Sussex Beacon Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (483 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: Louisa
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: out grown itself
In full: For me, the lack of mile markers is completely unacceptable in a race of this size and length (I saw two markers in total and I was looking out for them to get an idea of my pace).
The toilet queues at the start were far too long - you expect to queue in a big race - but these were longer than London - I queued for over 20 minutes and then missed the bag drop off as a result.
Shocked at other comments I've read about queuing to get over finish line?!
Fantastic crowds, but was a bit disappointed about lack of info / enthusiasm over the tannoy.
I heard the front runners had to shout to pedestrians to clear the road in front of them - that is ludricrous.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Fiona Turnbull 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: I saw one mile marker during the whole race & the road space wasn't wide enough for the number of people running - traffic cones in middle of street were more of a hindrance than a help
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Pamela Bruce
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Bracing.....
In full: It was my partner's first half and my second. Agree with all the other comments I've read, but parking was free at the football stadium and then only £3 for the bus.... Goody bag might have been an idea for the money and MUCH more organisation at the end.... not a good idea to just come to a sudden stop with the bottle neck at the finish line.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: wipeout75
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Woeful organisation. Great scenery
In full: Hang your heads in shame organisers!
Spectators all over the course, crossing the finnish line half way through, queues to finish, no warm up band. Utterly woeful.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Wendy Squires
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In full: Marshalling was atrocious around the pier areas. As this was my first half marathon and I am a slow runner I had no idea where to go at app 3 miles from home and had to continually dodge runners who had finished and spectators with umbrellas. There marshalls were not at all visible.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: clare mullenger
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Terrible organisation on what is usually a good course
In full: This race has become far too big, and the terrible organisation of Sundays race did nothing to improve this. Despite starting relatively near the front of the race ( no pace pens evident!) I was caught up in crowds for the first mile. Chaotic start / finish areas- Queued for 25 minutes to check my bag to find at the end of the race that the bag area was unmanned and insecure- I may as well have left my bag lying on the pavement. This is a really nice course in a really nice city but the size of the race and terrible organisation totally ruined the race for me - I won't be running it again.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Clare Hazell
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Disappointed with organisation. No mile markers, the congestion at the finish needs addressing.
Date of review: February 24, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: iain stevenson
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Absolutely shocking
In full: Seriously there is nothing that can be added to the comments of other here already. The only thing I can hope is that the organisers of this shambles are held to account and made to explain themselves in some way. Last year was very good even if there wasn't a medal. This year, an absolute farce.
I'm running the Brighton Marathon this year and can only hope that either its a new team organising it or, God forbid its the same team they learn some serious lessons very quickly.
Date of review: February 23, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Richard Norris 5
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: shocking organisation, will be back purely for the route/location - nothing else
In full: third consecutive year I've run this, and the only time I've been really dissapointed.
I started near the front, so no complaints over congestion, but felt alot busier than normal.
Main complaint regard the start and finish. Huge queues for bag drop before - only 8 lines, so up to 1000 bags for each line! Problem could surely have been anticpated in advance.
Finish was pretty slow, and shambolic distribution of bannanas, blankets, medals etc - but main problem again was the bag collection.
Absolutely no-one orchestrating any kind of collection, just a mad free-for-all, trying to find your bag amongst piles of up to 1000!
Took me 15 mins to find mine (I was a shivering wreck by the time I found it) - and it had been opened, and the tag missing. Luckily nothing missing.
I found the race impossible to fault in 2008 & 2009, but little to enjoy this year (weather not helping) - and for £25 it's shocking value even given the charitable element.
Will do it again next year - but purely in the hope that its like 08/09.
Simple solution to the problems - either try and get more volunteers, or perhaps the event has outgrown purely being manned by volunteers and needs some paid employees in the more key roles - i.e. running the bag drop and looking after some 8000 peoples belongings!!!!
Date of review: February 23, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: ruperthebear
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Far, far, too many people for the course. Badly organised.
In full: This was my fourth time doing this race. It is around double the size of when I first ran it. The course and the organisation simply can not cope with this number of runners.
I don't have any detail to add to the many comments here a. I enjoyed the race despite the flaws and the weather. I'll probably do it again next year. However, unless some lessons have been learned I won't be doing it again after that.
Date of review: February 23, 2010
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