Flower City Challenge - VIRTUAL

August 21st, 2020

Dear Athlete,

We are writing you today to provide an update regarding Rochester Marathon and Rochester Regional Health Flower City Challenge.  You are receiving this because you are registered for one or both events and since they essentially coexist together we want to send the message in a singular notice versus two separate notices.

It is with great disappointment that we must cancel both Rochester Marathon 2020 and Rochester Regional Health Flower City Challenge (FCC) 2020 as in person events.  This is crushing news for our sport, our community and for you, as well as us for having to share this extremely disheartening news.  Please allow us to explain the why, and then we will outline all the options based by event.  

We have been so hopeful since our first note to you on March 12th about FCC when COVID19 shutdowns began.  At that time, this was very new territory, and the City of Rochester offered us the opportunity to reschedule to October 25th as all permits issued for April were revoked.  All along we have been sharing among multiple mediums that decisions are ultimately up to the governing municipality wherein each event is hosted.  Since the Spring and into Summer we have been working with local authorities, and have even been successfully executing events with socially distant corral systems and safety protocols since late July.  We have been steadfast in communication with all municipalities and working on solutions.  However, COVID-19 is still here and it doesn’t look like that will be changing anytime soon.

This summer we have been working to move the Rochester Marathon to a NYS Park, where we successfully produced a previous event.  As you may know we closed registration early in April, so current registration is at a spot whereby we could mimic safety protocols we did for Shoreline ½ & 5K.  However, we just learned that due to the uncertainty created by COVID-19 the park will not be able to provide the resources to support the event.  

Concurrently, as we learned about the NYS Park, the City of Rochester then ceased all permitting through November 1, thus impacting Flower City Challenge.  To say this is devastating news to us and to have to share with you is an understatement.  To know that Rochester’s two premier running events, among many other events in the sporting, music and arts space simply won’t happen is an impactful blow to our region.  But we all know this, and another cancellation, just solidifies it more.  We truly had so much hope to proceed, but we do appreciate all the time the city, county and state have spent with us trying to formulate plans for these two events and we also know the fiscal pressure they are enduring along with many others, including us.
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So what are the next steps……

Option 1:  We will offer a Virtual Option for the following events which includes a 21% off discount for 2021 Live Event
You have until September 1st at 11:59PM to exercise this option.  

Click here to access your profile and transfer your in person registration to one of the virtual options.
For a step by step tutorial, click here.

The events being offered as Virtual Include:

    ·   Rochester 5K, Rochester Half Marathon, Rochester Marathon, Flower City 5K, Flower City Half Marathon
    ·   Those in the Rochester Marathon Relay can do the Virtual Rochester 5K or Half Marathon 
   ·    Those in the Flower City Challenge Relay can do the Virtual Flower City 5K or Half Marathon 

Benefits of Virtual
    ·   You will get a 21% discount off the live 2021 event.  Therefore if you registered for Rochester Half Marathon 2020 – you will get 21% off the fee if you register for 2021 Rochester Half.
    ·   You will get the race logoed shirt mailed to you after the event
    ·   You will get the race finisher medal mailed to you after the event
    ·   You can choose to do your own course anywhere you want or we will offer a simulation of the actual course you can follow via an app
    ·    For Rochester 5K, Half Marathon & Full Marathon participants you have from Sept 19-26th to complete your event
    ·   For FCC 5K, Half, Marathon participants you have from Oct 21st-28th to complete your event
    ·   The feeling of still running and walking an event, albeit virtually, that you’ve wanted to do

For Option 1: you have until September 1st at 11:59PM to exercise this option.  

Option 2: Deferral to 2021
For Option 2 you have until September 1st at 11:59PM to exercise this option.  

Click here to access your profile and defer your registration to 2021.
For a step by step tutorial, click here.

Reminder Option 2 must be exercised by September 1st at 11:59PM otherwise, you will automatically be placed into the Virtual Option.
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Please Note For Four Season Challenge Participants Specifically – regardless which option you choose we will mail you your 4SC medal after each event

Registration will be opening for the virtual events as well, as we know there has been quite a bit of interest from the general public. So be sure to let your friends know and encourage them to join you, safely!

We hope you choose to join us virtually so we can still see you out there and being active or next year in person at the 2021 start line.  May you all remain healthy and thank you so very very much for your support during this difficult time for all.

Stay Well, until we can be TOGETHER again!

Regards,
Boots & Ellen
Owners – YellowJacket Racing

All registrants will receive a finisher medal!