Blackland Downs Challenge 7.25Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (24 votes). | 1 to 2 of 2 ratings | Page: 1 |
| The big picture 2008 (2 votes) | | Overall score | | 80% | | How many would do it again? | | 75% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 50% | | Atmosphere | | 50% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 70% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
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2008 race reviewed by: Simon Atkin
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Challenging hills, nice views
In full: Nice run in the country, mostly off-road, with a stiff climb in the first half. Mostly down from there. Nice venue, quiet small race.
Date of review: October 6, 2008
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2008 race reviewed by: Ian Diddams
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Beautiful scenery, challenging climb and long downhill
In full: This race has suffered from a bit a poor rep maily due to its inaugral running 5 years ago when a 3rd party alteration to the route conditions left the organisers at a very late stage having to deal with it. Its a great shame, because it deserves a larger field - only 46 today though clashed with a couple of other local-ish races which didn;t help... having moved the date from late November due to inclement weather conditions in 2007 maybe putting future runners off. The organisers are rethinking next year's date to try and find one that doesn;t clash locally.
The course is beautiful, stunning even. Flat for a mile or so, then starts to climb gently for the next mile or so with a final quarter mile fairly steep. Then its downhill all the way home for the other 2/3rds of the race. Its road for that first mile or so, then onto farmland with a mixture of cement track, cinder and earth, until Blacklands Down is hit. Then its all fields/downland until the final mile or so back on road. Its a challenging enough route but the course record of 43:30 indicates its not a crippler ... and a novice runner like myself ran 99% of it.
Excellent changing and shower facilities although if 300 runners turned up they'd get cramped fairly quickly :-)
I couldn;t praise the race enough frankly - the marshalls were in all the right places, the painted arrows were clear and the organisation easy.
Do give this a go - it deserves a better rep and larger field.
Date of review: September 28, 2008
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