Bristol Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race (888 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Ali Robertson 2
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good, but not great.
In full: Pro: Pretty flat course. Very well organised, especially the large, well-run, water / drinks sections. Good support in the city centre. Good start/finish. Excellent supportive marshalling.
Cons: Not great three last miles - windy and lonely through the business quarter. The goodies bag is just so silly that they'd be better off without. It costs about £5 too much. It would also be great if they could put in a couple more uplifting sections: the Heart FM stations were really welcome and a New Orleans-style jazz band like they had in the 10k would have gone down very well.
Overall I'll keep on doing it as it's only 10 min walk from me but imo the organisers will need to pick up just a couple of things, or drop the price a little, to stop the decline in numbers.
Date of review: September 12, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: John Edmund Cooper
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well-managed event on improved course
In full: The direct approach to the Portway is a huge improvement and the two-wave start worked for me as I was at front of second and straight into race pace. Had a poor race, but that's my fault
Date of review: September 12, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Christine Campbell 5
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A new pb and great t - shirt
In full: I really didn't like this course. There are too many twists and turns. Officials were rude and aggressive. Starting pens were very confusing and not clear. Why not swap t - shirt for a better goodie bag.
Date of review: September 12, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Birdy123
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: The organisation gets slicker and slicker
Date of review: September 12, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: John Corbett 6
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: An excellent race! Great atmosphere!!
Date of review: September 12, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Nick Daines
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A tough run in a very well-organised race
In full: Being used to Cardiff and Bath this was my first run in Bristol and a bit of a mixed bag for me.
On the plus side it was very well-organised and I liked the wave start. No-one was walking in the first few miles and I didn't have to weave through people as can happen in other big races. The course was interesting and scenic, even enjoyed the portway bit that I'd been warned about by friends.
On the downside I found the support a little quiet apart from one or two concentrated areas in the city centre (notably around Queen Square and St. Augustines where I needed it!) and the general atmosphere seemed flat compared to previous experiences in Bath and Cardiff.
It was also a hillier and tougher than I expected and the weather didn't help, but that's my fault for underestimating it and means I just have to train harder if I come back next year!
Date of review: September 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Bumper
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great organisation, great race, great T-shirt and medal but no 'goodies' in the bag
In full: Thoroughly enjoyed this race today, great organisation, never seen so many marshals! Limited support out of town, but as this is the first half of the race and support is there in bucketloads in the second half when you need it most it isn't an issue.
Lots of water and lucozade sport along the route, well organised and signposted, and plenty of it. More after the finish which was very welcome on what turned out to be a very hot and sticky day.
Bit of a walk after the finish to the 'Runners Village' to collect the medal (Excellent), T-Shirt (Excellent Asics Technical shirt) and goodie bag (I thought I'd picked up an empty one - A Lucozade Carb bar, a single packaged glucose tablet, a packaged moist wipe from Asics, an Asics catalogue and a promotional Mens/Womans Running 5 page combined magazine).
I've been to other less expensive races and got better goody bags with technical Tees with smaller fields, so considering the fact that this is a pretty expensive race to enter I was disappointed and this let-down after what was otherwise a great event.
Date of review: September 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: JayElle
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great atmosphere! Fantastic weather! VERY well organised. Over the moon with my new pb!
Date of review: September 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: AndyV
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Excellent organisation. good fast course. Not expensive when you consider you get a medal and an Asics tee.
Date of review: September 11, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Speedofasloth
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Well organised race with friendly support and excellent facilities
Date of review: September 11, 2011
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