Benfleet 15Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (221 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Karen Samuel
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: My letter to Ben Fleet
In full: 23rd January, 2011
Dear Ben Fleet,
I wanted to write to you about your race. It was far too muddy and slippery, hence causing me to slip and fall too many times. Consequently I hurt my right arm and cut my finger on my left hand. I swallowed a mouthful of mud and had a tummy ache for days! Not to mention I stained my running clothes. I’ve never seen so much ghastly thick mud, I was slipping and slithering like a confused eel. I was in such a mess!
But to be perfectly honest the race was B-R-L-L-I-A-N-T :=) It is one of best race I have ever ran. When I think of this race the adrenalin starts rushing in. Thanks to all of the female runners who picked me up from the mud several times. The men found it amusing and left me to sink in the mud!
Karl you and your Marshalls did a first class job – perfection. I like to give Special Thanks to my favourite Marshall who took pity on me and try to clean the stubborn mud from my hands and feet with his bottles litre of water. I was completely covered from head to toe in thick, crusty mud, I underestimated the race sorry the mud ;=)
I hope this race will always continue.
I hope to see you all soon.
Regards to all involved.
Karen Samuel
Your biggest fan
PS
I love the running shirt – nice one!
Date of review: February 2, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Julia T
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Mud mud and mud!
In full: A fantastic race with a great atmosphere, more mud than last year which is my excuse for being slower ;-)
Date of review: January 28, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Mono
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Muddy fun
Date of review: January 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Spokey42
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great mud, great fun!
In full: Whatever you're ability, you'll have a great time. This is a very different race which you can either belt round in 1 hr 30 mins or stroll round in 4 hrs. No-one minds and everyone is encouraging and friendly.
Date of review: January 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: kevano
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Loved the mud
In full: You can get off to a flying start then you hit the mud which this year was plentiful, if you recover from that you can kick the last 4 miles. i really enjoy this run and this year was no different.....cheers ....mud mud mud!!!
Date of review: January 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Harris
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Very, very muddy, but ultimately a friendly and recommended race
In full: Thank you very much to Benfleet for organising this and to all the marshalls who were really friendly and helpful the whole way round.
I entered this after the postponement of the Dartford 10 and was pleased I entered what turned out to be a very different event to that originally in the diary!
Quite a flat race (only one smallish hill at about mile 5), but you're never going to set a PB wading through and skidding along that much mud for 4 miles!
Plus points - an interesting course, results and photos up quickly, cheap to enter, a good t-shirt and lots of cake available pre and post race. It's a great training race for longer distances since the five miles at the end weighed down with dried mud really got the legs working.
I have only two gripes which may prevent me doing it again (and I hasten to add that neither is a criticism of the organisers who I suspect can do nothing about them):
(1) I got the train from London to the nearest station (Benfleet) and it was then perhaps a 30 minute walk to the race. Not a problem on the way to the start, but more of a headache on the way back from the finish.
(2) I was by no means the slowest runner but by the time I got to the showering facilities there was a long queue and only freezing water left. Not usually a problem, but it's been a long long time this I was that muddy!
And also one minor gripe at my fellow runners - when there is a queue to get over a stile or through a gate, it is not acceptable to jump it. Please join the back like everyone else!
So minor problems for me, but overall a friendly, challenging and good fun race.
I might be back next year, weather dependent!
Date of review: January 24, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: shadyg
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: It's muddy, so what's not to like
In full: 2nd time doing this, love it and hate in equal measure, and will probably be back to try it again next year. Great organisation, atmosphere. Liked the food selection at 3rd water stop. You just can't train for that type of mud between miles 7 & 9. Thanks to the Benfleet Runnining club for another great event.
Date of review: January 24, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: kim masson
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: seriously muddy and great fun.
Date of review: January 23, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Cheg
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: I've made peace with the mud
In full: I did this last year and vowed never to return. But I wanted revenge and so signed up again. My head was in a much better place and so I enjoyed it much more than previously. The mud between miles 7 and 9 is farcical but it's what the race is famous for. Enter this race with no time goals and just for the challenge and you'll love it.
Date of review: January 23, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Fairf
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Muddy but rewarding
In full: Thank you very much Benfleet Runners for such a great race.
Tough going but very rewarding
Date of review: January 23, 2011
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