Events

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

In full: As Edinburgh was my first marathon i really enjoyed it and i cannot wait to do it all again, the only one thing i would like to say is there were not enough toilets, i was still queing for the loos when the race started, i had been stood there for 30mins.
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Embarrased to say I'm from Edinburgh.
In full: Perhaps I was expecting too much, with my only previous marathon being London, which seems to run like a well-oiled machine, but I thought the organisation at my home marathon was pathetic, especially considering how much they charge.
1 The start. How easy is it to get to at 8 O'clock on a Sunday morning? I'm not wanting to walk for a mile or two when I am about to run 26. The pens at the start were a joke. The one for runners aiming to do 3 to 3.5 hours was only 4 metres long!! Who decided that? The lack of toilets was ridiculous - I suspect the Queen will have to buy a new hedge soon with all the watering it got from desperate men. The mile markers were tiny - a single orange piece of A4 paper - easily missed.
The handwritten signs near the end did nothing to give a sense of a professionally produced race - and were misleading. On entering the park at the end one sign said 300m to go (queue big finishing spurt), only to find 400m down the road a sign saying 400m to go.
The baggage organisation was pitiful, with most people finding it easier to find their bags themselves.
The lack of any catering facilities near the finish was also poor - I'm sorry, a couple of burger vans after a marathon is not inspiring.
And having to wait until today (Tuesday) before results are available is pre-historic.
Just to prove I'm not completely negative, I thought the course was good and reasonably scenic (Edinburgh doesn't have any grim housing estates - they are all in Glasgow!)
Rant over - It has taken me 48 hours to summon up the energy.

Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Relay - but it made me desperate to do it for real soon !!!
In full: Toilets, toilets, toilets - As a relay runner doing the first leg, I had a lot of hanging around to do and the lack of loos (and loo roll) was particulariy dispiriting after a while. The section I ran was gorgeous - apart from the cobbles which made me terrified of slipping. I was no where near the real runners but I saw the a lot of tired marathoners being passed by furiously sprinting team members at the end and did think it must be very offputting after running for 5 hours to have some fresh eejit going hell for leather past you, but I was thrilled to be able to take part in something like this without having to do the whole thing.

I actually thought it wasn't bad value for money as we only paid 20 each but got to experience a bit of the marathon feel. Most of my team vowed to do a whole one in the near future - watching the marathoners crossing the line was a very uplifting experience - even for a spectator.

I thought the expo would have been less of a disapointment if it hadn't been hyped in the emails and on the website and as I am not from Edinburgh I traveled through to get my numbers etc in advance and it seemed a bit of an unnecessary pain in the neck.

Still - they are learning I guess and I will def do it next year. The marshalls were fantastic - despite the ones who were smoking - nearly every one I passed had an encouraging word.

Sugar was very weird thing to have in a goody bag though.
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: My first marathon, great atomsophere, could have been organised better
In full: Very enjoyable, my fellow runners got me round. In parts the scenery was great, but a lot of it was around the coast, and when it started raining, -that didnt help!!Oragnisation was quite poor at the start-not enough toilets!!
I said i wpould never do a marathon again, but im already planning the next one!And yes, i will do this one again..a great experince in all
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		20%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Boring route, expensive, no toilets, no results
In full: I live in Edinburgh and was positively ashamed for the city if this is the best route they could come up with. 10 miles along the hideous industrial coast FFS. Ten toilets for 11,000 runners -- bloody disgraceful for 40 quid. Start was a _TOTAL_ shambles, no pens, first 10 miles was trying to weave around people. No result for 72hrs!!! Route map and profile was an absolute joke - illegible.
On the plus side, the medal was quite nice and the cours is pretty flat apart from the last 6 miles -- what were they thinking???
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Having read many of the reviews I would question if those full of critisism have been involved in race organisation. Be grateful that there are those who volunteer to provide these events for everyones benefit.
In full: Thanks to the organisers and volunteers for a great day. The support on the course and at the finish was very encouraging. I agree more loos and a little better layout to enable runners to get to the start would be worthwhile, particulary if the race is to grow year on year. Loved the support from the Edinburgh people during those last two or three tough uphill miles from beach to volcano! Thankyou Edinburgh.
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		40%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Too expensive, a fairly dull route and where were all the loos?
In full: This was my first marathon, which for the first 10 miles I really enjoyed, then suddenly there were contraflow systems, very disheartening. And the shore side 9-10 miles got pretty tedious after a while. Toilets throughout were a major problem, thank god for the public loos at Portobello. Absolutely loved (not) the final uphill section with sore legs and soaking kit!!!!!

And who was that woman on the bike who appeared every 4 or 5 miles? I nearly smacked her in the last stretch.
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Yes it is the marathon distance but, no, it is certainly not 26.2 miles of "a spectacularly scenic route", unless you are partial to running round grim housing estates
In full: If the organisers are really serious about making this one of Scotland’s premier sporting events, why can't they take a leaf out of the book of the Great Manchester Run, which has been going for a similar amount of time, but is far more professionally run? Basic provisions such as changing and loo facilities, for example, were found badly wanting. The results service was also appalling, fuelling the parochial feel (unless one lives in Edinburgh or knows somebody who does and can buy the local paper, you can forget about getting your official time until over 48 hours have passed). Rather than aiming to "provide Scotland’s capital with an annual athletics event of the same calibre as the host of international festivals that the city is so famous for", they'd be more honest in billing it as an "unusual" event.
Overall, it seemed altogether more like a village fayre.

Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Beautiful scenery in parts! Love the medal and Ladies' Reebok T-shirt! Could have planned pace better with more accurate course profile and map. Did anyone check it?? Energy drinks would be more useful at Expo than magnets and titanium! Very bizarre!
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: My second Edinburgh experience and course changes were all for the better. A faster time than previously and a great day. More toilets at start line would have been helpful!
Date of review: June 14, 2005

Report this rating to the moderator