Tonbridge Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (131 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: VERITY BRADLEY
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well marshalled, good atmosphere and friendly crowd of supporters
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: helen Roberts 27
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Adam Thoroughgood
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A nice little half, with some hills. "Undulating" is certainly the correct word for the route.
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: AmandaTW
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Overal thought brilliant race with excellent organisation.
In full: Was a very tough course, knew it would be but on the day with the heat it felt even harder than I expected.
Only thing was the side access to your start time by the time we got to the start it was almost impossible to get down to the kind of times we were aiming for.
Made my day having Dame Kelly present medal, which is a really nice one.
Think organisers should be proud as was really impressed with everything about the race thought really well done.
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Iain Mitchell 3
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great event, well organised, something for everybody
In full: Although this is the inagural event, the whole thing was very well organised. I liked the fact that the preferred car park was very close to the start and teh changing area, so close that I did n't bother with the baggage area at all. Slight holes to pick- the start was cramped and impossible to get to your predicted finish position (or perhaps everyone had got there early). Weather helped, and thank you to the chap in one of the villages who was blasting out disco tunes on his ipod - that really helped!
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Kate Walker 12
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Wonderful day out
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: David Jones 39
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Excellent race with a lot of potential
In full: Great first effort by the organisers. Particular plaudits for the organisation (good pre-race instructions, lots of road closures, plenty of water stations, plenty of toilets, easily accessible HQ etc) and the quite amazing support throughout the route - from the marshalls and the spectators. It really makes a difference having so many supporters cheering everyone on.
The course was tough, especially in the unexpected heat but it was very well marshalled and traffic was never a problem.
As others have said, it was great to see Dame Kelly Holmes giving the race so much support.
Only suggestions for further improvement - a couple of sponge stations would be good and I agree that there should be some way for runners to access their time-zone from the side.
All in all though, a great first effort and a race that has the potential to grow into one of the biggest halfs in the South East.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Rod Barrett
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Very challenging; organisation good - couple of improvements possible
In full: I found this a tough run. I ran throughout the London Marathon but had to walk a few times here (although I had trained less). I am an old charity runner so I'm not going to do great times but I was 15 minutes slower than both Brighton and Norwich Half Marathons. As mentioned, the starting pens need to be larger with access other than from the rear. I had no problem with water stations but I was aware that one station was running out of water for the backmarkers - that mustn't happen. Next year? Just a 'maybe' but mainly because I'm getting too old for long hills.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Carb loader
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A very good first time race. Challenging course, lovely scenery, great to have Dame Kelly's support to start the race and put medals around finishers. Loved the support in the villages. Marshals and car parking good too.
In full: Only suggestion for next year would be to improve the start by allowing runners to enter the start line up where their predicted finish is, even with chip timing, if you end up stuck in a slower group (as I did and not able to squeeze up before the start) then you spend the first mile weaving in and out to get up to your race pace. Overall, well done Tonbridge. Thanks, see you next year.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: keef55
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Superb First Event
In full: Yes, it was tough at times (no individual hill was a killer - they kind of cumulatively get you in the end) and it was warm and I went off too fast so I paid in the end. But, this was a seriously good first event - all credit to the organisers and to the spectators who were awesome.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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