Colchester Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (72 votes). | 31 to 40 of 72 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
2012 race reviewed by: Tony Robinson 3
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Ran it both times second year far better route
In full: I live in Colchester so a local half was very welcome.
I ran the course twice before the race, getting it wrong both times! But hey it was fun. I like the route and I enjoyed it. I found the road closure times a tad scary but was inside them all. I'm a 2.06.23 half runner so no speedy bloke here.
The marshals were plentiful and on the whole a happy clappy encouraging bunch. The route has a great fast start, lovely sharp hill, North Hill, and then a nice slow drag up the Ipswich Road until you hit the flat to the finish. From mile 6 you could do a PB!
My answer to the long 3 mile boring straight to the finish was fartlek it. Such fun !!
The goody bag was nothing great, but then I have a drawer full of tee shirts so happy the money goes to charity than another tee!
The medal is a rather light weight version- must do better! Yes I will do it next year and I'd recommend it. Hopefully the town might fill up a tad for a bit of screaming down the High Street. At least my family came to cheer me on; then again we only live 600meters from the route!
Date of review: March 16, 2012
|
|
2012 race reviewed by: Julie Witchalls
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A great way to spend a Sunday morning.
In full: Brilliant venue. Proper toilets and lots of them.
More than enough parking.
Easy to find, just of the A12.
Good crowd support.
Would highly recommend this race. I think it could become an annual favourite. Potential to get a whole lot bigger.
Date of review: March 16, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Mr J P Toole
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great run; very well organised and supported throughout!
Date of review: March 16, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Bob8me
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: I really enjoyed the race, which was made by the weather. I don't have a fancy watch, so a mile marker at every mile would have helped. Loved it though
Date of review: March 16, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Kerweey
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good route. Well organised. Goody bags and marshalling could do better.
In full: I don't want to be critical as overall I thoroughly enjoyed this race. The facilities at the start and finish were excellent and the route was great. I particularly liked the mix of a town and country route and loved the run up North Hill into town. But I must agree with some of the previous posts concerning the marshalling and traffic management. A couple of the major junctions were marshalled by very young girls who, although clearly doing their best were having great difficulty dealing with some of the rude and impatient drivers. Also the final couple of miles were a bit dodgy with cars coming at you from both directions.
As previously mentioned the goody bag was a bit lacking but in the greater scheme of things not really an issue.
Overall I would definitely recommend this race and will be taking part next year.
Date of review: March 15, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: ian warner
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Excellent race, great atmosphere would recommend!
In full: Really enjoyed the run, great start and finish at stadium with lots of spectators at the finnish cheering you on! a couple of challenging hills made it a bit more fun and lovely weather. Would recommend to anyone for first run. Will be there next year!
Date of review: March 13, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: David Shipley 3
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Reasonably quick and well-organised event, albeit traffic problems.
In full: Overall this was a really good event. My first time in Colchester and a well-organised race starting/finishing at the football stadium made it even better. I ran a PB so really quite happy with that however there were a couple of niggles. Early on in the race (first half or so) marhshalls were really good at closing roads and junctions etc. Later on, impatient drivers were causing difficulties. As a road race, there is an extra level of awareness runners need, to keep themselves safe. That being said, and as I saw posted on here already, if the race organisers feel that junctions merit having marshalls to control the traffic, they need to marshall EFFECTIVELY. Not an easy job I'm sure particularly with 'difficult' drivers but a lot of marshalls appeared quite young. I had a near miss with a car that although initially stationary when I decided to cross the roundabout, wasn't actually looking at me but rather the car that had just been let through and so pulled out (aggressively) in front of me - could have been a very different outcome! Living to run another day, the mile markers didn't feel to be quite right and an additional water station in the last quarter would have been useful. Medal was nice although a date would've been good too. Very popular event and I look forward to running it again next year.
Date of review: March 13, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: paula hampton-smith
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A good race, would do it again.
In full: This race had a good route, better than last year, North Hill was a challenge but worth it just to be able to say you've ran up it. The marshalls weren't always great, I left the race when runners were still coming in and marshalls were leaving to go home, which isn't right. Others were very enthusiastic which gave a great atmosphere. At times Boxted Straight road became a bit dodgy with traffic. The support from locals was very encouraging, thank you. It would be good for Colchester if this race became bigger and better.
Date of review: March 13, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: jason hayfield 2
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great effort for 2nd year
In full: Only been racing since Easter 2011 (10 races) and my favorite course by far. Tough challenge with North Hill & Ipswich Rd but at least they were out of the way early in the race!. Fantastic marshals (2 very excited ones at 10 mile point who cheered me up when I was starting to lag!).
Only one or two minor issues: Mile markers were out I feel, especially near the end, the traffic around Langham was a bit funky at times and could maybe have been policed a bit better. And the goody bag? Next year, keep the comedy towel and Mars bar and just give us a decent medal that we can show off to all and sundry (something like the one they give at the Ipswich or Norwich half) and not something that you would find in a Christmas cracker.
Apart from that, a brilliant race with loads of cheering spectators! See you next year!
Date of review: March 12, 2012
|
2012 race reviewed by: Baz Morris
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Excellent course with some challenging inclines - good town and country route
In full: The course was perfect, some town, some lovely countryside,nice flat stretches with some challenging inclines thrown in. Others have mentioned problems with traffic - but fortunately I didnt encounter any. Facilities at start/ finish were excellent. After the North Hill and Ipswich Road climbs I was very surprised to get a PB.Only disappointment was the medal which could at least have had the year on it. Well done to the organisers for a great day. Hope to be back next year.
Date of review: March 12, 2012
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
