Run to the Beat Half-MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (128 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: Auntie Dude
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% |
In short: Disappointed with the event
In full: Negatives:
1. You cannot dink from plastic cups whilst running!
2. Where was the music? I left my Ipod at home so that I could run to the beat.
3. Queuing for my bag was insane and freezing.
4. Chips that get laced into the shoe so you have to unlace your shoe at the end isnt great for runners who have trouble walking at the end let alone bending over(not me but there are many who would have struggled).
5. Having to buy the official t-shirt was a first for me.
6. I know the organisers have no control over the transport but it was apalling. London Transport knew of the problems in the morning and come 1pm it was still a farce to get away (I was still at the 02 at 3pm)
Positives
1. A new PB
2. Good crowd support in some areas.
Date of review: September 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: ken kennison 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good route, poorly organised, lessons to be learned.
In full: My second year running and after a glorious day last year the weather let us down, not that it should have dampened our spirits as we had all the atmosphere and 'beats' to run to!! No need to delay the start, timing chips take care of those that are late, so got called to pen and waited in excess of 45 mins to cross the start line, took a good mile to warm up again. I ran again because I love London, enjoyed the route and it offers excellent PB potential but advertise it as a London 1/2 marathon not as a gimic run around the idea that you will be accompanied by 'beats' scientifically created to boost performance, taking my IPOD next time. I have to agree with those that have commented on the drink stations, what a waste. But worse was to come at the finish, I collected my bag and then had to wait almost 30 mins for my wife to collect hers, surely a better system can be developed, not by finish time with the inevitable bottle neck. The transport issues both ways are not entirely the fault of the organisers but do they not communicate when there is a mass participation event, announcement when waiting 30 mins to get on tube at London Bridge was overunning engineering works, this clearly doesn't help what was a poorly run event. Could go on but enjoyed the run, just hope that the organisers take on board the comments that are posted here and apply some of the common sense advice that is given.
Date of review: September 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: shellybelly
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: This was my first half for 5 years and I was really looking forward to the "beat" aspect of it. I have to admit I was pretty disappointed from start to finish.
Date of review: September 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: oli sloman 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: No t shirt as originally promised, No Goody Bag as originally promised, Great Atmosphere
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Louisa Tall
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Badly organised sham and the "beat" is a gimmick
In full: The most frustrating race I've ever done (even though I nearly beat my pb). Thousands of people in a confined area = no one can move. It was so hard to find the end of the 40 min toilet queues, pens were badly posted, aaages to get to the bag drop then even longer to get through the start - miserable! The race itself was ok, the music? what music? Needn't have bothered, for the 20 secs of tinny music I heard I just stuck my ipod in. Then at the end crew sent us in the wrong direction to the exit, couldn't see the "green bins" for the chips, lack of goody bag was a disaster - if you're worried about being eco friendly fork out for biodegradable bags but the lack of bags was a disaster, the poor slower runners got no space blankets and it was freezing. And tio top it all off the tube was closed on the way home (having endured tube delays on the way out, so tried clipper (not running yet), cab and DLR) due to overcrowding so we walked for a few extra miles tothe overland - - a mockery and I could go on even more. The 02 is so inaccessible if one type of transport fails. Gah! I'm getting frustrated just reliving it.
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: coleja
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 3rd time for me and i'll be back but it is local for me.
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Alison Macleod
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In full: This was my first ever half marathon and first race, so I didn't know what to expect. We got stck on the Tube and by the time we got there all the foil blankets seemed to have gone. It was bitterly cold, took me the first couple of miles to thaw out.
Overall, it was a real mix. I thought the route was quite interesting, and there was plenty of enthusiastic support from the locals even for us slowcoaches bringing up the rear. The music part was a disappointement - bands OK but you only heard them for 30 seconds, long reaches with no music. After the first refreshment stop, everything apart from water had run out. Which was pretty sad. Overall reading the other comments, I think I'll do a more local one next time and hopefully i'll get a cereal bar and a slightly faster time!
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: peter henriksen
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: David Hook 3
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Chaos on the tube didn't help. Bag drop, starter pens etc badly labelled. Long queue for toilets at the start. Also spent the 1st 3 miles weaving through those who clearly weren't in the right pace category
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: GRAHAM MILLER 9
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: As usual Londons finest (transport) never seems to disappoint
In full: Getting to this race was hard enough once you hear of the cancellations and 30 minute wait for the next tube. So it was nice to hear the race delayed as i would have missed it. once there it looked a total mess trying to find where to go and how to get there. i managed to find pen 4 and followed the masses only to wait for nearly 40 minutes before finally starting. The course was great as this was my first half marathon along with a friend of mine and we were determine to do well, which we did but at the end of the race we just managed to get a bottle of water from one of the staff before it was all finished. i remember seeing boxes of cereal bars and other stuff at the start but figured this would be given out but seeing the piles and piles of empty boxes we just kept thinking how they could be finished that quick. only now reading other post i now know why. would i run here again is a maybe. a well marshalled post race. Maybe a goody bag and better transportation. so maybe in 2012 straight after the olympics. If they get it right then they can't fail. MAYBE
Date of review: September 27, 2010
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