Run to the Beat Half-MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (128 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: Carb loader
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Disappointing overall, won't do this one again. Run to what Beat?
In full: The Good - mainly downhill on the last 4 miles, very welcome. Bag drop off and collection was well run.
The Bad - poor organisation, tube delays so those who were on time had to wait 45 mins in the cold. Announcements about race delays not very effective. No warm up facilities/area. My first time at Run to the Beat, had expectations of great music all around the course, yet I only saw a handful of live bands on route, the rest was recorded music at a few places. I'm just glad I took my own MP3 player with my own music so I ran to my beat. My garmin also told me I ran 13.3 miles.
The Ugly - very expensive to enter, to be rewarded with a medal only was disappointing. A cereal bar and a bottle of water doesn't meet the £35 entry fee, together with £10 to park, it's a rip-off. Wish I'd dressed up as a Gorilla and run the other race in London today.
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Euan Philipps
| | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A shambles from beginning to end
In full: A lot of runners will see an event like Run to the Beat as their first time once a year big race, but with organisation and travel chaos like I've just experienced they are unlikely to want to make the race experience a repeat one. Tube closures wrought havoc (the start was delayed)while runners were not helped by piss poor stewarding and an amateur approach to event coordination.
The event was dealt a bad hand with the Jubilee Line being down, but that shouldn't let the organisers off the hook for an event that was absolutely shoddy. It took 35 minutes to get past the start line, 30 minutes to pick up my bag, there was no goody bag and the music was shite.
The cost of the ticket was criminal, and for the money spent by 17,000 runners surely a contingency should have been in place for the tube being down - it does happen sometimes in London you know.
WILL NEVER DO THIS RACE EVER AGAIN!!!
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Gavlar C
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: My first HM was glad just to complete it
In full: Although my first HM have done plenty of other races. It follows the same vein as the London 10K in that lots of people and not many staff. I was lucky and drove there so avoided the tube but got caught on being sent on a fools errand at the exit from the O2 area. I didn't leave my bag at the storage but had to enter the bun fight to exit and drop off the chip. Why did they not collect them when handing out the medals? NO goody bag!! so like everyone else took loads of freebies but did refrain from taking a box full!!! Will I do it next year???? it's local!
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Slow loris
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: This race suffers from being at the mercy of the awful Jubilee line
In full: We ran this race in 2008 and had a terrible time getting there because of the Jubilee Line. Same again this year, so both years the race has been delayed by 45 minutes which means that runners are huddling together like penguins in the chill wind that blows in from the Thames estuary. There are plenty of loos and the baggage facilities are good, but the start pens are awful - it took 30 minutes to get to the start line by which stage I was almost hypothermic. A good course, well-marshalled and a good crowd. As in 2008 there is actually very little music and most of it is not lilve. My main complaint ithough is that there was no goody bag and the sight of hungry runners scrabbling in the lliiter for discarded cereal bars was just awful. I will give this race a miss from now on.
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Chris Collinson 2
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Local For Me
In full: Heard about the tube delays in 2008 and it poured with rain then, but I didn't run.
Ran in 2009, no delays, weather perfect, time 1hr 31min and secs.
Yes the tube delays were annoying, but can't really fault the organisers and the race was put back 45mins. The announcements regarding this were pretty poor, but the changing area, the baggage drop off and number of toilets are above par compared to many other races I've run.
Apart from a slight wind, perfect running conditions, thought I was on to finally break 90mins for a half marathon, but sagged in the second half to finish in approx. 1hr 32mins 51secs (official times not out yet).
The race has climbs up and down, and is one that I will do again, as it's so local for me. It's quite strange running past your house in an organised race !
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Norfolk Miler
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Could do better
In full: Not sure if their tape measure was out but my Garmin showed 13.32 from start mat to finish and it is not normally out. Organisation could have been better as signage around O2 poor. Race booklet index and contents did not match. Music was not audible all the way round and as this is marketed as 'run to the beat' it is a bit of a misnomer. Crowd support OK.
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Chris Bard
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Poor organisation - overpriced and no goody bag - nor much music
In full: No completely their fault the Jubilee line was a mess and delayed the race, but the organisation was pretty poor - not enough helpers and the signage was dreadful. And where was all the music promised - this is supposed to be a music based event - I think I counted 3 live bands on the course and the rest were just recorded tracks playing out of a van. An to cap it all having paid out £35 - just a medal? That's taking advantage!
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Roy Hardy 2
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: London Underground ruined it again.
In full: I ran it in 2008 and decided not to in 2009 because of the awful trouble i had getting there due to tube problems.
Went for it again this year and the same thing happened. Jubilee Line suspended all morning meaning a massive detour and a lift from a mate got me there 20 mins before the delayed start. On the way home I got stuck on a tube to stratford for an hour.
The race is ok, reasonably well organised if not a little chaotic at the end with people giving out cerial bars rather than goodie bags.
I don't see what the fuss is about with the music, it did nothing for me and is just a silly gimmick.
All in all all not one i'll bother doing again, primarily due to the transport issues.
Date of review: September 26, 2010
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