Bath Half-MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (1133 votes). 2013 race reviewed by: Aizxana
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Excellent race, brilliant atmosphere but expensive
In full: Really enjoyed this race, mostly due to the huge crowd support. Really made my day - spectators along nearly all of the course and 3-4 deep in some areas. The two laps were fine and it was exciting to watch the elites come past on the other side of the road. Organisation seemed fine, I did not have to queue long for anything such as baggage drop or chip removal. Only thing was that the little information booklet mentioned a Sunday Church service in the runner's village yet no'one seemed to know where this was help so i missed this.
Great course, mostly in the city but some quieter areas out of the main roads.
Only issue which probably slowed a lot of faster runners was the orange start line was huge and did not have any "sub-pens". Those nearest the start were simply the people who got there first, not the faster orange runners. Probably a lot of later arrivers getting slowed down by people in front!
Plenty of drinks (lucozade sport orange 350ml bottles and water, 330ml bottles) although it was a bit frustrating that if you were running the first lap, you were not allowed a drink from the station on the other side of the road where the 2nd lap runners came through. Can see why they did this, but saw a lot of thirsty runners get refused a drink because it was "2nd lap runners only!".
Goody bag was nice, the tee-shirt was a large one-size cotton. Medal is a nice smart one. Also got a space blanket, lucozade and water.
I think perhaps get there early as I did as, as it did appear to get very busy later on.
Expensive but well worth it. It was nice to have 2 nights in Bath and I recommend going to the thermal spa afterwards!!
Date of review: March 8, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: Kerry Whitney
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Excellent Half!!
In full: I am surprised to see some of the negative comments here. I wondered if I ran a different race.
I absolutley loved this half marathon. From the moment I arrived at the station it felt very organised. Sign posted all the way to the runners village. Overall I felt it was quite flat with a few little challenges along the way. The crowds were brilliant. I thought the goodie bags were good too.
I got a PB which I wasnt at all expecting so I will most definitely will be back next year.
Date of review: March 7, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: Vince Ellis
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: March 6, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: NEIL TILEY 2
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Awful organisation
In full: I am new to half marathons and put down an honest appraisal of my expected time (1h55), although following training realised I could do it a lot quicker. Based on this I found myself in the orange group and spent all 2 hours of the race queued behind the hundreds (if not thousands) of 3+ hours runners (having to walk at stages cos the route was so crowded). A total waste of all my training and my time reflected this. Surely anybody doing 2 hours or less should not be lumped in with the charity 3+ hours crowd.
Date of review: March 5, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: richard hale 8
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In full: Positives are mostly good organisation, very good crowd support especially given how cold the day was, and a fairly flat course. The most irritating thing for me was it was so crowded so often that I seldom got into a rhythm. I was an orange start but keen and capable of breaking 2 hours. I was dodging some people already walking within the first mile. Easily solved by more colours or signs for different times at the start.
Date of review: March 5, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: David Twine
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Quick course, good organisation, expensive.
In full: I was placed in the "white" section hoping for a fast getaway, and this was what happened. No problems with bunching, straight into a good pace. I've seen the other comments on garmin GPS estimations on length of course and mine also read it as 200-400 metres over. Interestingly my garmin read 2.2 miles at the 2 mile mark and maintained the extra 0.2 right to the end. I did get a PB however so I'm pleased. The crowds were good and would have been greater but for a very cold day. The course was lovely in the city,less scenic elsewhere, but I'm pleased it didnt head up towards Lansdown which would have blown the PB! My experience was that this was a well organised flattish city half-marathon with definite PB potential. It is very expensive however. I wonder whether the organisers could say more about the measurement of the course, given the number of comments about its accuracy.
Date of review: March 5, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: Laudy
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Very very very expensive!!!!
In full: Its difficult to give this an accurate review as I was running with a friend who was completing her first half, and so I had a steady jog round rather than a real race. However, it ticked all the boxes for a first half marathon experience a lot of crowd support, a big race feel etc.
However, £46 entry is far too steep. No technical T Shirt, nothing special in the goody bag, and a very boring and small medal. With the exception of a couple of bottles of lucozade on the course, I didn't see where the extra pounds on the entry were spent. Especially with a 2 lap format this even limited the amount of road closures required. I can see the potential for a PB on this course but there are other significantly cheaper halves that offer comparable courses.
For the entry fee I would expect a much better post race experience, long queues for bags, dechip and having to grab a space blanket (if you spotted them) rather than being handed one. Then to top it all off we ended up having to get a taxi back to the park and ride as the queues for the bus were staggering (and we weren't the only ones!)
If I'd spent £25 on this race I would be happy, but given the price I expected a lot more, sorry Bath! Great for those running there first few halves, for everyone else I'd look for something cheaper!
Date of review: March 4, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: Oh. It's you.
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Expensive. Crowded at start. Doesn't really show-off Bath. But fast and fun!
In full: I've run this a three times now and it was probably the smoothest running edition. (Let's not mention 2008...) Great atmosphere, brilliant crowds on most of the course and the route is genuinely quick. Really crowded at first though, so if you want a fast clock time then make sure you're as close to the front as possible! Had to queue for just a little too long to get my bag back - it was cold, wind it up! It's expensive too... But I still really enjoyed it!
Date of review: March 4, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: Ian Haynes 3
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Much improved from last time I ran!
In full: Got a PB by 36 seconds so that will help with a favourable review! Last ran in 2007 when the queues to collect bags etc were a nightmare, things have definitely improved since. Missed a few of the mile markers which could have done with being a different colour/bigger than the other info signs but other than that organisation was very good. Plenty of water and Lucozade stops and I found it pretty funny that the group of Special Brew drinking travellers spotted on the first lap were helping out handing out Lucozade on the second lap. Fair play!!
Date of review: March 4, 2013
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2013 race reviewed by: shoegirl
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Excellent race, my favourite half, will be back again next year!
In full: Yet again an absolutely fantastic day, loved every minute!!! Yes its expensive, but you get a good quality medal, goody bag and the race village is great. Yes its busy, but what do you expect from a big city half? I got my PB here last year and was seconds off it this year, so it can't be that congested! I'm a club runner but I love the support and I love the big city race feel of this race. With nearly 10,000 runners I'm afraid its going to be busy and there's always going to be a few queues for bags/toilets!!! Thanks Bath for another fab race :o)
Date of review: March 4, 2013
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