BUPA Great North RunHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (1517 votes). 2006 race reviewed by: h_c_b
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great Race. My first GNR- Back for more next year!
In full: My first half marathon and boy am I stiff today! The run was great. Great scenery, great atmosphere and great running. Loved the hard rock band particular near the middle! I thought the organisation was fabulous, only gripe was the buses back/walk to metro. Would have been a great idea to have a shuttle bus or free service. Still an excellent run and the supporters were tops- I've never been ata race with so many supporters helping out with cheering, giving out grapes, beer and spraying you with water; And thats what made it sucha great race for me. See you next year!
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: Helen Stokes 3
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: this was my first ever GNR and Ioved every second of it. It was alot of fun, the supporters and the music ALMOST made me forget I was running a half marathon
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: Runner Martin
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Great race, too comercialised
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: yaddi
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Fantastic Race Fantastic Crowds
In full: This was my first GNR and i have to say that i really enjoyed it .
I wanted to do a PB But just not possible for this race . The People of Newcastle and South shields are a credit to themselves, constantly cheering you on passing out oranges and ice pops. I must say that the guys giving out the free beer made me laugh .
The organisation was top class with just one gripe, I was lead to belive that the colour coded pens were allocated on your predicted time , if this was so then there was alot of slower people in the higher colour codes as alot of them were walking after a mile and a half.
Apart from that a great day .
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: DONK1510
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: First GNR and I found it brilliant!!
In full: Well organised, great atmosphere, the supporters at the side of the road made the race for me, they were brilliant. The only gripe I have was that after running 13.1miles I had to walk a futher mile to the metro station and then had to wait an hour and half for the train back to gateshead. I was in agony by the time I got back to the car.
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: Triple S
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Stressful in start area, good atmosphere for the race.
In full: This was my first and last GNR. I enjoyed the race more than I was expecting after London this year where there were so many beginners who stopped in front of me! The drinks stations were good and the atmosphere was good. Not too many hideously loud bands like in London, but good music en route.
The showers could have been a wee bit better as it felt hot!
My only criticism was at the start. It took me over half an hour to get to the baggage buses, as there were so many people waiting to get into their pens for the race or their supporters standing in the walkway. If they had a laned system, where folk going north were on one side and folk going south on the other it would have been much easier. On reaching the bus (the late bus), it took an age to get your bag on as there were so many people trying to get on and off! Number allocated lorries would work far better.
On returning to my pen, I found that they were then stopping people getting into their allocated pens despite several people of the wrong colour being in mine. This made people resort to climbing the fence or crawling under.
The signs for the toilets could have been a bit clearer in the start area too.
Overall, I enjoyed the race and it was cracking to see the red arrows go over.
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: FSB
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Must -do race (but once is probably enough!!)
In full: I got there very early for my first (and probably only) GNR and perhaps because of that didn't have any problems at all at the start. I thought it was very well organised. Considering the scale of this event I thought the organisation of the whole event was fantastic.
I realised very early on that I coudn't be bothered constantly pushing people out of the way in pursuit of a PB so just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Really enjoyed the big race feel and thought the long finish straight with the big crowds was superb.
One gripe which was not the organisers fault was the southbound traffic on the way home. It took me 3 hours to get there and 6 hours to get back.
Another gripe was the baggage buses. When you were on the bus there was nothing to stop you going through other peoples bags. Advance warning not to leave any valuables in baggage would have been useful. I had a camera in my bag and didn't feel comfortable leaving it.
All in all, I would love to do it again but given the logistical problems I doubt whether I will bother.
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: Nash Nash Muttley
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: The best (if not easiest) half-marathon in the World!
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: sue o'neill-berest
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: did not run a great time ,but it did not matter ....... what an experience will be back for more next year. Did not even mind the traffic at the end !!
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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2006 race reviewed by: spongecake
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: the crowds are what makes this race so special fantastic support that keeps you going
In full: Is it me or do the hills get bigger every year.The start system this year seemed to work alot better for me with more water stations and better organisation.Once again a fantastic atmosphere from the runners and the supporters are amazing but the course is not a PB course unless you are at the front.
Date of review: October 2, 2006
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