BUPA Great South RunHere's how RW members rated this race (813 votes). 2007 race reviewed by: Ruth McPake 2
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great atmosphere, awful traffic jam!
In full: I found the course to be great - flat but challenging due to the harsh head-wind and lashing rain. Great people, and well organised for the start of the race. It was a shame that there were so many no shows (6000) though unsurprising due to the weather and the cancellation of trains due to engineering works! The biggest problem of the day was getting home - It took TWO AND A HALF HOURS to get on to an A road leaving Portsmouth. I have to say that this borders on the ridiculous. There were no marshalls in sight to help direct cars and it ruined what would otherwise have been a lovely and successful run.
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Hackers
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: The weather....oh, the weather!
In full: My 2nd running of this event. (I think I must be a bad omen for the weather).
Good points:
Fast flat course
Varied route
Excellent medal
Bad points
Cost of the event
Crap cotton t-shirt - of no running use to anyone!
Overall
I quite like this race but am seriously considering not entering next year if only because of the cost.
The weather was not a problem. It merely made the last two miles somewhat hilarious.
I parked at Gunwharf Quays and walked 15mins to the start. Same again at the finish. Had some lunch and then left the car park at 1315. 15 mins to get onto the motorway. I thought the police were very good at keeping the traffic moving. It was the stupidity of the drivers that held a lot of people up as they chose to ignore the waving policeman and stop at the red light.
Whilst I feel for the hundreds/thousands of people who parked at the event and were charged £3 for the privelige of 'professional parking', you must have known that getting away from the event would have taken ages and due to Portsmouth's location would have exacerbated the problem.
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Hannah Mozley
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Poor signage and lack of marshalls
In full: With a race this big, there should be better marshalling for car parks, took me three hours to get from race to hotel near M275. Also there were no clear signs to post race facilities and palces to keep warm like North run. Hope its get better as race size passes 20k.
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: black rat
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race but don't enjoy 5 hours queuing!
In full: This is the 3rd time I have done this. I cannot fault the organisation of the race. T-shirt good and plenty of loos. hoever, living only 45 miles away left at 815, loads of time before the start. NO!! Took over an hour and a half to get on the common parked. Just got to the start in time. Can't help the weather. Finish no problems apart from the 3 hour wait to get out of Portsmouth after being moved from pillar to post and hardly moving. Of course you have to expect some congestion, I accept that but 3 hours to get out I find ludicroous. Would have spent the afternoon in Portsmouth but by the time we got there most of the shops would have been shut. It definately needs some work before next year!
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: shaun carpenter
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: excelent race good organisation i used the ferry,then jumped straight into my car onto the motorway and home no problems
In full: really nice race
well done to all
nice and wet like last year
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Chris Jowett
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: My 3rd GSR and I absolutely love this race!
In full: The hilarious last 2 miles into the wind were incredibly tough and stopped me getting a PB. Still finished in 1 hour 11 which I was very pleased with having done the Amsterdam Marathon the week before. Great crowd support and I had no problems with the organisation. You can't blame the race organisers for the roadworks on the A3!! can't wait for next year when I will go inside 65 minutes!!!
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Victoria Martin
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great run but horrid weather!
In full: I really enjoyed this. Very well organised, really flat and loved the music. Very motivational.
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Mark Hunter 4
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Still one of my favourite races!
In full: Looking at some of the other reviews proves you can't please everyone, but I thought the event was great AGAIN! I ran a PB by 8 minutes and yes it took a while to get in and out of Portsmouth but this is the country's biggest 10 mile race! What do people expect? Thanks to the people of Portsmouth for cheering everyone on in the rain!
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: chrisg9
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: good and very very bad
In full: First time I have raced the GSR and I loved it. Lots of encouragement throughout the wet course. As other reviews have mentioned, the people who came out to support should be applauded. Loved the Irish Band at the four mile point. I even enjoyed the last 2 miles (the music really helped). I had not run a 10 mile race in 4 years and beat my PB by 6 minutes (1.27)
The race itself was well organised then………………………
It took us 2 hours to get from Kent to Portsmouth that morning and we parked fine. Yet getting out was a nightmare, ended up on a road that merged with the exit from the common, went nowhere for ages. Big thanks to the 7 policeman who stood by a roundabout near the common for 2 hours doing nothing until they all got in a van and then drove up the inside of queuing traffic. It has been said by others, yet I can only repeat that they must be better ways to manage the traffic. I have read elsewhere that only 11,000 ran, I dread to think how long we would have had to wait if everyone turned up (probably still be there). With traffic delays on the A3 it took us 7 hours to get home (with an hour pub stop for something to eat)
It is such as shame, this was probably my favourite race yet the traffic nightmare will make me consider if it is worth doing again
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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2007 race reviewed by: Diogenes
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Great race, poor infrastructure
In full: From start to finish this is a great race, despite the weather and the wind. The problems are getting in and out of the town. Doesn't help when the rail service is a replacement bus, so you are stuck in the traffic either way. If that is fixed this would be so much more enjoyable. Also thought the goody bag was a bit meagre this year, although the t-shirt and medal are good quality.
Date of review: October 29, 2007
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