Reading Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (1085 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Rob Brown 19
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: My first event, wish I'd done it years ago.
In full: Didn't listen to anyone's advice and ran far too quickly at the beginning and got it all wrong, but apart from that I loved it!
Atmosphere is fantastic, bands, crowds, everything. Race village afterwards is great.
Event is superbly run and has definitely given me the bug for doing more events.
Date of review: April 29, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Richard N
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Very nice event.
In full: Two niggles: much unnecessary worry caused by extremely late issue of the prepaid car park vouchers. Please send around 2 weeks in advance in future to save me sleepless nights! Also, could the trader please have the common sense to bring some Compeed-type blister patches for sale; we can't remember everything!!
Date of review: April 24, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Grayster H
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: It's the big finish that makes this one good
In full: No doubt about it, take away the superb finish in the Madejski Stadium and this is a fairly average half marathon with too many runners. Support is great in many parts but it lacks on the A33 when you most need it from mile 11 to Green Park. Marshaling is good, as are drink stations (with energy drinks as well as bottled water) but the issues remain the same: too many runners for the roads at the start of the race, too many runners starting in the wrong places and holding up the pack, and another late start; Reading HM always struggles to go on time.
The organisers still need to find that extra mile so runners don't need to do the demoralising out and back at green park at mile 12. BUT the run into the stadium to finish is truly a great end to a race. The support is loud and the atmosphere fantastic. This really is the main reason to run this congested mass participation run.
Date of review: April 4, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Peter Gettins
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: great race, would recommend it to others
Date of review: April 1, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Redkaya
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
Date of review: April 1, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Mike 59
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In full: Have entered this half marathon about 6 times now and actually beat last result by nearly 8 mins cant fault this event at all its simply brilliant and will be back next year. Hats off to the organisers.
Date of review: March 28, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: shelly runs
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Brilliant organisation, great pb potential
In full: Despite the fact that Reading is not the prettiest of places this is a superb race and will definately be on the calendar again next year. Organisation despite the huge numbers involved is brilliant. Great goody bag at end.
Date of review: March 28, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: BSHarte
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A race in a town where I was brought up.. past and future combined.
In full: I have always wanted to take part in this race but due to previous coaching commitments it has had to wait.
This race is being used as part of my Marathon training and I have been slowly increasing my mileage since January and have never felt any better.
Claire was on hand to give support and stayed in the Stadiun until I had passed the finish line.
Having earmarked a time of 1:35 or better I made sure I was in the pack with similar paced runners and sure enough at the gun I maintained a steady run which carried me through half the race.
From Reading Uni onwards I somehow managed to pass the 1:35 pacemaker and kept up the pressure to achieve a PB (previously 1:33). Going past places I grew up around was special and it certainly made time fly by. At one point I was doing a 1:30 pace but by mile 10 I started to slow down to ensure I kept my energy to finish on a high.
Running into the stadium was amazing because I have supported Reading since a kid and was my first chance to enter like a player and receive a medaal. How cool is that.
In short- a must do again run to do even better than before but 1:32:03 well what more could I want.
Date of review: March 28, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Supes!
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: March 27, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: ThomasF
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A good event with a nice finish in the Madjeski Stadium, good crowds and support
Date of review: March 26, 2011
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