Events

Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		60%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Not perfect, but worth doing
In full: Some people seem to have nothing better to do than complain. This is a great race which combines a tour of the town centre and a long run by the sea side. We've been fortunate with the weather the last two years. The two things which could be improved are the inaccurate mile markers and the water stations which looked to be running out of water half way through the field. If they ran out of medals near the end then that is unforgiveable. Overall, a great way to spend a sunny Sunday morning.
Date of review: February 18, 2008

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Please sort out the mile markers
In full: I thought this was a good race that was let down by the marshalling and the placement of the mile markers. My plan was to run this at marathon pace but the mile markers were all over the place, which made this impossible. Is it really that hard to put them in the right place? Also, there were a few points on the route where there were no marshalls and it was unclear which way to run. I'm pretty sure a group of runners in front of me got lost because of this. That said, I thought the support along the way was fantastic.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Great event this year. Great fun tearing through the narrow lanes!
In full: Great event. My first half marathon and I'll definately be back. Organisation was spot on and the only niggle being the (seeming) lack of staggered starting for expected times.

The first few k's in town are great fun, lots of friendly jostling and then you get into the lanes which are narrow and twisting. Seemed like a mini-riot in man made fibre!

Onto the seafront and with the sun out and only a slight breeze it was pure running heaven. I can honestly say that the k's from 7 to 14k were some of the most enjoyable running ever. Loads of room, great atmos, friendly crowd clapping all along (and Paranoid by Black Sabbath on my shuffle was the icing on the cake)...

The marina was hard work. The hill really took it out of me and then when you get down to where the boats are the whiteness of the cliffs in the sun was pretty overwhelming after 18k... Once out of this though even though the finish line's still some way off (just out of sight at first) what with the crowds cheering and runners picking up speed it was a breeze finish.

Many thanks to all and I hope the Beacon raised a fine sum.

Cheers,
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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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: A good way to spend sunday morning
In full: Excellent race, well organised. Mainly flat but a few slight hills towards the end. It was good to get the medal and text notification of time. Not much else in the goody bag would defnietly run again though.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Flat, fast and glorious sunshine.
In full: This was a dream half marathon with great organisation, plenty of water stations (it was actually warm out there!) and a course that felt like a quick sightseeing tour of Brighton on a lovely, almost spring morning. It was nice and flat too, and apart from the wind on the way back, good pb potential. I managed one, too! Thank you to the organisers for a great job.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: My first half, and hopefully not my last!
In full: Having done the Brighton 10k in November, it was a great relief to have good weather today! I was always heading for a slow time, and found it harder than expected, but I finished (and not last either). Atmosphere was great, especially from runners who had finished and were walking back to their cars while I plodded past. No thanks though to the woman who told me the wrong way, only to be corrected by a marshall, which caused me to trip over a curb and fall over. If you don't know the right way, say you don't know!

It got a bit lonely out towards the marina, and I could have quite easily taken a short cut (which I didn't). No medal for me at the end, but they were very apologetic. I guess the good weather meant a lower than usual turnout.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Very enjoyable half marathon
In full: This was the second time I have run the Sussex Beacon, and I was delighted to run a PB by almost 6 minutes. I thought the race was well organised, and the course was pleasant. I particularly appreciated the text notification of finishing time.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		60%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Sea, sun and sore legs
In full: As usual, no big problems with the race thanks to the organisers, with a good mix of runners on the course. People mostly lined up according to their estmiated time, but I was still dodging joggers after 5 miles.

I did it a couple of years ago on the old course (out all the way to Rottingdean) which I preferred to the inital run 'round Brighton. Sure, you get to see the lanes etc, but it's a bit congested in parts and quite difficult in parts. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of the change, but hey, there you go.

One point for the other runners though - if there's 10 to 15 minutes to the kick off, and there's a que at the toilets - get your non-running chums out of the toilet que so us runners can get sorted. They only need to wait another a few minutes and they can have the pick of the toilets!
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Good fast course and excellent support with big field
In full: Well organised although expensive half marathon. As it is for charity I do not begrudge the fee though. The course is largely flat along sea front with some minor deviation into town and towards end to add on miles. The weather was perfect today but if the wind was blowing it would be hard work.

My garmin recorded 13.2 as well but most course are over-distance. I ask those that are complaining would they rather it recorded 13.0 so not counted as pb or just over 13.1? Plus all GPS calculations have an error and most runners will not have kept to the racing line.

A good race for a first timer or for those preparing for spring marathons.The medal was fine and the goody bag a bit of waste of time. The sun was shining, so that may explain my positive report!
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		80%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Great Race and weather this year with good wind for Brighton!!
In full: Pity they can got get the total distance or majority of mile markers correct - My GPS and all around beeped at least 50 meters before each mile marker. Total Distance was 13.26!! Medal is the worst I have ever seen in 8 years of racing.
Date of review: February 17, 2008

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