2009 PUMA HellRunner: Hell Down South Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (468 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: Surfrunner
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Missed last years mud but still loved it.
In full: Lack of mud in the first half took the shine off it slightly, but organisers obviously can't be blamed for that. The unbeleivable cold did, however, make it challenging in so many other ways. Like a previous reviewer I made the mistake of getting my gloves wet and have never felt such pain (almost up there with childbirth!)
I think the problem with the loos was also down to the weather which caused the pumps to freeze - perhaps the organisers should have been more prepared for the cold but as the entire country tends to descend into chaos at the first hint of snow I guess we shouldn't expect anything less from them?
Still my all time fave event anyway.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Duke Toblerone
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Would love to do it again if they sort out some changing rooms.
In full: I know its an army base but slightly harsh they made us change outside. I was one of the sorry bunch who lost their hands to frostbite.
Some clearer directions from the site would've helped on how to get there. Props to the drivers who gave me a lift there and back. Would never have made it on foot.
The bog had frozen over I was told, nearly swam over the lake after slipping on rocks in the water. I don't mind the shirt as a memento. Goodies was great!
The only real let down was the portaloos and the lack of changing rooms. The constant U-bends on the course played havoc with my mind.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: A. Runner
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: You must try this before you die
In full: Wouldn't have missed this in the world. It was as hard as nails with hills that could kill. Came home tired and but loved the whole day.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: NorthernBloke
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well organised and a challenging course.
In full: Having completed other 'adventure style' races like this (TG) I was new to the Hellrunner events but have left feeling VERY impressed. A reasonable entry fee and decent course which was extremely well marked and marshalled. The only change I'd make to the course is for mile markers to be put into position.
I will probably look at completing another Hellrunner race or two next year.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: steven sworder
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: cold, fun but could be better
In full: what a fantastic race, I'm still bearing the battle scars from encounters with the ice!
But, why is there not better signage to the race, from the amount of people I saw doing u turns on the way there I wasn't the only one to find it difficult to get there and the maps/directions didn't help once you got near.
Yes, there was a delay and it was announced on the PA system, but unless you were at the front of the queue you hadnt a chance of hearing it.
And I've never seen such miserable marshalls, I know it was cold, but on the way in and out all they did was stand in the middle of the road. I suppose in the cold conidtions they were just doing impressions of snowmen, and as useful!
Still, had a great time, but next time can the organisers please be ready for cold conditions?
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Paul Evans 11
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good race, challenging hills and bog of doom but let down by poor organisation
In full: Enjoyed the race itself - challenging hills and the bog of doom was cold! Plenty of people there to enjoy themselves so a good atmosphere. A very full goody bag at the end and good support from the marshals en route.
Already plenty of comments on the cold, although I don't think you can blame the organisers for frozen toilets - not easy to fix.
However, there are quite a few points to improve the organisation:
a few more signs to get there would be nice.
The start was 15 minutes late and there was no announcement about the delay despite us all standing around getting colder. This led to the two starts getting mixed up. The race then started without any warning whatsoever. They had the PA system to use - so why didn't they?
There really should be some sort of ranking at the start so slower runners aren't at the front causing the delays on the hills and forcing the faster runners to weave in and out of people right at the start.
At the end, the mens baggage was a shambles - the cadets manning this got there after we did and then only seemed to fetch the bags of those runners standing in a particular spot, even if they had just turned up and jumped the queue! So after 10 minutes of standing around getting cold we just walked inside and grabbed our own bags. These guys were completely disorganised - not good when the runners are getting back cold and soaking wet, they need to get their bags back quickly to enable them to change.
The website stated that you didn't need to be able to swim! But my wife is less than 5 foot tall and couldn't touch the bottom in the Bog of Doom - so perhaps the website should be updated.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Stephen Wood 11
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Its already been said, it was COLD!!
In full: First time doing the Hell Runner and certainly not the last. The coldest bit was waiting at the start for the race to start. The route was challenging but tough and the bod of doom was a great moment of the race as was the lake, especially the mud slide that developed.
All in all a fantastic race on an exceptionally cold day, all runners should give it a crack
Thanks to the organisers, the marshalls and of course my fellow mad men
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Puffin1
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: The best race I've ever done....
In full: ...also the coldest!
It seemed like a silly idea to have entered a race with bogs and hills when I arrived and it was -2 but the race made up for that and you soon forgot the cold as the hills got harder and steeper. Almost everyone seemed to resort to walking some of them. Then there were the water features, I you remebered about the cold! The final hardship was the run on sand just when all your muscles were wanting a rest.
A hugely fun and enjoyable race and I'll to it again next year. There are some things the organisers could improve on - the loos were awful most didn't flush so they soon became full up and unusable. plus the start was late meaning a lot of standing about in the cold. But the finish funnel was very well organised and the goody bag one of the best I've had so that made up for it.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Spiggot
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Tough and some organisational issues
In full: Good fun and you can't complain about the course being tough or the freezing weather as that's what we signed up for. Portaloos a disgrace and not enough marshalling around the course. We stopped to help 2 people on the floor. Goody bag full but t-shirt a dissapointment when you've paid £26 to enter and a 'space' blanket would have been much appreciated but the long walk back to car park in freezing, wet clothes. Bottlenecking round the course was an issue and got frustrating.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Catcat
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: hills, hills, bog, hills, lake, hills = great fun
In full: A really good course, was much hillier than I expected and not as muddy (certainly not as muddy as Turbo X), but that may have something to do with the cold, and boy was it cold.
Really good party atmosphere.
My main and really only negative is where was the wave system. there were no signs to indicate where each wave should stand (the place was big enough to have separate areas) no announcements that I heard off. I stood at the back and went off a good 10 minutes after the official start time only to be told as I crossed the line that I was in wave 1, so I just went for it anyway and ran the race.
Think this was a big reason as to why we had a few bottle-necks around the course which did fragmentise the race a bit.
Date of review: November 28, 2010
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