Brighton Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (219 votes). 2012 race reviewed by: Shen-Lung
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: I must have missed the memo that said half mara's are now over 13.5 miles!
In full: Worked hard to train to get a PB for this race and did get one - however would have been more impressive if the course had been measured properly. This cost me 4 minutes on my time - which is a big difference for me. It measured on my garmin at over 13.5 miles, as everyone has said the problem being between mile 4 and 5 by the time I got to mile 7 I was over half a mile out - alot when your chasing a certain time.
The finish after was shambolic with no real organisation or knowing where to go - out of 6 other runners only one ended up with a goodie bag (which was just full of advertising stuff), 2 managed to get a wrist band, not everyone got a 'cup' of water, we all did manage to get a medal. For the cost this is now just a money making exercise with no thought put in to what runners at all levels actually want from a race - I will not be back which is a shame as I've run this race about 5 times - each year there just seems to be more problems.
If you can't be bothered to measure it properly then why not just advertise it as an expensive fun run for those not going for times.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Allan Harley
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: The half marathon that wasn't...
In full: I recorded 13.51 miles, and the differential changed the rhythm of my race and my approach/strategy... I agree with earlier comments, getting the distance right is race 101 stuff, no excuses - and I haven't seen any race organiser comments yet. For the record, my trusty Garmin 305 had mile 4 at 3.9, mile 5 at 5.4.... a country mile, maybe.
However - good medal, ok organisation, good support and thanks to all the marshalls as always.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Mike Ellis-Martin
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Beautiful day - thanks to the poor baggage crew
In full: Not much can be added to the conversation about the distance. I'd just like to say thank you to the people at the baggage tent who worked incredibly hard. They really needed more help but can't blame the organisers as getting volunteers can be difficult.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: HAZEL Reilly
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: distance 0.5 wrong.very cross.
In full: have they got a garmin!
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Sam Vardy
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Turn out East in the wrong place.
In full: I did the 2011 and 2012 half marathons and have just compared the maps recorded on my Garmin (via Garmin connect). As many suspected, the turn out East (between 4 and 5 miles) was about 300 metres further on this time (adding approx. 600 metres to the course). Very frustrating.
Good course otherwise, but a silly error from the organisers to get it wrong in the first place and then very lazy not to check the distance.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Dan Lisi
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Beautiful course, pity the distance was out
In full: A beautiful day for a run and a great course along the seafront. Shame the organisers couldn't measure the course out correctly, I measured 13.5 miles, making for a disappointing finish after training for the event.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Cookie123
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race marred by wrongly measured distance
In full: As others have said the course measured almost half a mile too long, even allowing for Garmin inaccuracies and the extra distance you run dodging peoole that isn't great. It would have made the difference between a PB for me and a few others I'm sure. The toilet queues were also badly managed with a barrier put too close to the loos. I queued for 30 mins and there were lots of people still not in the starting pens when the run started because of the queues. better signposting and queue management would have sorted it. Other than that a really enjoyable race but not sure if I'd do it again given the problems.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Benjy76
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race....shame it wasn't actually a half-marathon
In full: My timings totally agreed with the previous reviewer. The error was almost certainly between mile 4 and 5.
It's such a shame. The weather was fantastic and the organisation was very very good apart from the distance error, but distance matters an enormous amount.
My time was 1.31.46, if the course had been correctly measured I would have been inside 1.30, a personal best and something I would have felt incredibly proud of. I will still have fond memories of the Brighton HM but they will always be tinged with an intense disappointment.
I trained very hard to go sub 1.30 but the record book says I failed.
PS: I wore a t-shirt saying "I'm Ben!". To any of the people who shouted my name, thank you, made a massive difference.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Oi Oi
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: BIG measurement error at top turn
In full: As everyone else has said, shocker with the course measurement. It was specifically between mile 4 and 5, some dope had put the turn too far away, so that mile turned out to be about 1.35 miles. Yes, there usually is some degree of error with Garmins, but NOT that bad!
I thought everything else with the organisation was good and efficient, just shame such a major error let them down badly and I hope they issue a statement of apology.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Ellie Hailey
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% |
In short: Lovely race - just needs a few tweaks
In full: Pros - Great course, well organised, lovely atmosphere, brilliant chip timing/results online v.quickly, clear mile and km markers.
Cons - Only a medal, no t-shirt. Rubbish goody bags. Start area v.crowded and confused.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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