Events

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Ok for half marathoners like me...
In full: As other posters have pointed out, cancelling a race in this manner simply isn't acceptable unless there is a MAJOR hazard that genuinely poses a threat. There was a barely audible announcement 3 minutes before the start, which I only heard as I was at the front. The Greenway was absolutely awful, with gloopy mud and puddles everywhere (I went from being 60 secs inside PB pace at 10 miles to missing out by 20 secs), but not DANGEROUS! As someone who'd only entered the half, I personally have no complaints, but friends of mine who'd planned on doing the full were understandably gutted.

The course itself is a really good one, the hill I'd been told about after 8 miles wasn't too tough. Good support from the marshals. Wouldn't hurt to give more than a banana for £26 though, would it?
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		40%

In short: Tough tough race, harder than last wks VLM
In full: Signed up for the half having done it last yr and thought great local event. Travelling from Coventry an easy start for a Sunday morning. Brutal weather meant that they cut the full on the day, but this late call was not particularly clear even at the start line.

I know our club captain was keen to run the full as his 407th marathon and the late cull put paid to this. I get the duty of care race officials have around a race , but most marathoners are hardy souls and would have trained , prepared accordingly. Rain or shine you get whats given and that's the beauty of the Great British weather ! I heard a few grumbles on the way round from people who were taking the full anyway "unofficially" and would plough on despite the officials decision.

The support on way round was better than I expected, especially in the conditions, but the greenway was a quagmire. I guess this is pushing it on a bad day to call it a road race, as the puddles and mud put paid to any chance of pushing on on the last few miles.

20 seconds off a half pb for me, but nonetheless pleased to get round and feel ok a week after London.

Now I'm home and dried out, i notice no date or year on the medal? Come on guys thats a bit tight! At the end you got a banana and a bottle of water. Thanks to the lady marshal who peeled it for me as i couldnt feel my fingers. For the price I would have expected a medal more personal to the event. Last years medal in the Shakespeares house design was fab, this year run of the mill round design. Top marks to the marshals, believe me it was easier to run on a day like today.
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Marathon cancelled due to weather conditions. Completed the half instead. Understandable why the marathon was cancelled. The marshals and volunteers were very supportive. I'll be back next year, hopefully with better weather.
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Horrendous conditions and cancelled on the day, so just the HM to run
In full: This was supposed to be my first full marathon and with the conditions it would have been a tough one. That would have been tough for me and not them so why cancel, if I wanted to stop I could have, but I wss not given the choice.

There was an announcement, apparatly, but I did not hear it, I was told by a fellow runner. I spoke to a guy at the 5 mile mark and he was unaware that the race he was in was cancelled.

OK so they cannot do anything about the weather and they do care about our safety, but ALL the marshalls should have been telling everyone for the first 3 miles then everyone would know.

Also they should have put something on the web site as many people check this before setting out. There is not even anything on it now after the race has finished.
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Overall score		20%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		20%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Why cancel on the day!?
In full: I found out 5 minutes before the start that the full marathon had been cancelled due to the adverse weather. Yes, it was cold and raining, but we all knew that before turning up at the start line! We were prepared and in honesty it was not that bad! Certainly nowhere near Snowdon 2011 conditions and that was a allowed to go ahead (and was not that bad once you got going).

Marshalls were OK, although some were making inane comments like 'I'm glad I'm not running' and 'I'd rather be watching the Tele'.

Medal was cheap as chips - not even got a date on it!
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Overall score		20%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short:
In full: It was cancelled on the day! fair enough the weather was HURRENDOUS, but if it was that dangerous, why would the half marathon continue? Also, the stewards on the course didn't have a clue that the full course had been cancelled, i asked 3 if it had been given the go ahead... why would this crucial information not have been communicated to them? To be fair- the stewards were enthusiastic and friendly, despite the freezing, windy and wet conditions. I paid alot of money to travel to this event, plus the entry cost, and it would have been nice to be given the oppurtunity to have run what i entered, particulary as i had been doing it as a sponsered event.
Date of review: April 29, 2012

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Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Atmosphere		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: This was my first 'official' Half Marathon and I'll be doing it again. Nice scenery, great support in the local villages
In full: Quite hilly with long inclines in places and the Greenway seems to go on forever but great running surface all round with plenty of water points. Water was in cups last year and no t-shirt included in entry fee but for a fee you could purchase one at the end for a tenner !
Date of review: January 4, 2012

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: A good atmosphere with supportive spectators but quite crowded at the start
Date of review: October 21, 2011

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		80%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: c- u next year xx
In full: this was well worth doing and will be back next year with luck ,lovely scenery nice cheering peeps tough little hill and my only negative being the railway track mind numbing - but i must add well organised by the SRC oh and could you make the t-shirt a option when entering please . KB Kirkstall Harriers Leeds
Date of review: May 19, 2011

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		100%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: massive PB
In full: Really enjoyed my day, particularly knocking six minutes off my best and getting down under 1.35!

Organisation was good- I enjoyed the comedy messages before the start. Actually, the course itself is generally very flat, but with two inclines and one reasonably testing hill- although you do get a nice steep downhill immediately afterwards.

I rather liked my medal and it was a really nice touch to have it handed over with a handshake- made it worthwhile!
Date of review: May 18, 2011

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