Nike Milton Keynes Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (558 votes). 2009 race reviewed by: Oliver Jones
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: good race but poor organisation
In full: Not the most well organised race in the world. For a big event of about 4000 people and sponsorship from Nike I wasn’t that impressed. The car park was OK on the way in but I gather that was only as I got there early and on the way out it was just a big log jam. In the end several people went out the wrong way along a one way system just to get out!! While others took nearly an hour to leave. This could have been avoided if somebody had been directing traffic.
The baggage storage was just a big room in the race HQ where you just left your bag, nobody was really watching them and there were no labels with the race pack, I made my own but seeing as there was nobody checking them I suppose it was unnecessary. My bag was moved and I know other people lost money out of theirs. Again, this was unnecessary!
The race start was just one big queue in a narrow road with no time zones and the finish funnel, while OK when I went through, apparently got very crowded later on as it was too narrow to cope with the number of people coming along at about 2 hours, which was potentially dangerous.
Still with a new PB for the distance and finishing before the rain came I’m fairly happy but all the above are things you would expect experienced race organisers to have foreseen. There was no bag at the end and no cereal bar etc which would have been nice considering the cost. It is a shame because although I am always appreciative for the hard (and often thankless work) that marshals do at races this could be a great race if the organisers got the detail right.
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
|
2009 race reviewed by: Tashcan
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A scrappy race, needed a staggered start line & organisers failed wit th the details.
In full: Should have had a shuttle bus running between MK central & the start line. A cereal bar at the end would have been good, it was a very long wait for taxi back to town in the cold. There was a lack of marshalls ( at the start/finsh line) or information signs and the end was horrific, felt like cattle bing herded into an area that was too small to recieve medals and being yelled at by one of the few marshall when the runners had no control over the siutation. Shame, this could be a great race if the organisers got the detail right (from a runners perspective). Oh, and what happened to the lucozade?????
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: Charlotte Pennell
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Too many dual carrraige ways to run on & not enought scenery
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: The Rat
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Never again
In full: Sorry to do this on here - but this was one of the worst organised events I am ever run in. I feel bad saying it as I am a massive supporter of those that volunteer on days like these to help get it organised, and it is a pretty thankless task. However we do all pay money - and I think therefore expect some organisation.
I arrived just out of the venue at 9.25, and was then directed back and forth until we were eventually parked at 10.15. Once I had found the (unmanned) baggage area, and navigated the queue for the two loo cubicles (why no signs or marshalls or anyone telling us there were another 25 at the start or in another building) - I had missed the start by 5 minutes. Apologies to those I had to try to navigate my way past on the way. Arrived back at the end - to find my bag had been rifled through (why no one watching or a manned baggage area) - (only lost 10 quid luckily) - and the it took me 45 minutes to get our of car park ,and nearly 2 hours to get back to M1.
I will never do this race again - and will not recommend to anyone to do it.
On top of the logistical nightmares - the course is dull and unscenic.
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: Katherine Town
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: A nice race, but plenty of club runners
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: ben williams 12
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: traffic problems spolit this race
In full: Having left the M1 at 9:15 didn't manage to park until 10:00am because of queues. On the way out even worse. Didn't leave my car parking space until 1:45pm. I think that someone is just using this to make money.
On the race it's self, well marshalled course, medal good but finish area way too small with on food avaialbe.
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: Popo
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Not worth the queues at the end
In full: For an expensive and large race the organisation was extremely poor at the finish. I have experienced bad organisation before at the finish of this race and this was definitely the last time I will bother to enter. The finish area was too small resulting in runners having to stop dead virtually on the finish line to be faced with a solid wall of people. This is actually dangerous and needs to be sorted out. The queues to get out of the car park were frustrating and surely could have been avoided too. It feels as if once they have got your money they don't really care after that.
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: Gemma Hardy
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Pretty flat PB potential
In full: Really nice atmosphere, great flat race, lots of people, amazing. For the price I do think they could have provided a banana or a cereal bar at the end. It did seem a like it was only done for the money!
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: rezb0
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Busy, Fast Race. Queues at finish were annoying, i was parched!
In full: There were T-shirts available?
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
2009 race reviewed by: Jogstar
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Used to be much better
In full: I've run this for the past 5 years and have to say that this year has let the race down. The car park was changed and didn't match the directions given leading to long queues on the way in, not enough marshalls around the course, the ending was a shambles as everyone was left standing around qaiting to collect a bottle of water/medal from a couple of people handing them out and the queues to get out of teh car park were terrible. This usedto be a really nice race but I guess the organisers have tried to grow it too quickly!
Date of review: March 9, 2009
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
