Blackpool Marathon - RACE FULLHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (41 votes). | 21 to 30 of 41 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 4 5 |
2010 race reviewed by: stella belly
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Work In Progress
In full: Overall i had a great weekend, my mrs went shopping, i had a run, and the sun was out.
Now to the race, on paper the course looked boring but i found it fine, i enjoyed the northern part the most.
Now the problems,
WATER, Half a cup just isnt enough, even if you took 2 cups most of it would of been spilled within a mile
LUCOZADE I started the race with a full bottle to sip on, and was looking forward to another bottle at 14 mile, but what do we get? half a cup of fizzy locozade.
I think most people will have a few complaints about this race but for me the big problem was a lack of communication.
If id known about the lack of fuel and water i would of carried my own but as we were told it would be available i trusted the organisers.
I did enjoy the 2 lap course and will probably come back next year as this is a great PB course, but i will carry my own fuel.
Date of review: April 13, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Curly45
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Not as flat as you think, but great fun nonetheless
In full: A nice 2 lap race around Blackpool, not as flat as you might imagine, but flatter than most marathons.
Loads of water stations and good orgnisation.
Date of review: April 13, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Borobhoy
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great weather, route and PB potential. Pencilled in for next year.
In full: Having run three Great North West half-marathons previously I knew the northern section of the route which allowed for focusing on the running. The southern section, past the Tower and the Golden Mile, provided more spectators and interesting views such as party-goers recovering from the night before which helped pass the time!
Well organised with no real issues. Carried my own Lucozade Sport and gels to prepare for Ironman UK in August and was glad I did as traditional Lucozade is not for me. Otherwise plenty of water with friendly marshalls who provided some encouragement especially at the turn-around points.
Enjoyed the two-lap course as it allowed for keeping to a specific pace. It was not as flat as I thought with a few undulations but these just made the run more interesting. The two laps also allowed my family to see me more often rather than just start and finish - my six year old son enjoyed jogging alongside me a couple of times during the race. He also completed the final 50 metres with me and loved being applauded by the spectators near the finish!!
Only minor point for me was the lack of chip-timing as my PB would have been improved by a further 45 seconds. However, I do understand why it is not used on a race of this size. I should just be more positive and start further forward than I usually do!
Overall, a race I really enjoyed and, depending on my race calendar, one I will be doing again in the future.
Date of review: April 13, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: LTF
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Terrible organisation!
In full: This was my first marathon so in fairness i dont have anything else to compare it with - only what i have been told by friends of other races. I realise that you cant please everyone and some people love a good moan, but i am genuinly not one of those people (you will not believe me by the end of this review though!). There were so many things wrong with this race that i dont really know where to start apart from saying that this is the worst organised race i have ever been in. I am going to make a list of everything rubbish about this race because i really think that the organisers should realise where they should change things for next year - or people who are applying for next year should have some idea of what they are getting themselves in to!
1. The water situation was terrible - regardless of the half filled cups, it was that they were positioned at the turning points of the route, where as had they been a mile or two futher up the track there would have been double the chances for runners to refuel and no extra hassle at all for the water people - rather than essentially only have three half cups of water for a 13 mile last lap of the marathon.
2. To get the race number, and confirmation that you are in the race only two days before is ridiculous. A reply to any one of my emails saying that i have a confirmed place would have been appreciated.
3. The information we were given states that toilets are available on the route (and that we would have to pay to use them!), which i suppose is true - we were free to use any one of the public toilets in Blackpool and queue with the tourists like anyone else. If you didnt use the toilets at the start finish - this was your only option. Luckily i had been to Blackpool before so had an idea of where i could go - some poor people were knocking on the doors of B&Bs to use their facilities.
4. The last few miles were terrible - for obvious reasons of course, but mainly because the route had us run the last part down a path that consisted of a concrete wall and the shore, this is very demoralising and most people just gave up and walked at the this point because there was no support from spectators (because nobody knew were were down there) and there wasnt anything to look at to take our mind off what we were doing. Apart from that steep ramp we had to run up right at the end - that was a lovely view.
5. Who on earth had the bright idea of sending a young lad round on a bike for the last stretch to 'cheer us up'? This lad cycled next to exhausted runners for the last 5 miles or so making comments like 'ive been on my bike for an hour now and im knackered so i really know what you are going through' and 'you should be grateful for the tan you are getting today and not look so weary' etc etc. Im sure that in normal circumstances he is a perfectly nice person, but please, in future races dont send some child out on a bike to make patronising and annoying chit chat with runners who dont really have the energy to carry on small talk.
I know you are all reading this thinking - she is a right moan, but i just feel that i should tell people the reality of this race. I spoke to one runner who said this was his first and last marathon because of the route / water / bad organisation and i think it is such a shame that people are being put off racing because of poor organisation. I can only assume that the organisers dont do any running themselves and so dont realise the reality of running a course like this. So apart from the fact i paid nearly 30quid for a race that doesnt offer a timing chip, a decent tshirt (i got an XL because they didnt have enough of the other ones) which as a size 6 woman is more of tent, enough water, toilets on the route or a proper sign at the start (how do i know when to start my watch? A bit of paint on the road isnt suitable with that many people running). So overall - poor valuable for money, poor organisation, poor facilities and poor you for having read my review and are now probably falling asleep with boredom!
Date of review: April 13, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Ian Clarke 5
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: good course.considering it was hot the were tight with water.
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Gary Tebbutt
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Nice low key & friendly
In full: Love this event and will definately do it next year but please do something about the water.
Less than half full cups was a problem.The fizzy lucozade didnt stay down too well either.The marshalls and crowd at the finish were fantastic. Thanks to everyone.
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Adam Boggis
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Not bad for a first-time marathon experience
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Cali9000
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: My first ever Marathon, chose it for being so flat, wish I'd chosen one with a better atmosphere
In full: The route proved as flat (apart from a couple of ramps up and down to the lower proms) as I expected it to be. But I thought the atmosphere was sadly lacking, probably not helped by the finish being on the middle prom, below the main road & main prom where most of the public would have been. Also I think half the public will have been holidaymakers who were possibly more intimidated than supportive! Fairly scenic - nice running beside the sea, not as nice running passed all the tatty B&Bs & the gaudy merchandice shops. Personally I didn't mind having to do 2 laps along the same circuit. I would definately choose somewhere different if I was to run another marathon.
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: richard sharpe 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: no pb but an enjoyable morning
In full: only complaint was not recieving number until thursday before race then only had a day to sort out a hotel for the weekend.but what a great weekend i had ,blackpool is just blackpool, the medal is loud, t shirt fits, the event was well marshalled, and i am pleased i ran the blackpool marathon,well done to all who organised and helped out,
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Stevo_888
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
Date of review: April 12, 2010
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