Midsummer Munro Half-Marathon  Here's how RW members rated this race (420 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Jane Scott 12
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Tough! But they did warn us!!
In full: Great race as with all Trionium races.. Steps..I hate them now but I suspect that'll wear off quite soon and I'll be back to attempt another of the mad races that are Trionium :-)
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Turbo-vet
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Hats off to Dr Rob and the Wonderful Marshals!
In full: 4th time and another course record (from 2:53, 2:40, 2:16 down to 2:11) - 2 hours can't be that far away now...
This is a premier league race for all the reasons already noted. Dr Rob and co always know how to keep you going on those long, tough ascents (and descents) and you definitely feel like you have earned the sandwiches and cake at the end.
Deep respect to the Picnic marathon runners - boy that course twice would be tough as nails, and then some...
You simply have to try this. It's the stuff of legends and as much of a mental test as a physical one. Still hurting the next day though.
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Zoe Green 4
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Brilliant atmosphere among runners. Tough but what an achievement!
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Tim A
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: There is no better way to spend an afternoon...
In full: Third time I have done this race and slowest time yet. Thank goodness the rain held off during the race or it would have been very tricky going. I fell three times in first couple of miles, once when the guy behing me slipped on the stepping stones and I ended up in the river. Then I tripped going up the first set of steps before completely wiping out on the fast downhill section shortly after. All part of the fun!
This really is a fantastic race - great atmosphere, excellent organisation, and a real sense of satisfaction. Thanks to all the marshalls for their encouragement, they are a great bunch.
I will be back next year, of course.
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: mark clawson
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: what goes up must.......go up even further !
In full: back again for my 5th munro ! and as always dr.rob and his team organised this race to perfection, i love this race yes it is VERY tough but its not just the course its so nice to run and have the support of fellow runners each helping one another with words of encouragement that just does not happen in normal races.
a big thank you to all the wonderfull marshals who with out them the race would not take place, but most of all my respect to all who completed the picnic marathon, at the start of all the 5 munros ive done i have always thought im going to do the picnic then as i run/crawl/fall over the finish i know i could never do the picnic !!
i will be back again next year and to all those who ran it for the first time this year although you will ache today (and for several days to come) you will be back again next year for more.....
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: 18monty
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: a great fun event
In full: fantastic marshalling and support. fantastic course, nice scenery and well marked. fantastic t shirt and medal. a killer on the thighs and legs but do enough hill training and you'll be ok. oh, and a magic mug too!
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Blog
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: My heart rate monitor was begging for mercy – as was I!
In full: Where to start? So much was good – the exemplary organisation, the national anthem, goodies, jelly babies, the picnic (food that it, the marathon is just mental) and of course the wonderful marshals. I couldn’t work out how they all knew me before realising my name was on my number (duh!) – very friendly idea!
I spent much of the first half in a cat-and-mouse with the (then) first lady. Every group of spectators seemed to be at pains to congratulate her (I kept wondering if Michelle Obama was behind me) so it was with some satisfaction that I managed to pass her on the long fall to Juniper Bottom and announce her imminent arrival before the drinks station there!
I did this race a few years back after similar weather immediately beforehand –wasn’t the torrential rain all morning great? (That time I had been sweeping water away from my front door just before the race and arrived with 5 mins to spare with soggy feet). Dr Rob has such great powers of organisation that I am quite surprised the clouds were not at his beck and call! I was very nervous about slipping on the down hills, but I actually fell going UP the steps – twice! My descent to the half way drinks station was near suicidal although it did allow me to lose the first lady. I had planned to capitalise on this by charging down White Hill but was thwarted by a strong headwind – no rest for the wicked!
Continuing the weather theme – the stepping-stones were fun – I certainly felt my feet going downstream! I felt very smug I had used some Compeed stick; otherwise the early foot sousing would not have been at all welcome. I wondered how high the water had to be before we would have been sent back the way we came – not much I would think.
My goal in this race had been to beat all the ladies and in this I failed, but only by two. The cramping in my calves going up the steps for the last time was ghastly and I think they both passed me on this final ascent. At this stage my heart rate monitor must have thought it was strapped to a younger man as I struggled to find new jelly baby-inspired reserves. I hobbled down the final slope, just managing to keep a chap following me at bay.
Everything you hear about this race is true (I simply do not understand how anyone could do it twice), all other halves and indeed the vast majority of races simply pale by comparison. You just have to keep coming back.
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Brian Airlie
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: fantastic atmosphere, very friendly and supportive marshalls well done to them all
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Breadsweatandbeers
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: The mug changes colour when you put hot drinks in! Best Race Memento EVER!!
In full: It's a hard course but great fun, well organised, amazing atmosphere. Knocked 3 minutes off last year. What more could you want? A mug that changes colour when you put hot drinks in!
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: James Larden-Price
| | 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: The hardest two and a half hours of my life... But I loved it!
In full: This was my first half-marathon and I absolutely loved it!
The course was spectacular! Great views, well signed and about as challenging terrain as is possible in the South. After two weeks of heavy rain I was expecting mud, but fording the raging stream covering the stepping stones about six inches deep was a bit of a surprise.
The organisation was top notch. There was brilliant support from the marshals and everyone else along the course, as well as regular water and jelly babies stops. As for the bag pipes at the start and half way, what a fantastic touch! Overall, superb atmosphere!
Would I do it again? At the end I swore never... Guess I will see you next year!
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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