Grand Union Canal Half Marathon  Here's how RW members rated this race (173 votes). | 1 to 10 of 22 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 |
| The big picture 2010 (22 votes) | | Overall score | | 78% | | How many would do it again? | | 86% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 77% | | PB potential | | 62% | | Atmosphere | | 62% | | Organisation | | 68% | | Value | | 73% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 71% |
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2010 race reviewed by: Peter Loose
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: February 21, 2011
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2010 race reviewed by: Chris Goldsmith
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Cold, muddy half-marathon but well worth it
In full: On the whole a good half-marathon. The point-to-point course down the canal keeps you interested however it does get tough under foot. The general organisation is good and the marshals are efficient and friendly.
The bag storage is terrible and seems to be a regular complaint of this event. If pre-numbered tags were supplied in the race kit it would cut down the queues at the start of the race. At the end of the race the baggage people only need to lay out the bags in piles 100-199 etc and that would have cut down on the melee at the back of the truck. The bag movers have a good one hour jump on the race group to get this sorted. Overall a good event with a challenging uphill finish and a nice medal.
Date of review: November 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Helen99
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Very scenic, good organisation. Thank you, marshalls. Too few loos at start and first mile very slow.
Date of review: November 20, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: La petite rosbif
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Nice run, crush in the first mile meant it wasn't a race
In full: I liked this race, the scenery was lovely, and the atmostphere was good. I didn't think it was that muddy at all, and the marshalls were brilliant.
On the flip-side, the start was total nonsense, spent the first mile repeatedly having to stop and walk because of the crush which kind of defeats the object of the race (Purple Patch - you're charging people to do a race right?). And the bag-drop was rubbish. Sort it out PP, its not rocket science.
Date of review: November 19, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Andrew R
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great point to point race. Wet weather made going much harder than previous runs. Baggage was a shambles.
In full: Its a good race and the point to point format makes it something special. Wet underfoot made this much harder than I remembered. The debacle at the baggage collection took the shine off the event. Purple & Handy Moves are usually ultra slick. This time it took me 25 minutes to get my rucksack by which time I was freezing cold and very damp.
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Penny Harrison 2
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Fantasic run - want to sign up for next year!!!
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: bobster1666
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% |
In short: not PB potential - muddy, too few toilets
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: mark greenwood 3
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great mix of runners, good atmos, enjoyable route
In full: Second year I've done this run and the story is the same - every kind of runner from the whippets up front to the totally whipped at the back. Good atmosphere, all the runners, marshalls and organisers were positive and supportive.
The route is lovely, lots of boats, trees and ducks, which I find infinitely preferable to suburban streets. Underfoot is just what you expect on the towpath in November, so don't do it if you don't like your trainers getting muddy. I like the route because it's mostly pancake flat, with 6 or 8 short steep rises around the locks. The best bit of advice I read this year was to keep a bit in reserve for the long incline up from the canal through Cassiobury Park to the finish.
The organisers did a fine job, though calls last year for more toilets weren't heeded this year. Handy Moves once again demonstrated their idiosyncratic approach to baggage handling - maybe they need a bit of hands on management from Purple Patch.
My one 'runners, they're never satisfied' comment is that some of the water stations were positioned just above the locks. This meant picking up water whilst gasping from the short steep rise and then spending precious seconds choking.
Thanks to everyone who put the event on, looking forward to next year.
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Louise Couch
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A really enjoyable race on a beautiful course
In full: As others have aluded to the only problem was the overcrowding at the start which really slowed the first mile.
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Emily Antcliffe
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A beautiful and relaxing riverside run
In full: This is one of my favorite races. 3rd year in - I definately prefer the Uxbridge - Watford route - get the worst of the mud out of the way early! Great organisation (could do with a few more toilets....)and a really friendly crowd. Being able to buy a hot chocolate at the end really helped :-) I'll be back (baby permitting)!!
Date of review: November 18, 2010
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