Colour fun runners feel short changed after route in Northampton park shortened by two kilometres

Runners say they feel "disappointed" after a Northampton charity fun run course was cut short by organisers.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jul 2017, 20:17 BST
Updated 11th Sep 2017, 13:02 BST
2,000 people turned out for the colour fun run on Abington Park.2,000 people turned out for the colour fun run on Abington Park.
2,000 people turned out for the colour fun run on Abington Park.

Participants crossed the finish line at the Northampton 5km Fun Colour Rush, held in Abington Park on July 22, to find the planned route had been two-kilometres shorter than expected.

Organisers Swiftrun Events say they shortened the course due to bad weather and invited joggers over a DJ's tannoy to run their lap of the park twice to make up the difference.

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One runner, Katie Deakin, 34, from East Hunsbury, said: "My friends and I had booked the run back in February. We paid £10 each to enter and had been training up to run the full five kilometres. But when we finished, my phone app told me we had only done three.

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A side-by-side of the planned 5km route and one runner's results from a phone app. The image of the right recorded a 3.17km distance.A side-by-side of the planned 5km route and one runner's results from a phone app. The image of the right recorded a 3.17km distance.
A side-by-side of the planned 5km route and one runner's results from a phone app. The image of the right recorded a 3.17km distance.

"I think it has left a nasty taste in the mouth of people who turned up, paid money and took time out of their Sunday mornings to be short changed."

Ticket sales to enter the run ranged from £5 to £36 for groups, and participants were invited to set up self-fundraising pages online and make donations to this year's charity, the Northampton Hope Centre.

A spokesman from Swiftrun Events said: "The wet challenging conditions on the setup on the morning of the event meant access to some of the areas in the park was restricted for our event vehicle whilst marking the course. We made the decision to shorten the course distance and offer all participants the choice to run a second lap. This was communicated by the DJ throughout the day.

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"Northampton Fun Colour Rush was the biggest colour fun run the town has ever seen. 2,000 colourful smiles turned out on to Abington Park to support the fundraising event in partnership with The Northampton hope Centre."

The colour run in Abington Park was in support of Northampton Hope Centre.The colour run in Abington Park was in support of Northampton Hope Centre.
The colour run in Abington Park was in support of Northampton Hope Centre.

Competitors were given medals at the finish line to congratualte them on their five-kilometre achievement.

The event also ran short on goody bags handed out by Trilogy Northampton fitness group, but these were not guaranteed with the entry fee.

The donations to Northampton Hope Centre are still being counted. Swiftrun events say they will make a donation at a later date.

Related topics:NorthamptonParticipantsOrganisers