Blacklight Run – Boston

I did this race in 2013 year, and while it was a giant mess and gave me pause about doing it again, a group of friends were going to do it in 2014 so I decided I’d go ahead because it was fun once you got through all the hassle that showed they really had no idea what they were doing (half my kids walked for free because we walked by and they just randomly were handing out shirts and bibs). I should have saved my money, to be honest.
The race was initially scheduled for May/​June and was canceled due to an issue with the location. Ok, I understand, things happen. However the lack of follow through has been less than stellar.
We received notice that it was going to be in October, however then apparently a second email went out four days ago advising the location had been moved again. Unfortunately I did not receive this email and only found out about it because a friend who was going forwarded the information to me.
The race, though not expensive, is not entirely cheap either. Especially when you get into the nickle and diming aspect that they engage in. With a change of location four days before the race, they gave you two days notice to pick up your shirt and bib, if you could not make it you would be charged $ 5 for picking up on site. You would also be charged $ 10 to park at the location (which is a race track with generous parking). No refunds allowed, at all, ever. Can’t make it, sorry about your luck, they would be happy to transfer your registration to someone else.
The day of the race is chilly, and rainy, and calling for thunderstorms.
I lost my voice earlier in the week and while I feel fine otherwise, I am not going to walk in pouring rain when I already am without a voice. Much less when the weather forecast is calling for 59 degrees and a 70−100% chance of thunderstorms at race time.
I emailed the contact and requested what my options were, because again, thunderstorms? Walking on an open and flat surface? No, thank you.
I received a reply back from Jen who advised that because it’s race day, nothing could be done but they hoped to see me out there anyway.
I find this especially interesting because on their site it very specifically states that in the case of inclement weather «Blacklight Run will be canceled or delayed if any of the following weather conditions exist: Tornado Warning, Tornado Watch, Thunderstorm/​Electrical Storm, „Heavy“ Rain, other major weather condition.»
Whatever. As I told Jen, Unilocal already shows all negative reviews and it would seem they would be bending over backwards to help people rather than giving them ammunition. Instead what will happen is people will just eventually stop signing up, because they’re going to realize that they just don’t have their ducks in a row and it’s not worth the risk for an obviously clueless and disorganized organization.

SCAM!!!
I purchased tickets a year ago for this race, it has been rescheduled 3 times, and the venue has been changed as well with a weeks notice. They refuse to refund your money. Horrible experience!!!

This is a complete scam. If i could rate it negative stars i would. As for my experience I was suppose to participant in a blacklight run event in June of 2014 and then the event was cancelled and moved to a different date and location. 4 days before the race i was sent another email telling me it was now being moved out of state and i would have to pay $ 10 in cash to park at the new place plus go to a different location to pick up my race pak and if i didn’t pick up my race pak early i would then have to pay $ 5 the day of the race to pick up my race pack. When i emailed asking for a refund due to the change of venue again i was told no they would only let me transfer my registration to another event which they are clearly unable to successfully produce. This is a complete scam and these people are just out to take peoples money.

BUYER BEWARE, Not worth the trouble — This company appears to be accused of scamming customers on several different websites including in a FOX 4 news article. As for my own experience I tried to cancel when they randomly chose to reschedule the race and they refused to refund me and my friends despite submitting the request several weeks before the actual race.

Unfortunately I was never given the opportunity to do the run. A group of us had signed up for the run which was supposed to take place in June. The event was cancelled and rescheduled for October this year. The location changed which would require me to drive 2 hours and was scheduled the day before another run that I am doing. When I contacted their customer service I was told they do not give refunds and I would only be allowed to transfer my spot to another runner. Honestly, I feel that is poor customer service! When I signed up I signed up for a specific date and location. If it was only the date that had changed I would be okay. However, having the location change from close to Boston to basically a hop and skip away from New Hampshire this turned into a huge inconvenience. Under these conditions I feel that good customer service would be to provide those who can no longer participate to get a refund. I will say from the reviews I clearly will not be missing much but, BlackLightRun will NOT get any of my money or support in the future. In order to keep people coming back you need to be organized and professional. I do not see the Blacklightrun sticking around much longer with the amount negative reviews they have.
Leslie

Signed up for this fun 5K months ago… Have been waiting to get info on where to get our packets. We made t-​shirts and made fun hats and bandanas to wear. Then get amass email saying it was canceled due to venue issues. No way to get money back. Say they will possibly have another run set up in the area sometime in October. This is wrong… Certainly not a great way to run an event. Will not be doing any other events held by this company. Hopefully find a way to get our money back.

I agree with the comments on here. The course wasn’t well thought out. I sprained my ankle at the very beginning of the run due to poorly lit areas. I couldn’t see where I was going and slipped into a lil hole on the baseball field. Along the way were many more holes to come that was filled in with sand. I walked the rest of the way not knowing what I did to my ankle.
You also have to avoid the 18 wheelers during the factory part, as they were coming and going. This was very dangerous that they were using the same road as us :(
We just made the best of it and it was for a good cause. I would recommend the Gillette stadium run or the RAD. Both I have tried this year and were more organized.

I signed up for this event with a few friends of mine that came in from NY to run it with me. We bought clothes for it and were so excited. The day before, our ride canceled on us and we had to find a way to get there. We received an email saying that there would be a train that could take us there but it would cost more money since it is the commuter rail. This is annoying because they advertised this as being in Boston. I live in the city, so I thought that this would be an amazing opportunity to get to know Boston even more by doing a run in the city with some friends. To read that it was in North Andover AFTER I had already paid frustrated me. I would NEVER sign up for something like this ever again without figuring out where it is exactly. Blacklight run also did not respond to my emails about my frustration which made matters even worse. I am so disappointed in this program and I hope that the company learns from their mistakes.

This was such a frustrating experience.
It started off when I picked up the packet before the race at Sports Authority. So unorganized and messy. It should have been a sign of things to come.
We waited in traffic for a half hour to get to park, which wasn’t a big deal because we were early. Parking was pretty much park wherever you find a spot in the pitch black parking lot. There were no signs on where the starting line was. We walked pretty much half of the course looking for the start. There wasn’t anyone around to ask.
The race itself was horrible. It was pitch black most of the run. There were holes in the ground. some of it was on grass. You couldn’t see where you were running and were lucky if you didn’t trip. I can see why they made you sign a waiver.
For a blacklight run, there was barely any blacklights.
If I paid full price for this, I would be livid. I will never do another «blacklight» run again.

I agree with the other reviewers that the location was misleading and that the race course was definitely not well done. While it was cheap (only $ 20; the Cosmic Run I went to the week before was $ 60), I think the Blacklight run spent most of their money on the concert at the end as opposed to the actual race course.
The race portion of it was horribly done. There was only two powder stations and two blacklight stations, one of which was broken. The course was in complete darkness and was not well labeled, with confusing here-​and-​there cones that I think had migrated over time from people (AKA me) not seeing them in the dark and accidentally kicking them. Also there were a couple of big steps up and down that I couldn’t even see in darkness. There were people cheering (not sure if they were staff or spectators) but there was no guidance whatsoever or people saying ‘halfway!’ or ‘1 mile!’ which I usually appreciate.
However, the concert at the end was awesome! The staff kept on handing out glow powder, which is a big bonus; at other color color races I’ve been to they always seem to run out by the end. We were absolutely covered in color by the end of the night. It’s amazing how it glows in the blacklight (which there were plenty near the concert stage), and is really cool to see an explosion of color in the air while we’re dancing to great music. The DJ/​front man was cringingly corny but the music was really good. I think I burned more calories dancing than in the actual race.
So basically if you are looking for a great 5k race, this might not be it; but if you are looking for a rave masquerading as a 5k, you’ve found it.

I echo the original reviewers concern that this was called the Blacklight Run — Boston. North Andover is practically New Hampshire, not Boston. There were only 3 stations to get glow powder and you had to stop and wait for an incompetent teenager or a surly 50-​year-​old to grudgingly toss a small handful at you. The course was terribly lighted and staffed. There were fire hydrants surrounded by stanchions in a dark stretch with no staffer to warn you, but then 3 staff in a row to tell you to follow the arrows in the light. Then tens of staff materialized at the finish line to prohibit pictures. I’ve definitely been to more fun and well run leisure 5Ks.

This run was advertised as a «Boston» location and at the time of the pre-​sale tickets the exact location was not provided. Now, as it turns out, the «Boston» run is NOT in Boston but in country MA with a hour long train ride from Boston (and a taxi ride; two days before the run the organizers did provide a free shuttle from the train station but by then I had organised to work over that weekend and there was only one option for times so agian not particularly helpful in my case). No refunds are available. Very disappointing. However, it is good that some of the money is going to charity –Childhood Bullying with Children’s Miracle Network — so I am happy for that. Also, I should say that I was contacted by the organisers after I emailed them, they said that country MA was their only option and that is fine but again I will say that advertising as Boston is misleading and in future they should be clearer at the time that tickets are sold that the run will not actually be any where near Boston.