Events

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

In short: Very Well Marsahhaled and Organised
In full: This course is far superior than the old Glos 20 course. 3 laps did not bother me. Hills on the last lap were a killer, but it is difficult to find a flat course in Gloucestershire, I should know I live here. Very well marshalled. Lots of encouragement, professional. Considering a new course had to be devised, organisation was good also. The good weather helped. I liked the mug, very pratical. You can never have enough mugs in the kitchen. I have enough medals and t-shirts. So more mugs next year. My Garmin like others I spoke to clocked 20.2, so maybe the course was long or maybe Garmins aren't as accurate as they should be. I will be back.
Date of review: March 19, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Beautiful day, well organised and a PB - thanks.
Date of review: March 13, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Excellent support from all the marshals throughout the run, well needed by the 3rd loop
In full: Enjoyed run, helped by excellent weather conditions. Thanks again to the marshals and supports dotted around the course.
A big thumbs up to the fit blond lady running what appeared to be in the wrong direction, she was offering plenty of support, many thanks. If anyone knows where she came from and where she was going please let me know.

Last years poor reward of goody bag with a grand total of tee-shirt was bettered this year by the presentation of a mug! I think we were all mugged.
Date of review: March 10, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Well organised and lots of encouragement
In full: Still not sure if this is a better course. Managed a PB which is always good news but that may have been down to excellent weather rather than the race or the course. The finish area not very exciting and with a cold wind chilled down quickly at the end of the race - so headed back to the car park. With race HQ so dar away there was no point in hanging around.
The course itself is challenging (recognise bits from the Beacon 10K) and the last hill you know will be tough on the last leg.
Like lots of runners don't like laps but could be a lot worse.
Well done to Gloucester AC and the marshal for their support.
Date of review: March 9, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Hope this helps my marathon prep!
In full: Enjoyed the races, have to say the marshalls were excellent, understood my finger pointing from a long way out towards the end of the race to stop me setting off on a 4th lap. Maybe more people on the water stations would help, a few times they were overwhelmed and tubs of jelly babies perhaps?
Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: An excellent opportunity for a long pre-Spring marathon training run. Some elements were better than in 2009 and some not so good …
In full: The 2009 Gloucester 20 was my first ever 20-mile run and proved to be a very positive event, so the 2010 event went into the diary as a "must do" as soon as the date was published. It soon turned out that the 2010 event was to be held on a new course, so how did it compare?

Firstly, that new course. Yes, it is a shame that the Race HQ, the main car park and the start/finish were all in different locations, but the pre-race instructions made the arrangements clear enough. There were also split locations in 2009, so this isn't a feature of this course specifically. The Gloucester 10 and the Gloucester Marathon are organised in a similar way too. Personally, I am hugely impressed with the way that Gloucester AC keep all these road events running against all the odds. I can't imagine that they won't have looked at lots of alternatives and done the best under the circumstances (which include some pretty NIMBY-ish villagers in Longney and Epney, by all accounts, as well as a Sports Centre that is in the middle of a whole network of busy residential roads). I would just say "well done" to the organisers and congratulate them on not having given up running these events long ago.

As for the course, it was three laps instead of two, which really is not an issue. Quite similar terrain to last year, although there was of necessity a stretch with steady traffic on the B4008. There were a couple of inclines, probably similar overall to the previous course, although I found the second one (at miles 6.5, 12 and 17.5) to be increasingly nasty each time I came to it. Good compensation afterwards, though, in the form of a long fast gentle descent down to the railway bridge and beyond. Although I prefer the Longney/Epney loop, I would happily run this course again.

And what about the rest of the event? Advance information was quite late in appearing on the website, although this may have had something to do with the planning necessary for the new course. Pre-race instructions and the running number arrived in good time and the directions were perfectly adequate. It was a shame that there was nothing other than a row of portaloos at the main car park. I shouldn't think many people would have gone to the Race HQ before the event and it would have been really nice just to have a garden marquee with a tea urn in the corner of the car park. Maybe next year ...

The distance to the start was fine - a good opportunity for a warm up jog. The start itself took me completely by surprise! (Note to Results Officer: please deduct half a minute from the finishing time of every Westbury Harriers runner - we were all standing around at the back chatting when we became aware that the stampede had started!)

On course, the marshalling was excellent and the marshals were visible and clear in their instructions at every junction and blind bend. Well done! Drinks stations were well-spaced too and the helpers invariably friendly and efficient - thanks to you all too!

The finish was a little disappointing, and one or two reviewers have already commented on this. Yes, a Mars Bar or a banana would have been hugely welcome to provide some energy for the return to the car park or the Race HQ. (I did see a table set up in the car park with drinks etc - perhaps that could have been at the finish instead, unless it was a private club arrangement?) I was disappointed with the mug (I don't like commemorative mugs, but maybe others do?), but in contrast I really liked the 2009 Gloucester Old Spot T-shirt. Finally, the Race HQ is well tried and tested and the hot showers very welcome. It was well worth the short drive in order to get a shower, a cup of tea and a piece of cake.

In conclusion, a competently organised and marshalled event which is an essential part of the Spring marathon calendar. A few niggles, some of which are down to personal taste, but overall a big thank you to the organisers for another good day out!

Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Better than last year
In full: I found the pre-race instructions and directions perfectly clear, so I'm not sure why others didn't.

The fabulous weather on the day doubtless helped, but I thought 2010 was a big overall improvement on 2009 - i.e. better parking, shorter walk at the start & end, I preferred the new 3 lap course to the old 2 lap course, less concerns about road safety (which soured the atmosphere last year, hence the big drop in numbers this year).

Well marshalled by friendly folk who appeared to know what they were doing in terms of traffic control at the junctions.

Quite expensive for a few cups of water and a mug, but otherwise no complaints from me.
Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In full: It came as a surprise when everyone begun to run, as there was no indication that the race had started!!
For someone who hates laping, I really enjoyed the course. The laps were varied enough not to seem repetative and couldnt have asked for better weather.
The marshalls were really friendly and supportive throughout.
My Garmin clocked a slightly longer course of 20.15 miles and it wasnt obvious that mugs were being given out at the end (I had to go back for mine!!). Apart from the few organisation issues, a great race. Thanks Glouc AC.
Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Perfect marathon training - the marshalls made it!
In full: My first 20 miler for my first marathon so it acheived what I needed. Some people complained about not finding the start, but as long as you parked in the park n ride as per instructions and followed the crowds, it was fine - although I admit there wasn't any signs to the start and from the finish. Once out of the industrial estate, the course was really pretty. As one of the girls at the back, can I say a massive thanks to the marshalls as you were absolutely fantastic - full of encouragement and cheering us through. And also to the St John's Ambulance on bikes who came and chatted with us on the way round and checked we were ok at regular points. I know I was running it as a slow training run rather than a race, but I was surprised to be running most of the race at the back; it's a fast club race. After the posts on last years race I wasn't really looking forward to this, but I did - well done Gloucester AC.
Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Not up to the usual standard of the Gloucester 20
In full: Organisation seemed a bit muddled compared to previous years. OH and I received two numbers with no indication of which was which, the distance from the car park / start to the Race HQ meant that most people didn't bother going. Couldn't hear the start and with no clock at the finish line am still not sure how long I took. Finish was very flat [in terms of atmosphere] - I even missed getting my mug as there was nobody handing them out or at least directing you to where they were. Previous years have had chip timing and I must confess to hating the three lap format, I always used to find that two was one too many -although I can see the convenience from the point of view of water stops etc.
Date of review: March 8, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator