Nike Milton Keynes Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (558 votes). 2010 race reviewed by: gary bridger
 | | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: this race claims to be flat by runners world. well i,m sorry but this is the most hillyest /1
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Matt Mitchell 2
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: The move from the OU campus doesn't seem to be a good idea
In full: Third time running the event. the move from OU has changed the event for the worse
Organisation was poor
- bad directions to toilets baggage
- baggage area was poor. Took my stuff back to the car
- the start was poorly organised. A scramble for the first 2-3 miles. Also the 10K people were getting trampled at the head of the course
- Course was o.k.
- No goody bag. No sign of any sports drink any food any goody bag
Please get back to the OU days for next year
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: DeejP
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Marshalling great, course well signed start/finish area orginisation awful
In full: Positives first. Marshalling was great, plentiful and pleasent. The course was nice and scenic even with a nasty last hill and with the new start/finish location was easy to get to.
Now by whinges. Bag drop off and pick up, what a diaster. Not the fault of the people working it but wow was the organisatin bad. The signs to bag drop off were misleading and ended up with queues for the toilet and drop-off being confused and merged. One person seemed to be working the drop off, could have done with at least a few more and also some one to organise queues.
Bag pick up was worse. I finished fairly early but after waiting for a friend to cross the line at 1:45 pace, so not slow at all, I headed to get the bag. It took over an hour of queueing to retrieve it. With drop-off added in it took me longer to do that than run the race. Some water was brought to the queue which was a great idea and greatly appreciated. Unfortunately voulnteers were getting a hard time from runners, which in turn led to them being a bit stressed with runners so tension was high.
Finish are was disappointing too. a bottle of water was the only refreshment on offer, no food at all and no goodie bag. With my wallet in my bag I couldn't even buy something to keep me going while I waited.
The Start for me was just a mess. Could not hear announcer and why did 10k start at same time as half marathon? No corraling of any sort casued the first 5km (at least) to be hugely over congested for runners trying to get a faster time.
I like the idea of this becoming a big event with multiple distances but pardon the pun, walk before you run. Sort out the organisation as this is a good event and course that was tarnished by bad pre/post race events.
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Jo Bevan
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Dave Skinner
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: To many races starting at once.
In full: Last years MK half was my first ever half marathon and, having done several since, I have never bettered the time so I had high hopes of a PB on this one.
I was interested in how this years would be run as it was starting from a different area. When I got there it seemed very unorganised and many runners entered in to different length races, all in the same area wandering around trying to work out what was going on. Luckily I my starting position was near a PA speaker so I could hear what was going on but can understand people complaining about not being able to hear it as it had just been a distant drone until I climbed into the starting pen.
The 10k runners started before the half marathon that meant once we started we caught up with a large majority of the 10k runners and that created a bit of a bottle neck.
Having said that I did get my PB and will be entering again next year.
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: mr guinness
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: a good pb course. and good marselling around the route.
In full: i did not like how the 10k runners started ahead of the half marathon runners.
they should have started the 10k at the back of half marathon runners. and they would have finish before us.
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Mark-C
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good race - shame about the start organisation
In full: The start needs sorting - better PA and target times to split runners out. The rest of the race was fine but surely Nike could have sorted out some decent goody bags?
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Steve Clerkin
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: expected better from the new "Festival of Running"
In full: organisation was poor right from getting the race packs 3 days before the start and then having to collect the pre ordered T shirt on the day due to supplies, down to the lack of signposting or information at the start and finish, the ridiculous baggage area arrangements and the public address system that couldn't be heard. raced this a couple of times before when it was at the Open University and feel that they did a far better job of organising - weather was great though and I got myself a PB - sorry organisers you dont get the credit for that. all said and done will probably be back next year as it's only down the road.
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Andy Anderson
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Need to sharpen up organisation at the start.
In full: The PA system was unaudable over the runners chit chat but there appeard to be instructions about the 10k runners, but nobody had any idea what was going on. The first 2 to 3 miles was congested with many slower runners forming lines abreast which made progress difficult through the pack.
Mixed route of roads and tracks was better than i'd expected! Where were all the roundabouts?? Water stations were well maned with nice size bottles.
A goodie bag would have been nice at the end!
Potential to be much betterwith only a few tweeks!
Date of review: March 7, 2010
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2009 race reviewed by: Anthony Hutchinson
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Terrible start, awful first mile, have signs up for predicted finishing times and why start on the narrowest of narrow bridges? Felt for those runners who had kit nicked, lots of potential so step up and make it a premium eventt .
Date of review: May 4, 2009
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