Fred Hughes 10Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (382 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Frazzy
 | | 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 short: Good honest race let down by shabby start.
In full: Race start needs review as gathering outside Waitrose in St Albans wasn't the most suitable and the start running along a narrow path next to a busy road with everyone bunched up also needs looking at. After that fine, good course, a few little ups and downs and very friendly. Yes I'd go again.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
|
2011 race reviewed by: Andy N4
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Excellent race
In full: Yes, it's a bit chaotic at the start but that's part of the charm of this race. It's one of my favourites - good scenery, good mix of people and I like the 10 mile distance. Thanks very much to the organisers and all the marshalls for their unstinting encouragement.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Dooj
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good race - well organised
In full: Start was a bit messy - not an issue for me personally, but I appreciate those looking for a fast time need a cleaner start. Apart from that, good organisation, friendly and supportive marshalls, challenging course but not too bad. Would definitely recommend this race. Thank you to the organisers.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Alistair Gould
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Scenic race, friendly marshalls but same problems as last year
In full: This is a very friendly race with a slightly challenging course and nice scenery. While it seems a shame to critise such a good race but the problems at the start were exactly the same as last year and the chip timing seems a bit pointless when it just does the finish and not the start
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Sweaty Betty Boo
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Challenging but friendly
In full: Enjoyed this run, not as hilly as expected, though the long one from 5.5 to 7 was a tough one to recover from.
Nice friendly crowd and well marshalled, though would have been nice to have received a goody bag, rather than just a medal at that price.
One gripe I had was the lady marshall at the finish who was handing out medals. I thanked her for the medal and asked her where the water was and she answered "chip first, then water" - flippin cheek!
Date of review: January 24, 2011
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2010 race reviewed by: Sweaty Betty Boo
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Challenging but friendly
In full: Enjoyed this run, not as hilly as expected, though the long one from 5.5 to 7 was a tough one to recover from.
Nice friendly crowd and well marshalled, though would have been nice to have received a goody bag, rather than just a medal at that price.
One gripe I had was the lady marshall at the finish who was handing out medals. I thanked her for the medal and asked her where the water was and she answered "chip first, then water" - flippin cheek!
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Damian Keen
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Fair local race marred by a poor start
In full: First - the good points: it's a nice course - challenging enough without being sadistic, a nicely position water station that you pass three times, some nice enough country lanes and views across fields. The marshalls were all very supportive and enthusiastic.
Now the bad: a shambles of a start. There was no indication until a minute before the scheduled start that we would in fact be starting in the opposite direction, so all runners had to fight their way through the throng to assume their positions. Then the path was far too narrow over the first 400m for the amount of runners.
Apart from this, a minor grip about gun to chip timing - this is of no real benefit to the runners, only the organisers - and the lack of goody bag.
These gripes apart, an enjoyable race
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Jon Chaplin 3
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Excellent race marshals. Made a big difference.
In full: No complaints, although the start was a little chaotic and was left to one guy doing his best with a megaphone. No matter - the course was good with a gentle uphill around mile 5-6 and another around 8. I over heard one guy tell his running buddy 'I'm from the city - we call this cross country!' Special thanks to the Marshals who were unfailingly encouraging deserve a lot of credit.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Helen Smyth
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great race shame about the start
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
2011 race reviewed by: Jim B
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Challenging route with great support from marshals. Very enjoyable.
In full: I've never organised a race and am reluctant to criticise those who do - but the start was a problem. This might be solved by halving the width of the starting area to one side of the road and blocking off the start line so that runners have to enter the area from the back. However, I fear that the real problem is that this just isn't a good place to start a race with this many entrants.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
