The Better Business Bureau is advising Iowans to be cautious when signing up for themed races or “fun runs” this summer.
Bureau spokesman Dan Hendrickson says most of the runs go off without a hitch, but in recent years, some have been rescheduled, postponed or even canceled.
“The problem with this is, many of these races — it’s right on the website when you sign up — there are no refunds or there’s a no-refund policy,” Hendrickson says. “So people really need to be aware that this is a thing and they need to do some research before signing up.” Hendrickson says don’t be fooled by a fancy website. Confirm with the local venue the event is on and pay by credit card.
He says, “You want to research them at bbb.org and then you also want to look at customer reviews and see if cancellations or postponed races have been an issue in the past.” Hendrickson also suggests you contact the city where the event is scheduled to make sure it has the required permits.