Grand Union Canal Half Marathon  Here's how RW members rated this race (173 votes). 2007 race reviewed by: Jon Scarr
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Good race. Needs more toilets at the start though
Date of review: November 12, 2007
|
|
2007 race reviewed by: Andrew R
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Nice to run point to point for a change.
In full: Another decent run from Purple Patch. Much better marshalling than at the Thames Towpath in the summer. Although it was 90% flat along the towpath the steep ramps under every bridge made it interesting. Could have done with more toilets at the start.
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Rug 19
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Typical towpath toiler
In full: Great to be involved in the first ever. Buses to start meant a chance to chat to other runners-quite a nice change. More toilets always a popular tip. I had to improvise in the park behind the locked gents-oh the irony.Race was friendly with minimal support and water stations (i hope something unpleasant happens to the chavs who stole the mile 3 water supply)...but the weather was near-perfect and a lovely run was had by most.Next year a t-shirt.goody-bag and more water and toilets please! see you next year.
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Leslie Youngman
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Not enough refreshments
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Spencer Steel
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Flat - good for beginners
In full: I'm not a 'fast' runner, yet I managed to do my first sub 2 hr (1:55) so I'm happy. I imagine this is the lack of hills, so if you're after a steady run in cool conditions, this will be good.
I was worried about the run ... how would a few hundred people down a narrow canal fair ...
... the start is a lap of a field, which soon splits people up and apart from one gate near the beginning that caused a bit of a pileup, it wasn't that bad - no worse than other races i've done. The organisers had limited the amount of people it allowed to run - sensibly - it was a good number.
I heard some people at the end of the race complaining about the under footing and I guess if you're hard-nosed street runner, you won't like it - but what did they expect - it's a canal !!!
The event felt 'small' but everything was efficiently done (although someone stole the 3mile water stop overnight!!)
There was a van to drop off your bags, which was there waiting for us at Watford, which was very well done.
I had a great run - it's only my 2nd ever half-marathon ... the first was a very hot and hilly St.Albans, so this was much needed confidence boost and I was happy with my pace and result.
Might not be for everyone, but I personally had a great day. The sun even came out !
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Kerry EVANS 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: It's flat what more can i say!
In full: Great flat race and excellent as my first half marathon. Really enjoyed myself and so pleased that i kept running throughout! Would have been better with more water stations 13.1 miles is a long way to run with only two small water stations. Also would love more toilets at the start as queuing at Tesco's for almost 40 mins to use their smelly loo was not the best start. Toilets on the route would have been excellent and a goody bag at the end with some kind of energizing drink would have made the finish sooo much better. Overall a great race that i enjoyed doing.
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Ruth22
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well meaning but teething problems. Terrain harder than expected.
In full: Definitely needed portaloos at the start - major ommission. Don't quite understand what happened to the water station at mile 3 - I only heard afterwards that it was stolen?? Difficult if, like me, you hadn;'t brought your own. Terrain was much harder going than i anticipated - I was hoping for a PB but ran a minute slower than a recent race. Organisers were very encouraging which helped make up for lack of spectators due to the nature of the route - hard to find motivation when the energy levels dipped.
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Joe Hawk
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good race , well organised which is 90% flat.
In full: i personnally did not enjoy the race much, as I was still sore from the Marlow race the week before.The course is quite fast as I limped round in just over two hours. Would do it again unless I get fitter I need more than a week to recover.
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Chilli Pepper
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good transport, great route, nice to do a bit of 'off' road', 2nd best time of the year so OK with me
In full: Loos at the start would be good, easier to overtake than i thought before the race, good first timers race in my view and fun for the more experienced as well. 8.5/10
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
2007 race reviewed by: Rachael Reynolds
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Exactly what it said on the tin!
In full: 13 miles along the tow path of the Grand Union canal! Slightly ankle wrenching at points where you couldn't see what was under the leaves and not many overtaking options - but we knew that would be how it was.
Loos at start only downside. Yes, H'y it did say where they were in the literature but not that there was only one in the petrol station or that the public loos would be locked! Never did find out where the pub was. It really needs portaloos. Part of my race prep is endless pre race loo queueing and not being able to "go" at the last minute was rather off putting.
Nice chunky medal and look forward to doing it in the other direction!
Date of review: November 11, 2007
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
