British 10KHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (606 votes). 2012 race reviewed by: Wexter
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Where is the split starts
In full: 25,000 people should be a good atmosphere, but lack of thinking such as no split starts means this is not so enjoyable weaving in and out of people. I had a free charity place but would no way pay 50 quid to run round London when I could take myself there and turn my running app on. I ended up running 10.4 k which was probably due to weaving in and out of people and felt fit but found it hard to get into a rhythm due to dodging walkers and the number of people there.
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Andrew Scowcroft 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Too expensive, too many people, lack of organisational nouse
In full: Some stewards were great/encouraging. Crowds were good, especially under Hungerford Bridge.
This is the kind of race that does well despite problems it creates. I've learned my lesson and will stick to smaller, local races (unless I get in the VLM through the ballot...!)
1) Why doesn't the British 10k answer its admin email address? Its website encourages you to email them! Queries about race shirts (and others) went unanswered. It seems odd to put on a race for 25,000-ish people and not to offer a slight wider range of shirt sizes for the "compulsory" shirts. The XL was very trim for a reasonable proportioned (honest) six feet seven inch runner. (and yes, some people did wear their own but that's another story...)
2) The route is fine but it's hard to take it in when you're dodging those ahead. No problem with slower runners (I'm one of them) but try to find a way of staggering the start by ability. If the problem is the location of the start then change the location of the start.
3) There was something anti-climatic about the finish (although the weather didn't help) and the wander back to the baggage bays to find that medals/bags were just lying there to be picked up. Did those who didn't leave bags know that this was how it was to be done?
4) The whole thing was a shameful Nike-fest. Don't mind them being involved but the race was established before their sponsorship and it looks like the price isn't coming down next year.
5) There were other things but I've gone on too long already...
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Sweatband
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Nice route , nice shirt and medal. Organization at finish needs serious re work
In full: Good first time 10k if you like massive crowds. Lots of people missed out on goodies. Race pack arrived in good time and chip worked. A serious flaw had to be the "help yourself" to medal at the end. Demeaning, tacky and was bound to end in disaster with shortages. Not for me I am happy to report.
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: kaffeeg
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Bit of a mess
In full: No starting pens so mixed up with all abilities. Unable to run at my pace due to dodging everyone who was walking. The baggage was a nightmare - they made a mistake and could not find my race numer baggage area. The sticker they give to put on your bag comes off so people lost their bags. The goody bag was just a bunch of flyers, a tea bag and a tiny amount of sugar and one sweet. The medal - pretty, but I picked mine up from the floor as they were just lying on the ground.
I could go on.............
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Kimberli Butler
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Too many people, poorly organised.
In full: That many people for a 10k is crazy, I was roughly 5000 or so from the start with about 20,000 behind me, I figured after the first KM I'd of got past most of the people slowing the pace down - I spent the entire race weaving in and out of slower people or those walking. Out of five of us only two if us have received a result from our chip time (luckily I am one of those 2), the others were given incorrect tshirts, then collected new tshirts to find their number had changed so had a new chip - which hasn't seemed to have worked. I over heard one lad had had his bag nicked from the luggage bay. The course map wasn't entirely true, we didn't run down Pall Mall, I was too busy dodging slow runners to see any sights - I saw Big Ben but that was it. They had portaloos 5K into the race that some were queuing for but it was on a fairly small road and the people queuing for the loo were blocking the route. And the race started 10mins late. All in all I'd say 4/10.
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Emrun
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Awful organisation
In full: We were not there late but ended up waiting 40 mins to start as there are no start pens. Then spent most of the race running sideways trying to get past all the walkers. The 'baggage' area was not secure or covered so my layers for after we're soaked through. The goody bag had pistachios and sugar?! Would Definitly not recommend this to anyone, there are far better 10ks!
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Matthew Moore 8
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Too busy
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Gill Weekes
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great Atmosphere but really, really busy
In full: First time doing this event. Really looked forward to it because of the location and running past lots stunning London landmarks. Atmosphere was really uplifting and loads of people had made the effort to come out and cheer, despite the horrendous weather. However, there were circa 13000 runners and it took a good 25 minutes from the time that the gun went for me to cross the start line purely because of the sheer number of people, and there were still a huge amount of people behind me. Shame they couldn't have staggered it according to your expected time. Would have meant that those that wanted to go off quickly could and those that wanted to start slower could have done. Would probably do again, but just get there earlier to be a little closer to the front!
Date of review: July 8, 2012
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2009 race reviewed by: Michael Ohashi
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Great race
In full: This race has 25000+ runners. Some people complain about the slow runners or walkers. It's just a meter of getting to the race site early and start the race the front as possible.
Date of review: March 22, 2011
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2007 race reviewed by: Edd Turner
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Really good all round -- see the sights of London, with many people cheering you on!
In full: All round I thought this was great. Only slight annoyance, though mostly my fault, was that since this was my first race I eagerly snapped up many free drinks while on the start line... only to have to go and use some toilets after about 1km!
Date of review: April 13, 2010
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