The PicnicHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (159 votes). 2009 race reviewed by: Joe Hawk
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: If you want to be challenged .....
In full: do this, if not stick to the road.
It was a great run yesterday a few places which could have done with slightly better signing on the first leg were sorted out on the second time round (ment I did 26.9M more miles for my money :-)). If you want to do this do some hill training and steps if you can.
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: DavidWBush
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: This was no picnic !
In full: Fantastic race, live up to all expectations. Despite all the forums and the details on the race website, I still undersetimated just how hard those steps were going to be, they did my calves in on the first set !
Fantastic marshalling, really supportive and great supply of jelly babies and jaffa cakes.
It was the runners that really made it though, both the support from the other picnicers and the fantastic support from the halves.
Sounds like there was a few issues with the course but my strategy of staying near the back meant i wasn't bothered by them ! The 3'40 seems incerdibly fast and when I was at mile 10 and the 4 front runners were already 5 miles ahead of me it was a bit off putting! I was also running with another guy at this point who said he was stopping at the half way .... he was very encouraging but having the thought of stopping firmly planted did make it difficult to turn around at the bottom of the start/finish hill !
Thanks to the lady who shared miles 21 to 24 with me (Oxford / in the army ??). We agreed that it was all about finishing at that point and got through the last hills and steps together !
In summary, a fantastic race and a real challenge, will make any normal marathon seem like a walk in the park!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: Ian McCarthy
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Hard as Nails!
In full: What a great race....altough I'm sure some sod had put more steps in since 2007! Great organisation, fantastic atmosphere and a course as hard as nails....what more could anyone ask for from a Saturday afternoon (well evening by the time I staggered over the finish line!) Well done and many thanks Dr Rob!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: NaomiP
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Lives up to its Hardest Marathon in Britain reputation
In full: A vertical mile of ascent apparently, and it felt like two. We missed one turn but made up the distance by running up and down the field with the bulls in it a few more times, you can't run the Picnic short.
Marshalls were all excellent, and the signs were inspired, particularly the one half way up a hill exhorting us to "put some effort in". Brilliant medal, and a wicking t-shirt with our names on it, and a hat at the finish, and loads of food if you can face it.
Don't bother with the Munro, why run a half when you can do the proper distance?!?
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: Lorenzo
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Brutal. Nothing else to say, just brutal
In full: Billed as the hardest marathon in Britain, it certainly lived up to its name. I'm sure that the views were the same (i.e. fantastic) on the second lap as they were on the first, but the pain meant I didn't see them!
Apart from a slight glitch with the signage in one place, the logistics were spot on, the marshalls were encouraging and the camaraderie amongst runners was unbelievable.
Just don't go into this one thinking it's just another trail marathon - it's not!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: Andreas Doerfler
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: The perfect suicidal marathon!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: Rat Race
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: A good challenge
In full: Had a fantastic day out. Run went better than expected. A minor navigational glitch meant some of us had to do extra loop, which was fine. Something that could easily be ironed out in future.
Well organised and great goody bag at finish! The hat is great & medal is a monster (like those hills & steps!).
Hill training helps for this event!
Do it!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: Andy "Roadrunner" Southern
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: There's tough and there's The Picnic!
In full: Just a quick note to let all you nutters out there that I've put 3 videos up on YouTube, 2 at the Start of the race and 1 of me cruising down the Burford Slope to the finish!
Type The Picnic 2009 or my user name RED1028 into the search box to view them and other footage of Trionium events I've done. I will add a full review soon but now I'm off to bed as tomorrow I'm going to a Healing Festival in Guilford which is called, strangely enough, The Picnic! Great effort today guys: Rob "pain is my middle name" Mccaffrey, the runners, marshalls, supporters and the weather DJ in the sky, a fantastic event.
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2009 race reviewed by: CaptwonderPants
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Better than last time.... which was great
In full: It was great. I Did not finish but the event was great. going to run it when not injured to EARN my t shirt
Date of review: June 20, 2009
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2007 race reviewed by: Bob Maguire
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Lived up to expectations, tough hills and LOTS of steps !! with a great atmosphere.
In full: Had a great day and haven't stopped telling all my running mates (and everybody else) about it - maybe a few more club members will do it in two years time.
The glass momento was brilliant, probably the best I've received in 25 years of running.
The atmosphere was very friendly and encouraging - I liked the low key atmosphere at the start - half a dozen of us turned up early and were co-opted into carrying stuff up the bottom of the hill to the start.
I found the course lived up to expectations - nice variation of terrain - dirt paths, grass, steps, rocky paths, more steps, a bridge and stepping stones (under water) in a river, oh and did I mention steps? plus somehow the organiser managed to provide lots of lovely mud in June! Fantastic!
Got slightly confusing when the Midsummer Munro runners first appeared on the course round the loop down to the river but they were so encouraging when passing them going the other way during the second half - I think they thought we were just crazy.
The marshalls were great - thanks, everybody.
Nice to hear the Lone Piper again.
Loved it and will be back in two years time.
Date of review: June 27, 2007
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