EDF Energy Birmingham Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (191 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: George Murcott
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Cool atmosphere, good route, smell of chocolate as you pass Bourneville keeps you going!
In full: Great race, apart from finish line congestion that meant i had to wait 3 minutes to cross the finish line! Good atmosphere, good route, everyone v friendly.
Date of review: November 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Gerald Robson
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Always good for a laugh - if you run about 1h 40min
In full: I have done this race all three years. the first one, starting outside the city then finishing on broad street was rubbish. A delayed start ( which prompted most of us towards the front of the grid to use the extra time for a pee up the wall) was bad enough but up and down through road tunnels then a bus back at the end of the race made it a nightmare. i ran quick enough to get back to the Alex stadium in good time but heaven help those getting in in 2 hours plus. I thought 2009 was fine although the long stetch of runners going in both directions was probably very depressing for those furhter back in the field. And 2010? When I heard over 10000 were expected I feared the worst. The start was shocking. Everybody is walking FROM the city centre so the start area is facing the wrong way. The marshals were useless. Runners pushing through and climbimg over the barriers to get into the start area. No sooner have you got going then the roads narrow and we all grind to a halt. Pick up speed then weave through knots of fat lardy women walking hand in hand across the route. I got back quick enough to avoid the queues at the end - just how can "organisers" not get this right. And the 9am start this year? Save the planet by reducing energy use? You jest! Try getting into Brum before 10.30 on public transport on a Sunday never mind 9am and you will find it is impossible. Less runners, reversed start direction, no fat female walkers, later start and less "two way traffic" next year please. Will I run next year? Of course, just what else can they mess up in 2012, I must experience it first hand!
Date of review: November 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Selly Snail
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Not much point in having a dull but fast route if runners then have to queue to finish.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Frank Luscott 2
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: a quite enjoyable run but start and finish organisation needs improvement
In full: organisation was diabolical, the cloured panels relating to your concieved finish time was in the main completely ignored by many runners as there was no marshalls to police it,many late arrivals were queued outside of the crowd barriers and were allowed to join the crush after the start which only made things worse,the run was quite good as it was mainly flat but during the first 2 or 3 miles we were running into a low sun which made seeing where you were going difficult, and i nearly dicapitated myself on a metal bollard!!.i had the ability to get to the finish ahead of the main body of runners and avoided queing up to finish, which is something i've never seen before.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Karl Scally
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Once the run got going it wan't that bad
In full: As a faster runner I found the start very frustrating with an abundance of slow runners at the front. there was little if any organisation at the start, lack of separation of the colour bandings and lack of entrances and signs to the race point.
I did enjoy the run itself and foundit fairly fast with a new PB and my first sub 1.30. When I arrived therre was no queuing so didn't experience the issue others had.
The course was good but whoever put the hill in at 10miles needs shooting, it was a heck of a 3 mile uphill to finish on.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Simon Adams 4
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Dull course, very narrow in places, people queuing to get over the finish
In full: Having run this race in 2008 and 2009 since the inception I have to say that the course has got worse and worse each year. In 2008 it was a run from Alexander Stadium to Broad Street with a loop round Edgbaston. Some hills, mild challenge but worth the trip.
2009 was ok with a long run along the Pershore Rd but a nice loop round Bournville and Canon Hill Park. Good race.
This year the course was pretty much a dull out and back along Pershore Rd Cadbury's and back, via canon Hill again. The Pershore Rd (with out and back running) was just too narrow and crowded especially in Stirchley.
I'd do it again but only because it's my home town and I live about a mile from Bournville so I get lots of support. Cardiff is a much better half marathon and Brum needs to buck it's ideas up or it'll lose runners to The Great South Run on the same day.
Apparently, people trying to get over the line in under 2 hrs had to queue and missed their golden marker! Not good organisation.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Graham Hathaway 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good atmosphere. Unfortuately grading of runners was not successful, with many slower runners being at the front causing stoppages for the first couple of miles.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: mark groutage
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Chaos at start and finish but enjoyable middle bit!!!
In full: The time zones at start were not marked out clearly enough and enforced. The race started on wide section of Broad St and within 30 seconds narrowed so you stopped running and waited to start again. First mile to narrow for the volume of 15000 runners not helped by slow runners out of position.If only they had common sense to have run race the other way round, so runners had wide road for first mile down Broad St so no bottleneck as first three miles had wider roads to allow for starting volume of runners and finish could cope with volume the other way round. Could have been so much better with better organisation!!
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Richard King 26
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: organisation pants
In full: all being covered, toilets at start, the start itself was terrible, finish awful, I just made it over the line before the "medical incident" the queue was just forming.
Date of review: November 3, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Sue Fowler
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In full: Far too many runners for the tight roads and no steward organisation at start or finish created chaos. I spent the whole course trying to run around people who had started too far forward and were very slow - and only just got my chip over the line due to the backlog for no reason back over the finish line. Could do much better but fun none the less.
Date of review: November 2, 2010
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