Events

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		80%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: OK race, but nothing special
In full: First time at this race, and the organisation was as good as expected. The route was fine with very minimal inclines, but sadly the last couple of miles full into the wind put paid to any chance of a PB. On a calm day it would definitely have been on. After the race we sampling the Bupa hospitality then wandered along to the aquarium and pottered around there for some time on the assumption that by the time we came out the car parks would be reasonably clear. WRONG! They were chaos, and it took substantially longer to get out of there than it did to actually run the race. But I'm not blaming the organisers for this - they're constrained by the fact there aren't many exits and the fact that there were still roads closed. No, the chaos was caused by selfish inconsiderate drivers who rather than queuing with everybody else insisted on creating their own lines and queues and taking any shortcut they could find that might save them one car length. It completely ruins any traffic plans that the organisers may have had, and creates even more frustration for the other drivers.

Anyway, I can now say I've done the Great South Run, and next year I'll go back to the Cabbage Patch 10 which is all around a much better event.
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		60%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Good race but just too expensive - and even more next year!
In full: I travelled by train which went very smoothly. I was in Orange wave A which gave me a fairly clear run. This is my 4th GSR but I'm not sure if I will do next year. £36 is a lot for what you get.
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		80%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Windy but exceptionally uplifting
In full: This was my first official 10 mile race and I loved it all. Even if my time needs certainly some improvements, I enjoyed the whole thing. I didn't know that we were going by the HMS Victory, a real surprise! And with Spinnaker tower and the wonderful Southsea beach, well... it was more of a sightseeing day. And the music along the way... and the people so warmly cheering us up! Really, just fantastic, it kept me going and will definitely do it again. But next year I'll catch a train: the real challenge of this race is not the running bit, it is getting out of the car park!!!
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Glad I parked the car 1 1/2 miles away!
In full: Nice to see the dockyard and it's associated history, then through bland streets until you head back to the seafront. The spectators wer marvellous at supporting runners as they went through, very uplifting. For me, everything went very well on the organisation front, apart from the start. My fastest mile was number 4 once it had all settled down. Very expensive in comparison to similar races and you don't get anything more tangible for it. I'll do it again, and hope to be injury free next time.....
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		100%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Good Race - Shame about the TV Coverage
In full: Well run race. We parked in the town and walk so had no problems getting out just a 20 min cool down walk! I was hoping for more coverage of us other runners on the TV ;)
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		60%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Everything you'd expect from a big race.
In full: I love this race because its in my town, and really shows Portsmouth at its best. Such a great route. Would really recommend this to beginners, because the atmosphere and distance are perfect. My complaints would be the price, way too expensive for the distance, also, the waves don't appear to be a complete match of abilities. I spent upto 5 miles trying to overtake endless slower people in front of me. Would do again, although might claim a faster predicted finish time.
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Great race spoiled by bad start
In full: This was my fifth successive year but feel very let down by the poor start. I was in the Orange Wave last year and ran in 1:26. This year I was put in White Wave C. I had a feeling this was wrong when I saw the 1:45 pacemaker at the back of Wave B!
Instead of being controlled 2 minute starts for each wave, it seems all the white wave were let off en masse. Within 800 yards, I was having to dodge people walking or collecting money in buckets. I, along with many others, took to the pavement, to try to get past the fun runners. At the first corner, everyone stopped due to the mass of people. I even overtook the 1:35 pace setter just after mile 3.
It took me ages to get into my stride and my best time was the 5th mile. I used so much energy to make up lost time that I was knackered by mile 8, and had to settle with a very disappointing time 9 minutes off my PB.
I have no problem with fun and charity runners, but they must be realistic about their expected finishing times when applying. I feel I have wasted months of training. This race is too big. Either I lie on my application for next year and predict a sub 60 mins time to get a decent starting place, or I support a smaller, cheaper event.
Date of review: October 25, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: great first race, would do again :)
In full: would suggest going by train to avoid car chaos, other than that great
Date of review: December 4, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		100%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		80%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Great race, well organised, nice course with plenty of support. Too many people in the wrong waves though and wet whether meant people didn't hang around too much. Definately do it again though.
Date of review: November 16, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: A friendly race and a good day out,
Date of review: November 9, 2008

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