Plymouth Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race in the past (62 votes). | 1 to 10 of 16 ratings | Page: 1 2 |
| The big picture 2012 (16 votes) | | Overall score | | 79% | | How many would do it again? | | 97% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 52% | | Atmosphere | | 85% | | Organisation | | 76% | | Value | | 59% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 77% |
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2012 race reviewed by: personalbest
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Give me a technical 'T' shirt, proper water bottles and I'll be happy
In full: This is my forth Plymouth half and I'll probably do it again next year, despite the eye watering entry fee! Why? because I live in the city and I love running my local half.
I enjoyed the new route which includes a turnaround / contra flow on the Embankment - great to see who is ahead and behind you and good for for a bit of banter.
The support from the crowds was good but there were NO BANDS, NO MUSIC, NO DRUMS? Compare with Bideford half which provides all these and bagpipes!
Water was provided in cups on all but one of the water stations - bottles may be more expensive but they are what most runners want!
The 'athletes village' was fairly efficient especially the baggage drop thanks to the cadet force.
For a high entry fee most people want some added value - a goody bag and a technical 'T' shirt. If the organisers can't do this then they should charge a much lower entry fee.
A 'local' race (The Cubert five) provided a lovely More Mile back pack within a £10 entry fee.
Plymouth half - WORK HARDER ON YOUR SPONSORS NEXT YEAR!!
Date of review: June 8, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Tom GBH
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Fairly challenging course with some hills and nice place to finish up on the hoe - great medal but no t-shirt
In full: This was the first time I've run this one. Saltram is a serious hill, but most of the rest of the course was flattish bar the climb back up to the Hoe from the barbican which was quite punishing at the end of the run. Despite the tricky hills, I got my second fastest ever time out of ten events. I thought it was a bit pricey, especially as the goody bag wasn't great and there was no t-shirt. The plastic cups were a bit annoying - had to crunch through them as people can't throw them to the side of the road as they can with bottles. Overall an enjoyable race and I'd do it again.
Date of review: June 6, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Steven Dorrall
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In full: It is the 5th time I completed the run and I preferred this years route after some tinkering to the course over the last few years. Got caught up in the bottleneck off the Hoe at the start and the first water station was chaotic as well, but the event was once again well organised and support was fantastic along the route. I'm disappointed with the price especially as other half marathons (i.e. Bristol and Torbay) are cheaper and have a tech t-shirt thrown in but I achieved a pb on one of the more challenging half marathon courses and would return next year.
Date of review: June 6, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Mr Whipster
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great crowds. Tough finish, but much worse value than a few years ago.
In full: I last did this race in 2007 and there have been a few changes. Some are for the better, such as the new route which seemed a tiny bit flatter, and the change to the finish. However, some changes are not so good.The start was quite congested and too narrow in places. The event seems to have doubled in price over the past few years, and I guess some of this is due to the extra road closures, but overall value has diminished. There used to be hot food and drink at the finish and the usual free t-shirt and useful goody bag. Now no t-shirt, goody bag a random collection of cheap stuff and no hot food or drink.
However, the quibble over value would not stop me doing it again. It's my local race, and the crowds throughout the course seemed bigger and louder than I remember, especially at the hills where you really needed them. The course has some challenging hills but it also has some long flat and downhill bits, so a fast time is not impossible.
Plymouth is still a good race, and if the organisers made a few tweaks to make it better value it could be a great one.
Date of review: June 6, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Gillian Slattery
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 3rd half marathon.....acheived a PB but it was the hardest half of the 3. Brilliant support, lovely course, the hill back up to the hoe almost broke me but the feeling on finsihing was amazing! Water would've been better in bottles! I'll be back!!
Date of review: June 5, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: littlemisslazy
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Had a great time!
In full: Loved the scenery, the organisation and the downhills. Did not love the uphills, particularly the seemingly endless one to the finish line. Thought the goody bag was perfect and would only request water on bottles rather than cups. Overall a great day!
Date of review: June 5, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: greasygringo
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: lovely scenic run with plenty of challenging hills right up to the final 400 metres.had been looking forward to this run for a while and it didnt dissapoint.fortunately weather didnt ruin the run.great marshalling and organisation plus awesome medal!
Date of review: June 5, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Green Pete
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great race, will be back again.
In full: Once again a great race even though the hill through Saltram was brutal but the crowds there were fantastic as usual. The water stations around the course had plastic cups of water instead of bottles and by the time the cadet gave me a cup most of the water fell out... Should do what they did at the Manchester Marathon when they gave water pouches, so much easier. The medal was really nice but no T-shirt this year and the goodie bag was poor. But it's my home race so i'll be back next year.
Date of review: June 5, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: TrailRoad
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: June 4, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: mimaduck
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: My homecoming half - worth every step
In full: This was always going to be the race I was aiming for - the very first race I signed up to and my homecoming of sorts. From the very start at the baggage drop things were brilliant. Lovely polite cadets, lovely runners, Macmillan people who when they saw my Mac vest gave me a brilliant welcome.
Started on time (always good), excellent marshalls and lovely supporters along the way, endless encouragement from passers by and perfectly times water stops. The electrolyte stop at Saltram was a hugely welcomed sight for my flagging energy levels too.
Crossing the finish line was amazing, hand in hand with other runners and a brilliant reception. Medal as we came off was a lovely touch. One of the brilliant cadets saw my race number and ran over with my bag for me, the nicest thing anyone has ever done. Excellent podiatrists too with no waiting!
Thank you for a brilliant morning!
Date of review: June 4, 2012
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