Edinburgh MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race (1467 votes). 2012 race reviewed by: Phil Cray
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: despite other comments, I really enjoyed it!!!
In full: There are still some basic improvements to be made but I enjoyed this run more than I ever thought I would enjoy a marathon!
Firstly the negatives - the toilets at the start! When i got there at about 09,40 it was chaos, although there were loads of toilets most of them seemed to be locked, presumably already out of order?
Secondly, there were no (and I mean zero) marshalls at the start to tell you were to go, which is not as obvious as it sounds in a big race like this.
Apart from these niggles, I found it be a very pleasant route, down out of Edinburgh, through a very nice seaside town and out along the coast, then back again to finish in Musselburgh Park.
Plenty of support in the residential areas, regular water stations & gels being given out nearer the finish.
It was hot (which personally I enjoyed) but comments about starting earlier to avoid this seem a bit silly as we are not in southern Europe but Scotland, and it is just as likely to be snowing next year!
I recognised that getting back to Edinburgh was going to be an issue so my wife drove to Musselburgh and parked just up the road from the bus park.
All in all, I really enjoyed the day out.
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
|
2012 race reviewed by: Sweaty Runner
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Just not runner-friendly enough!
In full: CONS
- started too late (far too hot)
- some sections were just too narrow (e.g. the beach promenade). I started in the black pen and at some points I was literally reduced to walking (or stopping - v painful!!) because there was just not enough space. There was also traffic at some points ?! (running alongside a big smelly double decker bus is not nice).
- the road surface was dubious especially the track at Gosford house (totally wasn't expecting it or prepared so late on in the race)
- because of the sheer number of people, the promenade section was really uncomfortable (couldn't see the big bollards in the middle of the path until it was too late)
- getting to the buses post race was a bit of a task. After walking (slightly uphill but felt like Everest!) there was a massive queue to contend with.
- bus tickets should be included in the price
- there were some downhill bits at the start but couldn't get past anyone because there were just too many people
- out and back along what is a boring stretch of road anyway(mile 17 to about 20 I think) was hardgoing - felt never ending. Makeshift water station at Gosford helped (those people are so kind they deserve a medal) but there should have been a proper station
PROS
- Locals really friendly
- Marshals friendly and did a great job
- city is great for post run celebrations!
p.s. phallic medal is too bizarre!!!
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Buster Hamstring
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A decent race but some organisational flaws need addressing.
In full: Edinburgh 2012 full Marathon:
The route is scenic, but could perhaps do with having a little more of Edinburgh in it - although I have to say that in the towns along the route we did get some great support, and the ordinary people who got their hosepipes out were invaluable! I found some of the emails coming through from the organisers beforehand a little confusing, I think some paperwork coming through with the running numbers would have been better. Drinks and carb gel stations were plentiful. The main problem was the finish area. You had a job locating the baggage lorries, and the transport options back need to be improved. The medal and the shirt were top notch though!
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Kirsty McKay
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: poorly organised and transport back was just a joke
In full: While i accept everyones comments about not being able to help the weather i do think that the race could have started at 8am instead of 10. I'm not sure if this is to make more money or what the deal is but on a hot day like sunday was (and it appears it quite often is hot in Edinburgh at the end of May) starting a marathon at 10 is just silly. If people really want to run the race, they'll be there for 8am just like all those running the half had to be.
The relay was just annoying.Fresh legged people running in and around you, cutting you up at 20 miles was really frustrasting.
The goody bags were poor. Yes there were some half decent deals in the electronic one, but really a little square of oat bar after 26.2 miles? Maybe there were bananas at the finish line, but i didn't see any, which seemed strange. First race i've been to where they didn't give out bananas!
The buses were just ridiculous. While i get that a walk after such a run is a good idea, that distance and the lines for the buses was just ridiculous. I also wondered why i'd bothered to pay for a bus ticket in advance when no one was bothering to check them! Why couldn't the race have finished somewhere in the city? Maybe there is an obvious answer to this question...
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Alan Potter 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race for first marathon
In full: Maybe I had been scared off by tales of problems at previous Edinburgh marathons, but I found this to be a well-organised race, with great support from the public, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole day.
The only thing I could think of as a "problem" was the rather long walk to get a bus back to my car, and the long queue for buses back to the centre of Edinburgh. But Edinburgh is a city that has totally screwed up everything to do with transport, and that's hardly the organisers' fault.
A couple of degrees cooler next year might be nice!
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Stewart Cutler
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great run with brilliant support
In full: First marathon. I thought it was well a organised race with plenty of water and gels on a baking hot day. Lots of first aid stations which felt reassuring. Out and back section gets a bit lonely between 15-18 miles but the scenery there is beautiful and the support towards the finish was amazing. Good finish area, nice t-shirt and the biggest medal ever. A little expensive but overall a great race.
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Phil Warner
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A long, lonely run close to Edinburgh...but not close enough to see anything!
In full: This was my 2nd marathon after Paris last year, though I'd run the Shakespeare Half on the marathon route this year too. The race wasn't on a par with either of them, which was disappointing.
Pre-Race - The website was hard-to-navigate and confusing (I eventually found my entry details in the faq section!), with some misinformation. For instance, the numbers and chips were sent a week later than advertised, giving me the jitters somewhat.
Start - Starting points weren't particularly well signposted, and the start areas felt a little flat. The support at the start was virtually non-existent! Pens weren't marshalled at all, but there didn't seem to be many problems with people jumping pens. Plenty of toilets.
Course - The course had more inclines than I expected. It couldn't be classed as hilly, but there were a number of long shallow climbs and it certainly wasn't flat or downhill! Still plenty of PB potential though.
My biggest disappointment was that it wasn't an 'Edinburgh' marathon. It started on the very edge of the city and headed straight out. Not a landmark in sight! What a shame. This was more of a pleasant countryside run.
The lack of energy drinks amazed me...surely somebody would want to sponsor the race?! Only gels were provided, and as these tend to be a personal choice anyway, most people ended up carrying their own. Running out of water was criminal!
Only the last mile was well supported (in terms of numbers), though where there were sporadic supporters, their support was good. For long periods it felt like a lonely run! The Shakespeare Marathon was better supported in torrential rain and gale-force winds!
Marshalling/policing on the course was very good. No complaints there!
Post Race - Really, really poor goody bag! I'm not talking about freebies, but a tiny square of oat flapjack isn’t enough after a marathon!
The long, uphill walk to the buses was unacceptable. The organisers need to get the hostile locals on-side or change sites completely.
The comically phallic medal and T-Shirt were great, but I'd have preferred to do without if the above was sorted out.
Date of review: May 31, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: David Lawrence 6
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: I did the half and felt sorry for the full marathon runners
In full: I have run the full marathon here three times, relay once and also did the recent rock n roll half. The start time is nuts, ok weather unpredictable but it has been a hot day in recent years so wakey wakey organisers. The comment about Ryanair is funny and true but to do the course in town involves hills, the rock n roll was fun but hilly. No energy drinks on the half and just normal bottles instead of sports caps. Organisation is getting better though, just needs some professionalism adding.
Date of review: May 30, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Jon Pile
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Poor organisation, its like they were embarrassed it was going on
In full: There was a complete lack of water, especially given the hot conditions. Luckily a few locals came out and supplied water, sweets and hosepipe spray, without that it would've been even tougher. I was amazed by the lack of support from Edinburgh locals near the start. Perhaps I've been spoiled by doing London twice before but that is in an entirely different league to this as a race from a support, organisation and route point of view.
Date of review: May 30, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Jonesy66
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Weather made it tough but really enjoyed my first marathon
In full: As my first marathon i didnt realy know what to expect. Despite some negative comments from previous years i found the organisation and whole event fantastic.
As i mentioned the weather was very hot but there were ample water statins and the locals with encouragement and hosepipes made what could have been a real nightmare a wonderful day.
Date of review: May 30, 2012
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
