Morecambe Cross Bay Challenge 'CancerCare' - Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race (155 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: paddle myke
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Excellent event a must do, friendly;quirky and slightly crazy
In full: great organisation, very friendly and fun atmosphere. a priveledge to run through such an environment. Be warned it's not pancake flat, it's VERY wet and there are a few river crossings, one upto your shorts (and I'm 6ft 5)most of the time you're running on mud/sand in water
Date of review: June 8, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Michael Escolme
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Unique. Everyone should do this at least once in their life.
In full: There are several things that make this a unique event, not least having a great opportunity to run across Morecambe Bay. An area of outstanding beauty but also one of great peril.
Race organisation seemed to be very smooth. Adequate toilet facilities at the car park and at the race start. The bus journeys went quite smoothly - although the three of us from my club who made the 160 round trip were a little disappointed to be allocated three different buses because of our race numbers. There were plenty of water stops, more than enough for the weather on the day but it was good to see that the race organisers had planned suficient water for if the weather had been significantly hotter than it was. The route was well marked out and marshalled. The mile markers were slightly inaccurate as the race organiser had pointed out before the race and the race distance was a third of a mile shorter than a half-marathon. So sorry all you people who thought you had run your first half-marathon but you haven't - not unless you ran back to the car park afterwards!
The course itself was tough as you might expect. The sand underfoot varied from extremely wet and slippy to hard as nails and akin to running over ploughed fields. Water crossings were plentiful including the River Kent which was about 50 feet wide and nearly waist deep on me.
The goody bag was nice and included a reasonable quality cotton t-shirt (meh), a small water bottle (useful), some chocolate (I got a double decker - superb!) and a small bar of Kendal mint cake (bleurgh) and a bottle of water. There were also free cups of tea or coffee and biscuits at the end for runners.
All told, a great run and a unique experience and one which I would definitely do again.
Date of review: June 8, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Lucy Dumbell
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A very friendly, well organised race, really enjoyable and challenging but OK for all.
Date of review: June 8, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: lloyd1970clark
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well worth the effort
In full: I entered the cross bay challenge more out of curiosity for the bay than for the run and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Running on wet sand and having wet feet/legs for 13 of the 13.1 miles was a different experience as was the remoteness of the bay itself.
My only real gripe would be that the rest of the family took part in the cross bay walk but due to the start times, they were waiting for over an hour at the end in chilly temperatures and whilst runners were offered tea, biscuits and bananas at the end of the run, walkers were turned away! Even my six year old who had just completed the cross bay walk, was refused a banana! Hardly what I would expect from a caring charity.
But the 'jobs-worth' staff apart, the run was overall well organised and the waist deep river crossing gave a nice mid-way ice bath experience!
Date of review: June 8, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: run_for_life
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 2nd time and already thinking about the 3rd. Well worth all the aches and pains.
Date of review: June 8, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Paulo Haitch 2
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Unlike any other race, a must-do for all fans of awesomeness.
Date of review: June 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Wool
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Terrific! An awesome adventure race with all the niceties of a big road race
In full: Wow! This is a challenging adventure race in amazing surroundings with all the soft touches that even the best road races so often get wrong: great transit, goody bag, tshirt, bottled water, comedy marshalls, efficient start, plenty of toilets. My wife did the walk and has similar comments. My tip: don't try and run across the river, save your energy and our quads with a gentle wade!! A serioius well done to the organizers.
Date of review: June 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Monkey Gonzales
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Love this race... you gotta try it if you haven't already
In full: My 2nd Cross Bay Challenge and I loved it even more than the first. The atmosphere was fantastic, the marshals on the sands (and off for that matter) do a brilliant job looking after everyone and are really friendly and supportive. Well done to the organisers - keep it up.
Date of review: June 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Robin Wells 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Something different, challenging and a great experience.
In full: A great event which is completely different to anything I have done before or likely to do again. Organisation was good and very focussed on safety which is imperative with this race. Weather was on kind side, good atmosphere, challenging and very different terrain to run on. Mileage was probably short of full half marathon and markers slightly inaccurate which they advised beforehand, but given the race location was to be expected. Would do it again and only advise where older running shoes and grow webbed feet.
Date of review: June 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Geraint Johnes
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Amazing, just amazing, just amazing... This run is so different from anything else you can experience. The organisation and atmosphere are exemplary. The wade through the river Kent makes PBs unlikely, but this race has left me really buzzing. A must
Date of review: June 7, 2010
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