New Forest Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (390 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Simon Gerhardt
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A great race. Interesting course, great support, a good challenge
In full: Really enjoyed the overall event. Good pre race organisation and start was handled well and went off bang on time.
course was jsut the right mix of ups and downs and some lovely scenery.
Support both from marshalls and the general public was amazing and the jelly babies and motivational signs on the second hill were brillinat.
Will definitely do it again next year.
Only negative comment waas the lack of toilets pre race. Glad i didn't need to go as the queue looked longer than the course!
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Money_penny
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well supported and good atmosphere, but a number of areas needing improvement
In full: Having read a number of the other reviews, I agree that the good things were that this was a scenic, fairly challenging half in the beautiful New Forest. The marshalls were great, as was the support - highlights being the jelly babies and the entertaining signs up the second hill.
These events never ever have enough toilets, so unfortunately I expect insufficient toilets as standard now.
The medal was great; the goody bag was poor - the bananas had all gone, so a cereal bar, a bottle of water and some adverts I am not interested in, is poor, especially considering the level of the entry fee.
My most major complaint relates to the fact that we had to queue for half an hour to collect our bags. The system needs to be seriously addressed. We then unfortunately had to wait over half an hour to get out of the main car park...... so on top of the 20 minute wait for the toilet at the start, I felt that I spent most of the event waiting......
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: MiltonMiles
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race in the country!
In full: A really attractive race once you get out onto the forest roads. Big enough hills in places to make it "interesting" - fabulous support up the biggest one with jelly babies just where you need them!
Very well supported and marshalled. I live within walking distance of the start so luckily don't have to suffer the problems with a pre-race toilet stop.
My only criticism would be the same as what others have mentioned - the so called goody bag is almost non-existent: a bottle of water, muesli bar, advert for a haulage company and an advert for New Forest Cider! Surely it should be possible to use a few pounds of the high entry cost to include even a cheap T-shirt?
Overall though a great race and one I thoroughly recommend!
Date of review: September 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: woody 40
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: very well supported,
In full: nice undulating coarse, with a couple of challenging accents. plenty of water stops, and well supported by the locals, and unfortunatly the toilet situations at these races tends to be somewhat similar. but all in all enjoyable.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Cathy L
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Great organisation
In full: Route was well marshalled and well supported most of the route. Hills were certainly testing, would agree with other review and say overall I feel the New Forest 10m has a more scenic (and flatter!)course.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Mykey
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Undulating, exposed but with some great support and very well organised. A great race!
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: ElBoracho
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well marshalled event, nice medal, good route
In full: First time at this event. Having run many events on road and off-road i would say that the NF route is average. Not until the route gets out approx. 5 miles does it start to become reasonably scenic. The NF 10 on trails is far superior.
Fantastic supportive marshalls and a well marked route with plenty of drinks stations and supportive children. Good facilities, but agree that issue with toilets is not good. Also agree that 'goody' bag is not exactly filled with goodies. Mostly leaflets that just end up in recycle bins. Why do a lot of event organisers insist on this. Incredible waste when we are all supposed to be more environmentally friendly.
The route is gentle for the first half in the half marathon, but then the second half is all up and down with a reasonably flat/slight downhill to the finish.
Minor complaint; please can the organisers think seriously in the post-event analysis about the results. The results posted on the hall wall did not correlate with those during prize-giving. Not good! As this creates a huge disappointment to those affected by it. Also, waiting for almost an hour and half after finishing for the results is painful!!! This despite the race literature stating that this would be at approx. 11.30am. It was in fact nearly 1pm. Not good!! Hence why most winners were not around to collect their prizes. This needs to be reconsidered for the race in the future.
Rant over! Once again, thanks to the organisers and everyone else involved in the event. A long day for them all and very tiring.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Buggsie
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Beautifully scenic course, superb marshalls and spectators.
In full: Thank you to everyone on the route, the encouragement was much appreciated. Often the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the spectators (or the spectators themselves) have disappeared by the time slow runners like me come through, but everyone was fantastic and very vocal, it was so good that sometimes I thought I was winning!
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Body Talk
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Good race, toilets could have been better.
In full: The Good:
1. Helen Mirren's cameo appearance at the START line.
2. The random piece of rubber flapping in the wind outside New Look. Classy!
3. Denture World - someone should turn that into a nationwide chain.
4. The "Keep Calm and Carry on up the Hill" sign at the steep hill.
5. The jelly babies. Except I didn't have any because I'm watching my weight.
6. Enthusiastic support from the locals.
7. Excellent marshals.
8. Nice medal.
9. Bananas (no trip to ASDA for me this week)
10. Pint of cider at the pub
The bad:
The lack of a sense of comradery with the other runners. It all felt a bit elitist and exclusive.
The ugly:
The toilets.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: KSW
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A very special race
In full: I really enjoyed this race, cant exactly put my finger on what made it so special, the crowds? the ponies? the very very enthusiatic and supportive marshalls? or the time spent putting out the signs on that final hill to make it seem less painful and make you smile?
whatever it was i enjoyed every step of this race and think I managed to smile all the way round! thank you for a lovely race.
one minor point was the slow baggage collection... I'd recommend looking how Reading Half marathon manage it,
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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