Tewkesbury Half Marathon & 5 Mile Fun RunHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (282 votes). 2008 race reviewed by: Max Martin
 | | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Who forgot to pay the water bill?
In full: Finish was murder (preferred 2007 race with the beginning and end at the council offices) and really poorly laid out.
Dismal organisation, particularly wrt water supplies. Arrived at 2 water stations only to discover none left. By the time I got to the last station I thought it was a mirage. Joking aside, no water on a very hot day made this a very difficult run.
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Martin Beastall
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: pathetic effort by organisers
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Brian Cooke 3
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: i've been, done it , got the sunburn to prove it!!!!
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Philip Bradley
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Lucky others seemed to know what they were doing....
In full: Disappointing for me as it could have been so good. The course was fine from my perspective and reasonable PB Potential on a less hot day. But were was the organisation? There was no one around at the start area, the queues were huge for everything (chips, toilets etc) but no one was controlling this. The worst bit for me was the High Street at the end when I was guided into the MIDDLE of the road with cars either side of me. Not my best experience by a long shot.
There are plenty of other races that I have enjoyed so I probably won't do this again.
Overall the organisation was poor.
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Suzanne Knight
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Hilly race would not do it again as there was no water after first stop and it was hot. If I knew about the course cahnge before the race I would not have travelledd for 2 hours to do it. Not good as a first race. Not enough marshalls either.
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: ky
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Not the best organisation but still good fun
In full: I had no problems with water, glad it had not run out by the time i got to stations as it was need'd in those temps, traffic bit of an issue but i run on roads with cars every day, no clock at the end i wore a watch so not a problem, also we all knew we had to pick up are chips so people should have left more time to avoid the q's and it really was not that difficult to find were you got your chips from - the big tents kinda give it away!
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: david jordan 3
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 'professional' organisers should have done a 'professional' job
In full: Most comments already made:- post time chips, if not, better signs for queues. God awful run round the field towards the end, the irony of the marshal warning of the dangers of the SPEED bump was not lost on me. Being local (I live in Bredon) I had 'contacts' with an alternative parking space. I also want to thank the various friends and neighbours with their hosepipes. Don't blame the water marshals they were doing their best, especially the ones that were clearing up a good couple of hours after the end of the race.
I'd do it agin but maybe not next year as it is my wife's birthday.
I should have had an inkling that 209 weren't quite up to it by the age of the photocopied OS map with the hand drawn route. The water tower in the army base was removed at least 15 years ago.
A maths question, average entry fee £15. Number of entrants 1400 = £21,900 How much of this goes to 209 events?
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Samantha Jones 11
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: My First HM and I am already booking more!!
In full: The heat was a killer for me but I got through it, just slower than planned.
I had a great time in spite of it being tough. It was a shame the water ran out. I was ok at the first two stations, got water from the hosepipe at the third but none at the last which did make it harder.
The locals and fellow runners were a great support and I will be back next year if I can make it. Already booking my next HM . . .
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: ANDREW DOWNIE
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: great for all those who just love to moan!
In full: Well done to all those who queued for there chips in such british fashion. Can I give a big thanks to all the people who gave up there time and effort on Sunday to help and although many aspects could have been a bit better, (like my finishing time!)there is no excuse for some of the abuse fellow runners have given. Send chips out next year, widen the start and a bit more water. There will always be a bit of a delay in a small market town for parking and those complaining it started 3 minutes late should look and the news and weigh up your problems.
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: RunRoyRun
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: You can't control the weather but you can plan for it - except 209 didn't seem to plan for anything. What a shambles. The only reason I'll be back is because it is my local Half Marathon.
In full: It's all been said, but the more it's said the more chance of 209 taking notice: -
1. Nowhere near enough water! I was lucky and got water at each station, but I still think there weren't enough water stations - 1 more would have made a huge difference. Those people who found empty water stations did incredibly well to carry on; not sure I could have done. Mind you, I don't think things were helped by people taking more than one bottle so they could pour it over themselves. Unlike some, I was glad to get bottles with tops on - made carrying them easier. I would have preferred sports tops though.
2. Organisation - what organisation? There just didn't seem to be any. What was the reasoning behind not sending chips out in the post?
3. Not enough marshals. Some were in positions that didn't seem worthwhile, others were in groups and there were places where there were none where they would have been useful. It shouldn't be up to a paramedic on a motorbike to help separate runners and cars.
4. Not convinced of the accuracy of the mile markers. I know GPS units aren't 100% accurate but all the way up to mile 12 my Garmin read a shorter distance than the mile marker indicated then by the time I finished it read about 13.3 miles!!
5. Where was the start and finish? Lots of people though the finish was going to be at the same point as the start only to find they still had to run further. I had checked the map on the website so I knew where they were, although the map certainly did not indicate having to run round the final field. When you're knackered the last thing you want is to have to run further than you are expecting.
6. Goody bag was mostly advertising stuff. Why can't the year be put on the medal rather than just on the ribbon. And the writing was partly worn off my medal. Not impressed.
I'm sure there's more but on the plus side, the locals who came out to support were great. Thanks to them.
Date of review: May 13, 2008
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