Sussex Beacon Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (483 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: AdrianR
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Rotten weather and some issues with organisation but I enjoyed it.
In full: Fourth time I have run this race and I agree with most of the postings re the organsiation.
If it is to have 6,000+ runners in future then the bottlenecks need to be sorted, and there were far too many slower runners starting near the front.
But the marshalls etc deserve special thanks for their enthusiasm on a very wet day.
Despite the problems I will be back.
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Lesley Lewis
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: disapointing,badlyorganised,bottleneck course,overcrowded! could do better!
In full: my home town half, how disapointing! over subscribed, no time places, course in part so narrow in places you had to walk, or run in the road narrowly missing traffic (i saw one bus swerve to avoid runners,) no crowd control, lots of elbowing and shoving as a result of the above. Water stations sighns not visable. Long waits at the finish line for every thing and no goody bag! unsupervised baggage area. I feel very sad for the first time half runners , I know in previous years this has been a fab race. Bad weather and change of course is no excuse for bad organisation.
Thanks to all those who volunteered, and supported on such a horrible day (and those who ran)
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: luna man
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Just not quite up to previous years' high standards
In full: Usual problems with big popular races - bottlenecks at the start, and apparently at the finish this time. Great marshall support though, slick results service, can't blame 'em for the awful weather!
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Carla Terry
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: caotic at the start and finish
In full: I have done this race before and do have to agree with the other comments..very congested, not enough toilets, think the logistics need to be slicker... but I was mostly dissapointed coming into the finish line.. I couldn't cross it due to the backlog of people. the "de chippers" should have been placed further down so that the runners could spread out more and cross the finish line at least!!! that's the best bit!!!!... I think the biggest problems was the pure volume of runners.. you need to tighten the logistics.. or reduce numbers
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: simonclarkson
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% |
In short: Managed PB but no thanks to the organisers: Skimping on organisation reduced pleasure and safety - inexcusable given premium price and burgeoning numbers - shame.
In full: My entry cost £5 more than the well-organised Watford Half in the same month, but despite this the signage was poor, the route was not only unimaginative and repetitive, but over-crowded and at one point dangerous, and water stations were woefully under-staffed: Time-zone signage at the start was minimal and obsured (low height, only visible face-on), and meant having to weave through throngs of slower runners for the first 2 miles. Routed through the Brighton Lanes during mile 2, which were unmarshalled with hazards not flagged or marked and could not cope with volume of runners, a number of us almost ran straight into a metal bollard. A further bottleneck just past 2 miles due to lack of road closure opposite the pier meant cramming suddenly onto the pavement. Meanwhile understandably the route had been altered a few weeks beforehand due to winter weather conditions, but the solution seemed slap-dash, with a 3 mile out & back coastal stretch simply repeated. Water stations may as well have been unmanned, as there were too few staff to effectively hand out cups to runners, hence what few staff were there, were (unfortunately) in the way. In case my comments seem anything other than constructive, I did manage a gratifying PB, but this really was despite the organisation. I realise the proceeds of the race go to a good cause, but surely value and safety should come first. Felt like a rip off.
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Eleanore Bennett
| | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: the weather wasn't the only dampner on the event.
In full: So you can't help the rain, but you can make up for the misery by having slick organisation. This was text book 'How NOT to organise a half marathon'. There was the usual loo shortage (more extreme in this case), but it was chaos at the start. This continued after the race began as people clearly did not start within their predicted time. Bottlenecks, pedestrians,street furniture and cars were some of the obstacles to contend with on the course. No mile markers that I could see.The finish line was already congested at 1.40 (let alone what it must have been like later on) with well wishers, chip removers and people handing out flyers. I really hope they raised a lot of money for charity, but I won't be back.
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Allan Hyde
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A trifle inclement, well done everyone who ran. marshaled or supported
In full: For me this was a training run on the way to the London Marathon and I feel I achieved something by taking part and finishing today. . This was all about the weather and the course change - neither of which were in the organiser's control. Yes improvements can (and should) be made but presumably the 'cheap' medal and lack of extras means more goes to charity. After all wasn't this what the run was about?
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: ben morgan
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Could do better
In full: Not much I can add to what everyone else has said.
The weather didn't help, but the bottleneck through Brighton city centre is madness - they could really do with changing this & going back to the old route where it was all along the sea front.
Here's hoping the organisers read all the comments & make it better for the years to come.
Fundamentally it's a really good race which attracts a lot of people & is for a good cause. A few tweaks & it could be great again.
Shame about this year though...
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Bushwacka1973
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Organizers should be shot
In full: No, actually, shooting's too good for them, they should be disemboweled with a rusty spoon.
Ok, so there was some good - I got a PB, the race packs were sent out on time and there was chip timing. Also nice to have a decent sponsor in the form of Lucozade with some free energy drinks on the way round...
The bad though:
- hardly any mile markers on the way round.
- poorly laid out post finish line area meant you had to queue to get across the finish line if you finished at a popular time (eg 2hrs). My chip time was therefore about 1 min slower than the time I arrived at the finish, defeating the point of one of the good points mentioned above. I understand having to queue to get across the start (hence chip timing), but at the finish? Never before in my life!
- medal was provided this time (they obviously listened to all the complaining last year after promising a medal and then not offering one, just a goody bag). This year, no goody bag though! Doh!!! Medal, Banana and Tin foil cape for £22. Not exactly cheap.
WORST OF ALL THOUGH (and eliciting the 'they should be shot' bit)....
The baggage area was unmanned after the end - basically you just went in and helped yourself to your bag. Or if you were so inclined you could help yourself to the contents of someone else's. Thankfully nothing of mine was stolen, and I hope everyone else was so lucky, but this bit was ridiculous!!! I understand the concept of 'left at your own risk', but it wasn't made clear or expected that the level of risk was that you were leaving it there unmanned. Shocked, stunned, appalled....
I've given relatively high marks for scenery and atmosphere - the scenery can be good if it's not raining like **** and blowing a hooly (which unfortunately it was this year), and atmosphere was a good 'big race' reminder ahead of the London Marathon - there are some things that having 6,000 participants replicates that training runs don't.
So in summary, terrible weather (not the organizer's fault, I grant you), terrible mistakes by the organizers. Despite having a good day, meeting a couple of friends and getting a PB, I can't see me going back again.
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Money_penny
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Over-crowded and poor organisation
In full: Totally agree with the gripes expressed by other runners. This was my third year running this half, and I doubt I will do it again. Would be interested to know how the numbers have changed over the years, but I think the numbers are too high - the route is congested in too many places, the start/finish area is too cramped, NEVER enough portaloos, and the finishing line (when I could eventually get over it) was a joke. As was the amount of time it took to get "processed." A real shame.
Date of review: February 21, 2010
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