BHF Blenheim Palace Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (37 votes). | 11 to 20 of 37 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 4 |
2012 race reviewed by: Ruth Martin 6
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Hilly but fantastic scenery
In full: The issues raised at lat year's race seem to have been addressed. Organisation was good and the marshals were really encouraging - thank you! I'll be back!
Date of review: October 7, 2012
|
|
2012 race reviewed by: Daniela Somerscales
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Best organisation I have seen..
In full: A beautiful race in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Shame that spectators have to pay for the privilege to see their friends and family running but at least it was at a reduced price. Beautiful course, fantastic org (toilets, water stops, etc). Will be back next year. Yes, I don't like the medal either...
Date of review: October 7, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: dan churchill
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race, not so great medal
In full: Was a little nervous after reading last year's review, but they seem to have worked out all the organizational problems. Sir Roger Bannister was at the start which was a nice surprise. Very hilly but beautiful course, it's a shame the medal was so disappointing.
Date of review: October 7, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Peppercorn
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: October 7, 2012
|
2011 race reviewed by: nicola bonsu-dartnall
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Tough but good fun. Great scenery
Date of review: November 14, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Catcat
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great Course need to work on organisation
In full: Really enjoyed the race itself, picturesque for a charity road race and some good views of the palace and grounds. Quite challenging for a charity race.
the 2 announcers need to be coordinated. one saying get to the start, the other saying start delayed. With the heat needed to say how long it would be delayed for so that people could get into shade. Also was describing which pen to get in by the way he was faced (towards the palace) and not the way we were coming in (away from the palace) so left & rights were round the wrong way.
Toilets need to be better signed, particularly the ones in the palace itself.
Date of review: October 20, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Casa76le
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: great grounds, challenging route, but enjoyed it
In full: Great surroundings for the run, lots of encouragement for the runners. Not sure the Km markers were accurate. Very hot day but good run none the less
Date of review: October 13, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: D G 16
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Beautiful setting slightly let down by some poor planning
In full: Positive sides:
1. Beautiful park setting. Very enjoyable on the run.
2. Good family atmosphere. The 2km fun run is more family friendly for members with no training.
-------------------------------------
Down sides that need to improve...
1. More toilets were needed.
2. Awful medal. Half marathon and Fun run share the same design, no date on the medal either.
3. Delay meant that we were cooked for 20 minutes (on concrete!) before the race started .
4. (Some of the)Staff need to be more friendly. The woman who was guarding the race entrance seemed deaf to my question "Is there any toilet inside?" Come on woman! You were not even busy! Stop chatting while at work!
Date of review: October 9, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Old Stager
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Needs a Running Club to organise it. 20 minute delay in full sun was not acceptable
In full: Budget medal & pointless goody bag, sum up most runners feelings, notwithstanding that we do not do it for these reasons. Bearing in mind that the race booklet said that if you turned up late you would be allowed to still "start up to 10.40" Why did we have to stand 20 minutes in blazing sunshine. This is criminal. This race needs organising by a Running Club as the Cardiff ½ (Another, even larger, charity race) eventually was. Description as "flat & undulating" violated the trade descriptions act. 2 water stations within a few hundred meters of each other, after 4 miles without one, was also "cruelty to runners" and could have had serious consquences in that heat. This race has potential but someone must take a grip and bring it up to Gold BARR standard.
Date of review: October 7, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Lisa Wright 9
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good but could do with improvements
In full: There appeared to be a great deal of confusion at the event. On arriving at Blenheim (on foot) we found it difficult obtain any information and direction from the marshalls - not even knowing where the start line was.
The marshalls were reasonably good & the show ws a nice touch on such a hot day. However the marshalls didn't seem over enamoured towards the later stages in the race and infact at one point a rather large volunteer was happily blocking half of the pathway & smoking a large cigarette exhaling directly into the path of the runners. A number of people around me seemed to be equally afronted at his behaviour.
I was very disappointed at the medal - which was a generic BHF medal I would expect from any 10k run. I thought that they should at least have made an effort to mark the race.
Date of review: October 6, 2011
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
