General Questions

 

What is Zoomzer?
 
Zoomzer is the best place to find and review athletic events and races. Browse our comprehensive event reviews before you sign up for a race so that you know what you are getting in to. No more worrying about wasting your precious time on poorly run races or training for an event that doesn’t suit your ability. Not only will we help find the perfect race just for you, we also want to know what you’ve been up to! Tell others about that amazing mountain century ride you just finished or that sub-par 10K you never want to do again. Zoomzer wants to know about it all!
 
How much does Zoomzer cost?
 
Nothing! It is 100% free to read reviews and leave your own. So go ahead... leave that race recap!
 
Why Zoomzer?
 
Sure, you could get race reviews from your teammates or training buddies. Yeah, you could Google individual racers' blogs.  But why not come to Zoomzer where you can share your opinion and get other's thoughts about thousands of races, all in one place?  Zoomzer goes beyond tradition word-of-mouth and creates a home for athletes from all over the world to come together and share their experiences. In Zoomzer's vibrant athlete community you can connect with racers just like you!
 
Who uses Zoomzer?
 
Everyone uses Zoomzer! Whether you’re a seasoned triathlete, a first time open water swimmer, an Olympic cyclist, or are training to complete your first 5K run, Zoomzer offers something for each of you. We hope you find information about the event that suits your personal needs. And if you can't find it, go ahead and add it!
 
What should I review on Zoomzer?
 
You can review any type of individual or team athletic event that you raced. Zoomzer isn't terribly interested in your review of how cool Lance looked riding by at the Amgen Tour of California. Instead, we want to know what you thought of your local Thanksgiving Day turkey trot or the Ironman you traveled halfway around the world for. Our primary categories today are road cycling, triathlon, swimming, running, mountain biking, and adventure sports – if you can think of a category we forgot, please let us know.
 
Who can see me and my reviews?
 
All visitors to Zoomzer can see your first name and last initial (Peter B.) and can read your reviews. Only registered Zoomzer users may vote on your reviews or send you messages. Be sure you use your real name. This gives the reviews authenticity and makes Zoomzer a better site for everyone!
 
Can race organizers message me after I review their event?
 
Sometimes race directors will want to contact those who've raced and reviewed their event. Maybe an event didn't go so well and you left an honest review about how bad it was organized. We want to give race directors a chance to contact their unhappy customers.  But if you'd prefer not to be contacted just change the privacy setting in your account set up. *Race directors, if you'd like more information about how to contact your racers please email info@zoomzer.com
 
Is Zoomzer in my hometown?
 
Although Zoomzer is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, it is located in every community across the United States (and some towns in Canada, eh). Zoomzer is a community website that exists because of people just like you. Look around, chances are that you will find a fellow Zoomzer enthusiast in the lane next to you in the pool! If you’d like to get more involved with Zoomzer please contact us and we’d be happy to send you promotional material to promote Zoomzer at your next race. spreadtheword@zoomzer.com
 
What are "Sponsored Results"?
 
Occasionally race and event organizers will pay to have their race featured. These results are not generated by user reviews but are essentially advertisement for the upcoming race. Be sure to check them out.
 
Where did my review go?
 
1. Did you accidentally delete it? A user may have removed his or her review.
2. Zoomzer may have removed the review for violating our Review Guidelines or Terms of Use (in which case we will typically notify the reviewer).
 
Note: Our support team cannot manually restore reviews that are not currently displayed. Once they are gone, they are gone.  If you contact us about missing reviews you will receive the information above.
 
Will Zoomzer remove bad reviews if a race organizer pays for sponsorship?
 
Absolutely not. Reviews of Zoomzer sponsors and non-sponsors are treated identically, and any complaints are handled by the same user support team, operating under the same Review Guidelines and Terms of Service.
 

 Profile

 
How do I verify my Zoomzer account?
 
When you've completed the registration process you will receive an email with a verification link. Click the verification link, or copy and paste it into your browser. Your account will be verified at this point. If it doesn't work please let us know.
 
How do I change my basic account information?
 
To edit your profile or to change your account preferences, log in and click on the "Account Settings" link that appears at the top of any page.
 
How do I change my email address?
 
Your email addresses and password are found under "UserName Account" which appears in the upper right section of any page. Click that link and you will be taken to the "Account Settings" page where you may edit any of your current settings.
 
Who can see my name?
 
Only your first name and last initial (Peter B.) will appear on the site. For more information about our use of your personal information, please see our privacy policy.
 
Can I access Zoomzer under multiple accounts?
 
Nope, sorry. It's not ok for you to write multiple reviews from multiple accounts about the same event. If we figure out that's what you're doing we will delete the multiple accounts.
 
 

Writing Reviews

 
What makes for a great review?
 
Zoomzer reviews are most useful to other racers if you take the time to make them fun and memorable. Use humor (if you've got it) and a healthy dose of descriptive detail when leaving your review. The best recaps are detailed... don't just tell us that the race was "awesome". Come on, give us some detail! Why was it awesome? Was it because of the male belly dancers at mile 25, the ice cream stand at the top of Devil’s Peak, or because you almost drowned rounding the second buoy? Share your insights and help other Zoomzer users select that perfect race!
 
What should I review?
 
Review any race or athletic event you compete in. It could be the Boston Marathon or a small local beach race with only 30 participants. If the event is a legitimate open to the public event we want to know about it. Please don’t post a review about the trail jaunt you did with your friends last Saturday.
 
Can I review a race or event I'm connected to?
 
You should not review your own race or event at which you have been or are currently employed.
 
What if I hate the race experience? Can I say something negative?
 
Sure. We want to hear about your good experiences and your bad ones. Be sure to include all the relevant facts and details. Remember it’s not the organizer’s fault you didn’t train and that you don’t like lemon-burst flavored GU. Whether it's a positive review or a negative one, please keep in mind that your opinions are generally protected but posting false information can have legal ramifications .
 
Does Zoomzer ever remove reviews?
 
Not usually, but in some cases we will remove reviews that are in bad taste. Typically we will contact the reviewer prior to doing so. Below are some examples:
 
Conflicts of interest. Your reviews should be unbiased and objective. If there's any hint of a conflict, please don't post the review.
 
Personal attacks. We can handle strong language, but there's no need for lewdness, hate speech and other displays of bigotry.
 
Blank reviews. A review without text is useless. It’s our experience that you athletes always have plenty to say…so let’s hear it!
 
How do I invite friends?
 
Zoomzer gets better and better the larger our community grows so invite all your friends, family and work colleagues, maybe even some enemies. Click on the "Invite Friends" tab in the header of any page on Zoomzer and enter the email addresses of the people you'd like to invite to join your network. We've already created an invitation message for you, but feel free to personalize it.
 
Privacy:  What does Zoomzer do with my personal information?
 
We hate spam and take your personal information seriously. Review our privacy policy so you can see exactly what we do with your personal information. If you receive “spam” messages from another Zoomzer member, or if you receive a message that is harassing, abusive, or contains a violation of our Terms of Service, please forward the message to legal@Zoomzer.com.