When Kenna Barkley of Oklahoma saw the advertisement for the 2013 Free Half Marathon in Arizona she was leery about one thing—it asked for a $50 deposit.

Having run 26 half marathons since 2010, Barkley could somewhat understand the need to ask for money upfront as incentive for runners would show up. As the Free Half Marathon website emphasized in an extensively-written Frequently Asked Questions section, the $50 deposit would be returned to runners when they stopped by the race expo to pick up their bibs. Plus, any runners who changed their mind about the half marathon could receive a full refund, as long as they requested it 90 days prior to the race.

At a time when half marathon and marathon entry fees are pushing $100, Barkley thought this sounded like a sweet deal.

The idea was the brainchild of Free Half Marathon director Jeff Calene, who runs a small events company called Heavenly Racing out of his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Calene had grown frustrated with the rising price of races and wanted to “give folks an opportunity to experience the sport we all enjoy, without the fear of making a huge financial commitment.” (Calene declined a phone interview request, but agreed to respond to questions via email. He selectively answered the questions.)

Calene said he hired a staff of 12 people that had “broad experience in the race management field from sales to race operations.” The staff began a search for sponsors for the February 2013 race.

Then, he had to sell the “free” concept to runners.

Barkley planned to be in the Southwest racing a half marathon the weekend before the Free Half Marathon, so she signed up to enter the race. The entry process was unusual: First runners had to sign up to request an invitation, and then wait until they were selected to participate in the race. Barkley was one of 100 runners picked as original entrants. Calene’s intent was to use that group as a proof of concept to obtain the proper race permits, so he decided to close the registration process until those logistics were confirmed.

Barkley had reservations.

“I went into it thinking it was a scam, but it was money I could afford to lose if that’s what ended up being the case,” she said.

The race’s website lacked some basic details. There was no mention of where the race would be held, of the course map, or of any race sponsors. Calene’s name wasn’t mentioned on the site.

Barkley realized something wasn’t right in September 2012 when she received her race registration confirmation. The event had been pushed back to February 16, 2014.

“I verified on the website and, if I recall correctly, they stated then it was pushed back due to the need to secure more sponsors,” she says.

She says no one from the race contacted her to tell her of the change or apologized for it being set back an entire year. Then, in November 2013, the race date was re-scheduled from Sunday, February 16, to Sunday, February 23.

One major issue for the Free Half Marathon was locking in its course with the cities in and around Phoenix. Calene made one last attempt to hold the race, applying for a race permit with the Glendale Parks and Recreation department in November 2013. However, the two sides were unable to reach an agreement, and the Free Half Marathon withdrew its application on January 14, according to Glendale city officials.

The race would no longer be held, and Calene said the Free Half Marathon staff began notifying members of the cancellation via email. However, Barkley did not hear from any of them. Actually, she had emailed the Free Half Marathon three times in late January, expressing her frustrations with the lack of organization and requesting a refund. She heard back from Calene on the third attempt.

A few other upset participants posted their questions on the Free Half Marathon Facebook page and, on the same day Runner’s World Newswire reached out to Calene about this story, those comments were deleted. Only then did he make the announcement on the Facebook page and race website that the event had been cancelled.

When asked if she felt suckered, Barkley replied, “Suckered? Yes, but more annoyed that no one would reply. I understand things happen, but just email people and tell them.”

Asked if the race was a scam, Calene wrote, “We would not be offering full refunds to participants if this was a scam. A failed business idea, perhaps.”

He added, “There are no other races being put on by the Free Half Marathon team. We do not consider this a viable business plan going forward.”

Calene wasn’t the first to try, and fail, to hold a free half marathon. In November 2012, IO Events, a racing company based out of Arizona that abruptly and mysteriously went out of business in January 2013 right before one of its scheduled half marathons, tried to spearhead a free race series, the Really Big Free Marathon. Overseen by Karen and Richard Barnett, the inaugural event was a half marathon held in Henderson, Nevada. IO Events required participants to pay a $50 registration deposit and told runners they would receive their refund upon crossing the finishing line. Race costs were to be covered by sponsors. As Runner’s World reported in January 2013, some runners still have not received their $50 deposits back.

“IO Events say they went bankrupt in January 2013, and my wife and I never received our refunds,” participant Marc Johansen wrote in an email to Runner’s World Newswire in late February. “I've sent about a dozen emails to the contacts they have listed to get some kind of response, but have received nothing.”

It could be that the same word that drew people to these races— free —is the same one that makes others skeptical.

“Since it was free, I think people were apprehensive that it wouldn’t be a high quality event,” said Running USA media director, Ryan Lampa. “I think most people will err on the ‘I will wait and see until it comes back next year’ side, and I think it’s a very logical thing do to.”

These instances serve as a reminder that, as more races are launched around the country, interested participants should exercise due diligence on the company holding the event.

On its website, the Road Runners Club of America has a comprehensive list of “buyer beware” tips for registering for an event. It recommends looking for events that have been successfully run before, are held on USA Track & Field certified courses and are put on by local running clubs or an event director who lives in the community. If the race is being managed by someone from out of state or is unfamiliar to the city, check out the director’s resume to see what else he or she has successfully organized. In both instances, local running clubs and running store owners are good people to ask for references.

For inaugural races, the RRCA advises runners to make sure the event website includes all of the important logistical details—course maps, packet pick-up information, event schedules, waiver of liability, etc. Finally, check the Better Business Bureau to determine whether the race promoter has been the subject of complaints in connection with other races.

The RRCA’s full list can be found here.

As for Barkley, she said she didn’t expect to receive her refund on February 20, despite Calene’s assurance. On February 21, she emailed Runner’s World. “No surprises,” she wrote. “No refund today.”

Two days later, Barkley wrote Calene a final time. Within 30 minutes, the $50 had been deposited back into her PayPal account. “Here's hoping they do that for everyone and not just for those of us pestering them,” she said. Runner’s World emailed and called Calene last week to ask if every Free Marathon entrant has received their $50 deposit back, but he has yet to answer the questions.

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