Aviemore Highland Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race (70 votes). | 1 to 10 of 10 ratings | Page: 1 |
| The big picture 2010 (10 votes) | | Overall score | | 96% | | How many would do it again? | | 90% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 84% | | Atmosphere | | 82% | | Organisation | | 76% | | Value | | 74% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 78% |
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2010 race reviewed by: Thom Ferrie
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Cracking views, cracking run a great atmosphere.
Date of review: December 9, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Allan Hunter 2
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great Course & Good Mix of Running
In full: Really enjoyed this race. Course gives a good mix of woodland running past loch morlich and with a couple of good inclines followed by a very welcome downwards finsh. Course in general was beautiful.
Organisation was fine and the bottle(large)of beer at the finish was a nice touch, better than the normal banana.
Date of review: October 30, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Charlotte Chapman
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: great race but let down by chaos getting chip and number
In full: Fantastic views and fantastic down hill course. Brilliant control of traffic on road sections. Loved the actual race. Now for the gripes. Did they really need to make getting number and chip so complicated?!?! I spent ages in a jam packed hotel foyer and had to queue three times! Firstly to see my race number, then to get my race number (once I had found the right line of people) and then finally to get the timing chip. It was bedlam. In my case it was complicated by the fact that my irate 2 year old really couldn't understand why they couldnt send this stuff in the post like every other race. Buses to start were well organised but once there, standing in the freezing cold for an hour didn't improve my mood. Thank god the race more than made up for it. I think I'll be back if I can cope with the admin nightmare.
Date of review: October 23, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: propaganda
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: 10k - Good but a bit shambolic
In full: Well organised registration at Four Seasons Hotel, with coaches laid on to take you to start point. Very chilly but once warmed up felt good. THis was chipped race but only for finishing times as there were no starter mats to get start time unlike the Hlaf Marathon. There was supposed to be a simultaneous start with the Half Marathon, but they lost contact but kept reassuring us that the half would not start until both could be started at the same time. 15 mins later they found out the Half had started - this of course meant that the timing chips were out. I think the final times are about 15s too short. Problems ensued when the 10k crossed the Half marathon route at at almost right angles. No Kilometer markers on course only mile countdowns (not acceptable for a 10k to my mind).. Course is very fast as it nearly all downhill with a 1.5% drop across 10k, definite PB potential. I got a PB but will discount it due to the timing issues. The cousre was very well marshalled and there was excellent control of the traffic on the roads hence it was very safe. Goody bag ok, could have been a bit more generous. This is an expensive event to take part in compared to most but would be well worth it if the organisers paid a little more attention to some of these minor details and gripes. I will definitely do it again and would recommend it.
Date of review: October 19, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Dawn Grant 2
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Excellent race but some issues with organisation
In full: I did this half last year, thoroughly enjoyed it and aside from a chaotic registration thought the organisation was very smooth. This year registration was chaotic as before but there were a couple of other niggles. We seemed to mingle briefly with the 10K crowd in the first 2 miles which was a bit disconcerting as they were going straight on and we were trying to cross amongst them. The big hill due to the route change was a bit of a shock and seemed to be about a mile long if I'm not mistaken but the miles of downhill along the road more than made up for it. I managed to shave a minute off my previous best so can't have been too bad. The last problem was at the prize giving as many chips hadn't registered a time. I sat next to the lady who should have been womens supervet prize winner but she had a chip which didn't register so when the results were called her name wasn't there and she had to query. The organisers did manage to find her name and time eventually but this might not have come to light if she, like many winners, had not stayed around for the prize giving. Also my time hadn't registered which was a worry as it's a PB and races often ask for proof of a time when entering. Thankfully it's on the website now.
To their credit organisers were receptive to queries on the day and did their best to sort any problems. none of these quibbles would stop me from entering again but I would hope that organisers learned from feedback and sorted the registration area and the mix with the 10K runners which were both frustrating.
Date of review: October 19, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: dizzywiggins
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Am a 1/2 marathon virgin, has set the bar high for my next half!
In full: This was an amazing event with regards to organisation. It all went very, very smoothly - registration, transfers, signage, water stations, finish (it probably helped too that we stayed in the Four Seasons hotel - this was where you registered, where the buses left from to get to the start line and where the race finished.)
Gorgeous scenery throughout most of it made this race memorable. It was also especially useful to take your mind off running the road part of the race which seemed to go on and on!
The only disappointing part of it was the goody bag. Very poor - shortbread, water and some blue neck thing for keys or something.
Date of review: October 19, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Mojo6
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: friendly, spectacular views, perfect weather
In full: Only my second half and would highly recommend. Organsiation was brill, friendly crowd, will be back again. A few inclines but MILES of downhill and flat running :)
Date of review: October 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Paul Dickson 2
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: What a fantastic day!!!!!
In full: The whole day was very well organised from the moment we arrived at the Four Seasons Resort to catch our bus to the start we were met by friendly fellow runners and marshalls alike.
Although it was fairly chilly on the Cairngorm mountain, you soon heated up when the race began. The scenery which helped take your mind off the running was incredible, looking over the mountains and Loch Morlich changed continually due to the weather conditions. The only quibble would be the standard of goody bag at the finish. A shortbread biscuit, bottle of water and a lanyard neck strap given by an non-alcoholic lager company wasn't really up to scratch. Apart from that, a fantastic day was had by Mrs D and myself.
Date of review: October 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Legs of Lamb
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In full: The best race I have ever run! From all perspectives: scenery, weather, route, PB (!!), organisation, cameraderie, support. An amazing run from start to finish.
Date of review: October 18, 2010
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2010 race reviewed by: Tickled Pink
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Norty norty for bringing in that big hill .... but I forgive you
In full: It would be hard to find fault with this race. The scenery is to die for and it has a lovely friendly vibe.
Course change since last year which came as a nasty shock as that hill didn't give me a warm and fuzzy moment at all. However, I forgive you as I can see the logic for the change.
Marshalling was, as ever, efficient and friendly with plenty of water in the right places.
One tiny little nitpick .... can you run to a mars bar or summit in the goody bag ... that would have gone down a treat and it's a long way to walk to Tesco with sore legs!
Date of review: October 17, 2010
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