... few new entrants would be able to join.” The organization also “left unanswered whether those who chose to run next year would have their entry fee from this year applied toward next year’s race, or whether they would have to pay an additional fee.” NYRR could not answer those questions “until it knew how much money it would receive from its insurance company to cover losses stemming from the cancellation.” That settlement “has now been reached, though Wittenberg said the money would not cover all of the club’s losses.” In addition, Wittenberg has had “to mend relations with sponsors of the race.” As a result, some partners, like “ABC and ESPN, which was going to broadcast the race, are likely to have their contracts extended for an additional year at no cost” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/21).
