Brighton Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (219 votes). 2012 race reviewed by: paul crowe
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Credit crunch service for top dollar cost
In full: Hmmm, beautiful weather and I love running in Brighton but the start was lacking in atmosphere, amateur PA. I think they're really trying to milk it without outting in the organisational effort/investment. I booked so long ago that I forgot it was £29, which is a lot for not a lot. The fact that they were still appealing for volunteer marshalls the night before the race speaks volumes. The extra distance is truly unforgiveable. For evidence of how to organise a large race [to which the organisers aspire] they need to look at places like Reading. All things can be resolved with investment [toilets can be brought in]. I didn't even know there was [not that I wanted it havng read about it] a 'goody' bag!! The run was lovely, the crowds lovely, the organisers were amateurs.'Nuff said
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: zehnderboy
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great race normally - Organisers overstretched themselves this year
In full: This is the 4th time I've run this race, 2010 was terrible, 2011 was excellent but today's was a return to the organisational frailties that dogged the 2010 run. The course was overmeasured by about 1/3 mile (500m), the baggage area was poorly managed and too far away, in fact it was in the area most people use for warm-up, the toilets were insufficent for the numbers on the day and the goody bag idea - well this should have been ignored, great medal though. I think this year the organisers wanted to have a bigger race and this overstretched their resources, hopefully next year they'll reduce the size of the event and it will be more successful, not sure that I'll run it though - depends what the organisers say about their performance this year.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Ellena Benson 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Thought I was going mad
In full: Thought my Garmin was having a funny turn when the miles started getting out of sync.
Twisted my ankle at mile 5 due to a runner discarding a bottle in front of me and had to play catch up to try my hardest to make up the lost time and achieve my goal of cracking 1.40 for the first time ever.
Seeing as I ended up at 1.40.52 for 13.5 miles, I suppose I can say that I did it, although the kudos of sub 1.40 being recorded as my finish time will now not happen.
Completely mystified that the organisers can measure a course so inaccurately and that so many runners were left wondering at the end of what should have been a great finish.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Mark Jennings 11
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A PB so happy!
In full: Goody bag wasn't great but it is a charity race so would rather forego the bag! Water and a banana is fine! If it is over measured that's disappointing as I would have smashed pb by more!
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Carly Peart
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Beautiful scenery
In full: Having read other reviews I now realise my gps wasn't wrong and we did run further than thought which makes me feel much better about my time. Beautiful scenery but felt the rest of the race was a disappointment. The goody bag at the end was pointless; nothing in it! I also felt totally discouraged with the course which just seemed endless in either direction. When it narrowed, it became very busy and a struggle to get past people. Perhaps they could try funneling at the beginning if they want to continue have larger numbers of runners. Beautiful run but otherwise, big disappointment, and no t-shirt! For £30+ I felt it lacked a lot.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Chlo_85
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In full: Beautiful course and very friendly enthusiastic volunteers. However I was slightly disappointed at missing out on my pb. At first I was convinced that I just did a lot of weaving in and out of people, but on reading these reviews, I realise that the course was probably a third of a mile too long! I just hope the full Brighton marathon is measured correctly as I don't think any extra mileage will be needed there! I still enjoyed the day anyway, and still think Brighton is a great place to run!
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: PMilsom
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 13.59 miles - hope they're not measuring the Olympic Course!
In full: I've run the BHM for the past two years and really enjoyed it. That was until this year and their unforgiveable under measurement of the course. The measurement between 3-4 miles was just as poor as between 4-5 miles when they'd added c. 350 metres up to the U-turn.
The goody bag was an insult too, but thanks to the volunteers who gave their time.
Unlikely I'll be back for a few years until they sort out the goody bag and their measurements!
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Discodeb
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Shame about the extra distance & poor baggage arrangements
In full: Realised at mile 7 that something was up with the mile markers so luckily knew to press the lap button on my garmin at 13.1 miles to get my 'proper' half marathon time (a PB no less). Baggage area too far from start and very chaotic - took ages to get my bag back and they relied on me pointing out my bag to identify it rather than using the number. Goody bag, utterly pointless - what a waste of plastic! Still a great race though and lovely medal, but probably at the maximum number of people it can accommodate - I found it very overcrowded along large sections of the course.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: VITZUK
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Inaccurate distance, goody bag, water stations big negatives
In full: Organisers should know better to ensure distance is accurate. Nuff said others will no doubt have more to say.
Some water stations were badly organised - not just a smooth "collect and go".
Goody bag was pointless.
Other than that(!) the course is a good scenic one; race is very well supported; and the medal is very nice.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: coflats
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Completely spoilt the race with 13.51 Miles
In full: I thought I had lost my pace at mile 7 when the marker was at 7.35, the previous ones were about 50M further, which is acceptable. I felt disheartened and wanted to give up as I had lost my pace and thought I couldn't get a PB.
The organisers need to speak ASAP and be really really humble. Let's hope they don't pass the buck and that they do take responsibility.
Otherwise it was well organised. But this is a major aspect to get wrong. People should be sacked or if volunteers not allowed to organise races again. I will want to do it next year but only if they assure us they have measured it 3 times on the morning of the race with a wheel, a bicycle and 3 or 4 garmins and google maps. WE have so much technology, how can this happen?
I am pretty angry. It spoilt it for me.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
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