Bath Half-MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (1133 votes). 2011 race reviewed by: Priestess
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well organised, fun and good marathon prep
Date of review: March 28, 2011
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2010 race reviewed by: Mill2009
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A very good race with great atmosphere
Date of review: March 26, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Kate Dinning
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: March 18, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Honey Bear
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great day out
In full: A well organised event. The crowd support was great. No correct size tee shirts for us tail enders!*!*
Date of review: March 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Mark Ilott
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Sells out well in advance, good atmosphere
In full: Only real disappointment was the start groups were on predicted times. Could move back, but not forward. Had to overtake a lot of slower runners who put down faster predicted times. Well supported race.
Date of review: March 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Black And Tabby
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Very crowded, but much better organisation than I was expecting
In full: Having never entered a big city race, I thought I ought to do one for the experience. After reading previous year's reviews of Bath I was rather worried as to what it would be like. I was also wondering what I would get for my money, as its not a cheap race by any means.
As it was, I had a great day. Yes there were queues for the loos (but aren't there always?) but nothing worse than at any other race I've been to. At least they were moving quickly.
The walk to the start (I was in the Orange pen) was okay, although it was cold waiting for the 'off' so I was glad I'd taken the organiser's advice and visited Oxfam for a disposable jumper. The streets did look the aftermath of a jumble sale for the first few miles though.
The support from the people of Bath was amazing - I was tired at the end from waving & smiling to everyone who called my name out. Water stations were plentiful, although it was a shame to see so many discarded nearly full bottles of Lucozade. Maybe they should make special small race bottles to hand out?
It was crowded in places on the course, and I have a lovely scrape on my ankle as a result of a runner shoving past me. But I guess that's part and parcel of a big race.
It was a bit of a shuffle at the end to collect medals and goody bags, and was rather a shame to only have the choice of Small or X. Large T-shirts by the time I got through. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for the organisers to ask on the entry form what size T-shirt you'd like?
Overall, it was a great experience, and the smile on my face captured on my official photo says it all. Oh, and a PB to boot :-)
Date of review: March 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Guinness
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good race, shame about the buses...
In full: Organisation pretty good this year although not sure why they bothered with the mp3 ban as I didn't get lapped by anyone and it wouldn't have been an issue. Major faff with the Park & Ride at the end, with hundreds of people queuing. I ended up walking several miles uphill to Odd Down car park so as not to get frozen stiff in the queue. Sort it out Bath!
Date of review: March 16, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: 1wozza
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good atmosphere, organisation a bit of a joke considering the cost
In full: The atmosphere, support and the topography of the course were excellent. However, the start and start facilities are a joke considering the money it costs to enter. There was insufficient toilets(particularly mens urinals which would speed the queues up a lot)and the less said about the ludicrous journey to the starting pens the better, the bottleneck was a joke. I managed to get to the start with 2 minutes to spare but thousands of people were behind me at this point. The starting area itself is too small to accommodate 15,000 runners and famillies at the same time. At certain points of the course the width was too narrow to fit the amount of runners but we all had fun trying to avoid the thousands of pointless cones laid out down the middle of most of the roads!!
Despite my moans I enjoyed the experience but I wouldnt do it again. Charge a lower entry fee or improve the start and start area.
Date of review: March 14, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: laurag
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Nice race, good atmosphere.
In full: It was my first time doing bath but my 6th half overall.
It was congested at the start, yes, but not unusually so for a big race.
The marshals seemed on the ball shepherding people into the correct start area (though this was annoying for me as I was using someone else's number - naughty naughty - and he had a slower projected finish time, twas fine, I just lept the barrier, escaped my pen and walked into the next one with my friend!), but otherwise a good system.
Yes, it's hilly. Unfortunately I couldn't use that that first hill to my advantage as it was too narrow and busy to overtake and power past.
Great atmosphere though, regular music and big turnout of spectators. No PB for me, and it is hilly though I guess there is potential.
No problem with queues at the finish, though I can't comment on bag collection times as I didn't use the bag drop.
The one way system with all the barriers was really annoying at the start as I was trying to meet someone in a pub to give them by bag but got sent back and for by so many marshals who wouldn't let me past when the pub was right there!
Oh well, i'm sure I'll be back in a year or so!
Date of review: March 14, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Sebastian80
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Superb race, very well organised
In full: I don't know what's go on in previous years, but I thought this race was superbly organised and the only let down was Network Rail/First Great Western.
Yes it's busy, but that's why it draws the crowds, which is why a lot of people do this one in the first place. You can't have you cake and eat it, so to speak.
I thought the seeded start worked very well, there were plenty of toilets and the post race water/medal/goody bag/t-shirt conveyer worked very well.
I was nervous after reading reviews of previous years, but those concerns were unfounded. See you next year!
Date of review: March 14, 2011
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