Newham Classic 10K Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (97 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Monica Geraghty 2
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Loved this race and where else would have Jocelyn Brown singing just before the start
In full: I am sentimental about tbis event as Newham is where I grew up. I have been very impressed by not just the organisation and fabulous atmsophere on the day but also the pre run build up at free 5km runs organised by Tessa Sanderson and her colleagues since Jan - I am full of admiration and inspired by what they have brought to the community. I enjoyed the run was super slow sadly due to recent injury but acheived my main aim to make it round the course followed by a family picnic at West Ham Park
Date of review: May 7, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Richaux
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Nice preview of the Olympic Stadium
In full: The event should appeal to a wider set than those who already enjoy their running: hence Jocelyn Brown, Levi Roots, and, err, Miriam from Newham College. Chris Tomlinson and Julian Golding provided sporting kudos with Tessa S. The finish organisation not as slick as start/on-route. Overall, a good atmosphere and an enjoyable race.
Date of review: April 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: never_expected
| | 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: A very nice mornng's run!
In full: I enjoyed this race - especially the chance to see Tessa Sanderson and Chris Tomlinson! I live south of the river so I drove - and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to parking space near the park! Maybe I'm different to lots of runners, but I like a bit of road runnning, so it was all good for me! The medal is very nice and I liked the t-shirt and goody bag! A few more distance markers could have helped, but I have a garmin, so it was no great disaster! Overall ... great!
Date of review: April 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: MOHAMMED AKLAQUL-AMBEA
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Event getting better, but not yet the finished article.
In full: I have run in this event every year since its inception in 2009. As it's local, I give it my support by participating in it and trying to leave constructive comments on here.
NEGATIVE: As with the other Newham 10K event, the scenery is not up to much, but it is only Plaistow and Stratford, so what else did I expect? lol! The race in the first 200m is a little congested as it is run on the paths of West Ham Park. As in previous years, the route is in dire need of more km markers, and preferably more prominent ones at that. I only recall seeing the 8km and 9km markers en route. I've mentioned in a previous review that you knew you'd reached the 5km point, because of the turnaround near the Olympic stadium. The goody bag collection was once again a free-for-all disaster. My other half witnessed another woman taking four bags away! Organisers need to get a grip on this and the baggage collection which was a little on the slow side, despite the efforts of those manning them. Collection of technical T-shirts (if you ordered one for £15) was also poor. I collected the two T-shirts that I ordered, but the collection point had no check-list of which runners had ordered them. I asked the chap how he was going to check that I had genuinely ordered two technical T's, he admitted that this was a flaw, as he had no way of checking.
POSITIVE: The atmosphere as always was good. Organisers had managed to bring on board some celebrity faces such as British long-jumper Chris Tomlinson, Levi Roots (Reggae Reggae Sauce guy) and Jocelyn Brown (never heard of her, but she's a singer). This year I was glad to see starting pens in place. There were mediocre runners who started right at the front last year, and all that does is hold up the much faster elite and club runners. It was still amusing though to see some 'runners' try to enter the front pen with race numbers as big as 3000 and being denied access unless they had a number less than 500! Although there were fewer marshalls than in Newham London Run, the marshalls in this event were far more vocal in their support and encouragement. Hats off again to the construction workers who gave generous applause inside the Olympic park. The finish line was a little wider this year and it was fenced off, so people didn't just walk aimlessly across it.
GOODY BAG & MEDAL: The bag was exactly the same cotton bag with event name (not year) on it. Inside the bag there was a 500ml bottle of Powerade energy drink, a white cotton T-shirt with the event logo and TSF&A logo on the chest, a bar of Cadbury's Big Race a can of Gillette shaving foam for women (I dunno why this was in the mens goody bag!) a small packet of fruit sweets and finishers could also pick up a bottle of water, a can of Wellman energy drink and a free copy of the Newham Recorder after the finish line.
As long this event continues year after year, I'll be participating in it. The Newham London Run is better organised with more participants, but the Newham Classic 10K was the first event of its kind in Newham, which makes it special. As other reviewers have already mentioned, Tessa Sanderson takes a very 'hands on' approach and is always tremendously enthusiastic. I took part in the West Ham Park Winter Run Series, which helped me get back into running after 16 months absence. I ran between 41mins and 43mins and was really disappointed, as I hit 'the wall' after 6km and then had plenty of runners overtake me. My advice to other runners ...hydrate and fuel yourself properly before a race! I didn't, and lost the opportunity to go sub-40mins.
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: nikkinoo
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Jane Williams 10
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Inspiring 10k, lovely to be a part of.
In full: Great touches: TESSA for one, good marshalling, friendly atmosphere, frequent water stations, I got given my medal by Chris Tomlinson...
Not so good: The course was never going to offer inspiring scenery, apart from a close up view of the olympic stadium, I only saw KM markers at 3, and 8. A marshall shouted that we had 4km to go when we had five... a bit disheartening!
Could improve: handing out goody bags at the end was chaotic, but good natured and forgiveable.
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Snookiebear
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Great race once you've mang
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Alison Fryatt
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Love Tessa Sanderson and her 10k race!
In full: My second time at the Newham Classic. I did Tessa Sanderson's 5k Sunday runs over the winter so I know she is hands-on and supportive, but it was good to have support from other personalities like Levi Roots, and a song at the start from Jocelyn Brown. We started and finished in West Ham Park. The rest of the route is not particularly scenic, if you've seen the Olympic Stadium close up before, but running residential streets means you get spectators along along the way and there was support from the marshalls and the guys at the Olympics site, which helped to encourage me along when I began to flag. Km markers along the way. Nice cotton goody bag with cotton t shirt, bottle of water and sports drink, and a can of ladies shaving gel!(assume the gents got something different). The sunny weather helped to give the event a real carnival feel - can't wait until next year.
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Ini Ekwo
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: I thouroughly enjoyed this one.
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Wendy Pullen
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Lovely Run
In full: My third time in this race, cracking race around Stratford and the Olympic Park. As always Tessa's support is fantastic, well done to everyone involved. Next year will be extra special, just before the 2012 Olympics.
Date of review: April 10, 2011
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