Gourdy's Pumpkin Run: Maryland

We know there are very important things going on in the world right now, but we felt it was necessary to address the status of our events and not keep you in the dark. 

Since 2012, Erik and I, and the Sour Fish Events team, have been fueled by one goal - to bring The Great Pumpkin Run, now Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run, to our passionate fans. What started as a single event in Cincinnati with just over 100 people, has grown into a popular event series that takes place across the country. We scheduled 21 locations this year and aimed to attract over 90,000 of you, while also working to expand our Virtual Run, which we started in 2016. That was our plan.

Our goal across all of our events, including our Virtual Run, has always been to make this a memorable and fun experience for our participants, not just a race registration. We have worked to add many new features to the overall experience throughout the winter, to make sure that from the time you register, to the time you cross the finish line, it’d be an experience you’d remember. We want to be interactive with you, and give you content and an outlet for training, making new friends, and encouraging one another. From the social media groups, to our podcast, to the newly-launched YouTube channel and challenges, to an app we’re launching later this summer, it’s always been about you and how we can enhance your experience. 

Sadly, we’re dealing with a virus that has greatly impacted our country and the world; the event industry, along with many others, has been turned upside down. We have remained optimistic that fall events would happen but unfortunately, Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run is cancelled this year due to the current pandemic of COVID-19. 

As a small event planning company, we started planning these events as soon as the 2019 season ended. We secured permits, added and searched for new venues, designed and placed orders for our 2020 lightweight tech hoodies and finisher’s medals. We began booking restrooms, tents, EMS teams, UTV rentals, traffic control, and hundreds of other small details that go into the event to make it safe and fun. Before we spent any more time, energy, and money in the planning process, we decided we needed to look at each event and assess if we would be able to make it happen this fall given the current pandemic and the projections for what the fall holds. The health and safety of our participants has always been our top priority and it always will be, and was the main consideration in our decision. While we put plans in place to provide a socially distanced event, based on current guidelines, rise in positive cases in recent weeks, and the uncertain months ahead, we made the difficult choice to cancel the entire lineup of fall events. As outlined above, all of this takes so many resources, which is why we are not going to wait it out and see if things turn for the better; rather, we need to be able to make decisions now so we can bring this event back to you in 2021. 

We can tell you from the bottom of our hearts, we’re devastated. Fall to our team is not just another season, it’s our livelihood. It’s what we work for during the nine other months of the year - to be able to travel to every city, see each one of you, high five you at the finish line and place the hard-earned medal around your neck. It’s not simply a job for us, it’s truly what we love to do. 

And while we cannot gather at the starting line like we normally do, we still want to offer some options for you, which are listed below. Whether you join our amazing Virtual Run community to keep the fall tradition alive this year, or opt to wait until next year, we thank you and truly cannot wait to see you again. We do not make this decision lightly, but with the highest regards for the health and safety of our participants in mind. While we are going through an uncertain time in America and the world, the promise of our sport will continue shining a bright light for the future. 

Stay safe, and we hope to see you again soon,

Courtney, and the Sour Fish Events team

OPTION 1: JOIN OUR VIRTUAL RUN AND RECEIVE 50% YOUR 2021 REGISTRATION (ACTION REQUIRED)

We know a lot of you are training for race day and don’t want those efforts to go to waste. While we can’t gather as planned, we would love to invite you to join our Virtual Run! 

Our Virtual Run began in 2016 and has become extremely popular over the years. Each year, we try to make it as great of an experience as possible. From the virtual training runs all throughout summer to the shared online experience come fall, we try to set ours apart and make it special. Plus, we have some fun surprises in the works that will make it that much better in 2020!

We will mail your race swag directly to your house and you can complete your run or walk from your own neighborhood, a local park, the treadmill---really, wherever you want! 

While COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into everyone's schedules, one of the greatest things about our Virtual Run is we keep it open all fall. You can run or walk your 5K anytime, anywhere between September 1st and November 22nd. Your packet will contain a sealed medal, so you can reward yourself with it once you complete your distance on your own time!

Beyond offering our Virtual Run transfer, we will also email you a coupon code for 50% off next year's event. While it’s a sizable discount, we feel it’s worth it as we want to encourage you to join us next fall when it’s safe to do so. This will be emailed to you when registration launches next year.

To transfer to the Virtual Run, follow these steps. This must be done by August 7, 2020 at 11:59PM

Log into RunSignup and go to your profile: https://runsignup.com/Profile

Under the Upcoming Events section, click MANAGE REGISTRATION next to your Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run registration.

Click the TRANSFER TO ANOTHER RACE tab

Choose ‘Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run: Virtual Run’ and click ‘Start Transfer’

Follow the rest of the registration process as directed on screen

If you added any items on during your original registration (merchandise, Tough Pumpkin, etc.), be sure to add them on here. The only exception is for training shirts/tank tops, as those ship out immediately. 

At the checkout screen, it will show a zero amount due (unless you added any extra merchandise that wasn’t in your original registration)
 

 
OPTION 2: DEFER YOUR REGISTRATION TO NEXT YEAR (NO ACTION REQUIRED)

We are working out all the details for next year already and will share them as they become available. Regardless, you can easily defer your registration until next year for free! This is the default option and if this is what you want to do, then simply sit back and relax. Your current registration will automatically be deferred and you don’t need to do anything until it’s time to sign up. 

Once registration opens for the 2021 event, you’ll be able to claim your deferral and sign up for free! This is good for any of the 2021 locations and also the Virtual Run. That way, if the 2021 date doesn’t align with your schedule, you can choose a different location or simply join the Virtual Run next year!

 OPTION 3: DEFER YOUR REGISTRATION TO 2022 (NO ACTION REQUIRED)

Similar to the option above, you can extend your deferment until 2022 if you wish. No action is required as the deferment is the default option. If you do not sign up and use your deferral in 2021, then it will remain valid for 2022 to provide as much flexibility as possible. 

OTHER SCENARIOS AND FAQS:

Q: What if I defer to 2021 or 2022 and I am unable to make the event then?

A: We would allow you to transfer to the Virtual Run for that year or to any other event location. The only caveat is we need to know at least 3 weeks prior to the event date you deferred to. For example, if you defer and the 2021 event is scheduled for, say, October 9, 2021, you would need to let us know by September 18, 2021 that you want to either change event locations or be placed in the Virtual Run. We are easy going and will have no issue helping you---just send us an email! 

Q: I added on merchandise and/or challenges like Tough Pumpkin. What happens to those add-ons?

A: The nice thing about doing this all through RunSignup is that you’ll receive full credit for any additional add-on items you originally purchased. So, if you are transferring to the Virtual Run this year, when you go to do the transfer, simply add those items on and they will be covered! If you defer to 2021/2022, same thing. The credit will be there and you simply add those items on during your registration. 

Q: I volunteered in 2019 and used my free race code for this year. Am I out of luck now?

A: Nope, we got you covered! But, it is a little tricky due to how RunSignup treats credits when transferring. If you volunteered last year and used your free registration code for the 2020 event, you will need to email us if you are choosing to transfer to the Virtual Run or if you are deferring to 2022. If you are simply deferring to 2021, no action is needed and you’ll automatically be moved over! Our email is info@sourfishevents.com 

Q: I am signed up as a fundraiser for Girls on the Run. How does this work in regards to the donations I've raised so far?

A: Fundraising for Girls on the Run is scheduled through the end of this fall, which means it's dependent on your choice. If you decide to transfer to the Virtual Run, you should follow the steps above and complete the transfer process into the Virtual Run. Then, email us at info@sourfishevents.com once you have fully completed your transfer into the Virtual Run. We can manually move over your donations so you don't lose any progress! 

If you defer to 2021 or 2022, your fundraising would end at the end of this fall as fundraising is only valid for this year. Of course, all donations raised will be going directly to Girls on the Run! 

Q: I am receiving an error when trying to transfer to the Virtual Run saying I have $0 creditable amount. What's happening?

A: This is likely because you've transferred from an event once already this year. We can easily help finish transferring you over. Just shoot us a message: info@sourfishevents.com  

 
Q: I am not tech savvy. Can I do all of this myself?

A: RunSignup makes this so very easy, so we advise giving it a try. By the time you type up an email to us, you could have likely completed the transfer or deferral process. However, if you are having issues, email us: info@sourfishevents.com  Please note that we are a very small team and we also take time to answer each and every email individually. While we aim to reply as quickly as possible, we would love your patience as we are sure it will be a busy week. 

In summary, if you want to defer to 2021 or 2022, you don’t need to do anything right now. If you want to join the Virtual Run this year, you must follow the steps above by August 7, 2020 at 11:59PM. Otherwise, your registration will automatically be deferred and ready for use come 2021 or 2022.

Thank you again for your continued support. Stay healthy, stay active, and we look forward to seeing you again when it's safe to celebrate at the finish line together once again.