Winter updates from Run Waterloo

Normally, this time of year is an exciting one for us, with lots of events and programming ramping up. Here’s a quick rundown of the latest administrative report from Run Waterloo, as of February 2021.

We have no plans for in-person events in 2021

That’s not to say that we won’t do events, but there is still so much uncertainty and we will continue to use caution as a priority. We know that various running events – large and small – are making tentative plans, but we are not in that place. We will continue to follow the best advice and recommendations, and acknowledge that this approach could lead to an event-free 2021.

We really lost our mojo in 2020

Our business was decimated last year and, as for so many others, it was hard on us. To the end that our core value is in-person experiences, our impact in 2020 was a fraction of what it normally is. We pivoted into a refund-processing organization, and throughout the year, our communications were at times sub-par, and it was messy. On that note…

2020 refunds are done; deferral conditions TBA

Thank you for your patience. It took us much longer than we expected to execute our 2020 refund plan, but as of January 4, all refunds are complete. If you have any questions about your registration, don’t hesitate to reach out. Important note on deferrals: if you have deferred entry fees (which you may have opted into, or defaulted to), don’t worry about any timelines that were set on those deferrals. We will communicate further about these as information becomes available. Your deferrals are safe.

We aren’t going anywhere

We are a responsibly-run organization and were able to withstand a complete cancellation of operations (except for the 2020 Laurier Loop, which was unfortunately cancelled without refunds) and can even wait out the pandemic indefinitely (for now, anyway). Thank you to everyone who donated to Run Waterloo, expressed concern for our business, or deferred any entries – all of that is appreciated. Moreover, there are a lot of silver linings to a break from events. Because we operate at a fast pace and are highly leveraged against a lot of volunteers, this has allowed for a reset. We have made some underlying organizational improvements as well. We will come back – stronger than ever.

And when we do come back…

The events will be small and basic as we ramp up. We are plugged into the research, and partners like Athletics Ontario, Canadian Endurance Sport Alliance, and Race Roster have great advice and resources available to the running industry. We will stay on top of this and be ready to roll when it’s safe.

What about virtual?

In 2020 ran a few virtual events, and learned a lot along the way. Some things were great, and some things were less than great. We will be launching new virtual experiences soon.

The bottom line is that with so much uncertainty, and even though the majority of races will not make it through the pandemic, RW is committed to the future of running in Waterloo Region. You can count on us, that whenever it is safe to do so, we will begin operations again and provide safe and challenging running events for everyone to enjoy.

We wish you all the best – health, happiness, and optimism – for this upcoming year. An active lifestyle is a great tonic and running is the ultimate solo sport. We can’t wait to be running with you again soon.